Stefan Fröhlich (7 October 1889 - 2 October 1978) was the most senior operational recipient of the
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes in 1940, and the first Austrian to receive it. He joined the Austrian Heer in 1908 and served throughout the First World War as an engineer officer, reaching the rank of Hauptmann. He remained in the Heer after the war and by 1937 had reached the rank of Major and was responsible for flight equipment. Following promotion to Oberstleutnant he was in charge of the Flight Training Regiment. After Austria’s incorporation into the German Reich, Fröhlich joined the Luftwaffe, and in February 1939, after a short attachment to III.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 255 (KG 255), took command of I.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 158 (which became I./KG 76 in May 1939). After the Poland Campaign, by which time Fréhlich had been promoted to Oberst, he was given command of Kampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76), which he led until February 1941. During this time, he led his Geschwader successfully in the Battle of France, Battle of Britain and the Blitz, flying on a number of missions. For example, on 15 August 1940 (by which time he had been promoted to Generalmajor) during an attack on the airfield at Redhill, his pilot, Oberleutnant Hans Lommatsch, was wounded but managed to return to France; although Fröhlich was uninjured, Lommatsch died of his wounds on 7 September 1940. After having handed over the Geschwader to Oberst Ernst Bormann, Fröhlich became Fliegerführer Afrika for the next fourteen months. A series of senior staff appointments followed and he ended the war with the rank of General der Flieger.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes in 1940, and the first Austrian to receive it. He joined the Austrian Heer in 1908 and served throughout the First World War as an engineer officer, reaching the rank of Hauptmann. He remained in the Heer after the war and by 1937 had reached the rank of Major and was responsible for flight equipment. Following promotion to Oberstleutnant he was in charge of the Flight Training Regiment. After Austria’s incorporation into the German Reich, Fröhlich joined the Luftwaffe, and in February 1939, after a short attachment to III.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 255 (KG 255), took command of I.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 158 (which became I./KG 76 in May 1939). After the Poland Campaign, by which time Fréhlich had been promoted to Oberst, he was given command of Kampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76), which he led until February 1941. During this time, he led his Geschwader successfully in the Battle of France, Battle of Britain and the Blitz, flying on a number of missions. For example, on 15 August 1940 (by which time he had been promoted to Generalmajor) during an attack on the airfield at Redhill, his pilot, Oberleutnant Hans Lommatsch, was wounded but managed to return to France; although Fröhlich was uninjured, Lommatsch died of his wounds on 7 September 1940. After having handed over the Geschwader to Oberst Ernst Bormann, Fröhlich became Fliegerführer Afrika for the next fourteen months. A series of senior staff appointments followed and he ended the war with the rank of General der Flieger.
Source :
"Knights of the Battle of Britain: Luftwaffe Aircrew Awarded the Knight's Cross in 1940" by Chris Goss
"Uniforms of the Third Reich - A Study in Photography" by A. Hayes dan J. Maguire
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