The Condor Legion was a unit of military personnel from the air force and army of Nazi Germany’s Wehrmacht which served with the Nationalist faction during the Spanish Civil War. The Condor Legion developed methods of strategic bombing that were used widely during the Second World War. The bombing of Guernica was the most infamous operation by the Condor Legion. Hugo Sperrle commanded the unit's aircraft formations and Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma commanded the ground element.
Condor Legion marching during the Spanish Civil War
He 111E of the Condor Legion, 1939
A Ju 52 plane in Crete in 1943
Ruins of Guernica (1937)
The Luftwaffe was the aerial-warfare branch of the Wehrmacht before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the Luftstreitkräfte of the Imperial Army and the Marine-Fliegerabteilung of the Imperial Navy, had been disbanded in May 1920 in accordance with the terms of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles which banned Germany from having any air force.
Hermann Göring, the first Supreme Commander of the Luftwaffe (in office: 1935–1945)
Robert Ritter von Greim, the second and last Supreme Commander of the Luftwaffe (in office: April–May 1945)
Manfred von Richthofen with other members of Jasta 11, 1917 as part of the Luftstreitkräfte
Walther Wever, Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff, 1933–1936
