The war year 1940 found GEMA’s research and development in top form, expressed in over 100 patent applications, certainly covering the field of radio location well.

Despite the infamous order against research-even with a Fu¨hrer Directive given by Go¨ring behind it-Erbslo¨h and von Willisen had GEMA start new projects. (This refers to an order given by Go¨ring for Hitler on 3 February 1940 that military research not completed for 1940 or shortly thereafter should be discontinued.) Many people qualified for such tasks had to be taken for necessary activities in manufacture, testing and supporting equipment in the field. For workers who were or who might become active in the field, the question arose of what their status would be if, when serving with the Navy or Luftwaffe in combat, they became prisoners of war. They were to wear arm-bands on which was inscribed ‘Deutsche Wehrmacht’, if they came into a dangerous situation, and were given some calming assurances that this would protect them from the unattractive fate of being held as irregulars. Fortunately, a need for these arm-bands never arose.