Thursday, September 29, 2022

High Ranking Officers of Heeresgruppe Mitte

Wehrmacht generals pose together in front of a wooden house in the central sector of the Eastern Front. Standing in the front row, from left to right: Generalfeldmarschall Ernst Busch (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe Mitte), Generaloberst Walter Weiss (Oberbefehlshaber 2. Armee), Generalleutnant Hans Krebs (Chef des Generalstabes Heeresgruppe Mitte), General der Infanterie Friedrich Hoßbach (Kommandierender General LVI. Panzerkorps), General der Artillerie Rudolf Freiherr von Roman (Kommandierender General XX. Armekorps), and Generalleutnant Hans Speth (Führer-Reserve Oberkommando des Heeres). Standing directly behind Weiss is Generalleutnant Gustav Harteneck (Kommandeur 72. Infanterie-Division). This photo was taken in May 1944 by Kriegsberichter Thiemann of Propaganda-Kompanie 670. Just one month later, this area under the command of Heeresgruppe Mitte fell apart after the Red Army launched Operation Bagration!

Source :
Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-088-3724-06A
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-088-3724-06A,_Russland,_Generale_vor_Holzhaus.jpg

Bio of General der Artillerie Fritz Lindemann (1894-1944)

Fritz Lindemann, born 04/11/1894 in Berlin, died on 09/22/1944 of gunshot wounds

Born 1894 in Berlin-Charlottenburg as the son of the artillery officer Friedrich Lindemann, Fritz Lindemann passed his high school finishing exams in 1912 at the Victoria-Gymnasium in Potsdam as best of his class. From 1914 to 1918, he took part in the First World War, from 1916 on as lieutenant in the General Staff. In 1919, he fought against the Düsseldorf republic of the councils as a member of a free corps. He was transferred to the Reichswehr and served as an intermittent member of the German delegation to the Versailles peace negotiations. From 1923 to 1926, he absolved training for the General Staff in Berlin; in 1932, he studied economics at the University of Berlin, and from 1933 to 1936, he taught tactics and war history at the War Academy in Berlin.

In 1936, Lindemann was transferred the General Command of the Xth Army Corps in Hamburg (Sophienterrasse 14), and in 1937, he was promoted to a colonel. From 1937 on, Fritz Lindemann was listed in the Hamburg telephone book as a lieutenant colonel at the residential address Maria-Louisen-Strasse 57, living in a 7-room apartment on the fourth floor with his wife and three children. A so-called maid’s room for the housemaid Erika belonged to the flat.

Lindemann resigned from active service effective August 1st, 1938. He joined the NSDAP and entered journalism, initally as military political commentator for the "Kieler Neueste Nachrichten.” From May, 1939, he worked for the "Hamburger Fremdenblatt.” In the course of mobilization, he was reactivated in 1939 and took part in the attack on Poland (1939), in the western campaign against France and in the attack on the Soviet Union (1941–1942). In January, 1942, he was promoted to major general. In October, 1943, he was appointed leader of the artillery staff at the high command of the army in Berlin, where he first made contact to Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg. In December, 1943, Fritz Lindemann was promoted to General of the Artillery.

He played an activate part in planning the assassination of Adolf Hitler with the inner circle of the members of the resistance of July 20th, 1944. Lindemann assumed the role of the emissary, making connections to officers critical of the Nazi regime. After the overthrow, he was supposed to become the speaker for the new government and read its first appeal to the people on the radio. In summer of 1944, Lindemann had talks with social democratic and communist opponents of the regime in Dresden.

After the failure of the assassination of July 20th, Fritz Lindemann first went into hiding at the home of his uncle in Dresden. Later, he fled to Berlin, where he found refuge with Erich and Elisabeth-Charlotte Gloeden. On August 20th, 1944, a description of the "deserter” Lindemann was published in the NSDAP’s "Völkischer Beobachter” and other newspapers, offering a reward of 500,000 RM. "Lindemann was involved in the preparations for the attempt to assassinate the Führer on July 20th. Any kind of information leading to the apprehension of the offender will be welcomed by all police bureaus. Anyone who supports the fugitive in any way or who has knowledge of his current sojourn and does not immediately report this to the police will be severely punished.”

His son Georg Lindemann, midshipman of the navy, was arrested on August 25th at the apartment in Maria-Louisen-Strasse. Fritz Lindemann was also betrayed and arrested by the Gestapo on September 3rd, 1944. He resisted arrest and suffered gunshot wounds in the abdomen and a thigh. After two operations and a series of interrogations, he died of his severe injuries on September 22nd, 1944.

The persons who had helped Fritz Lindemann flee or concealed him paid for their courage with their lives: Erich and Elisabeth-Charlotte Gloeden and her mother Mutter Elisabeth Kuznitzky were sentenced to death in November of 1944 and guillotined immediately. Carl Marks and Hans Sierks, who had helped Lindemann flee from Dresden to Berlin, were also sentenced to death and shot by the SS at the end of April, 1945, only a few days before German surrendered. His 72-year-old uncle was acquitted on account of his age; his wife Elsa committed suicide in jail in September, 1944; his cousin Hermann Lindemann was sentenced to ten years at hard labor.

Fritz Lindemann’s family was subject to kin punishment. His wife, who with her 10-year-old daughter was staying with relatives in Andernach on the Rhine, was arrested there and subsequently imprisoned at the concentration camps Ravensbrück, Stutthoff, Buchenwald and Dachau.

The Lindemanns’ daughter and the children of other resistance fighters were taken to a children’s home in Bad Sachsa in the Harz Mountains. Lindemann’s sons, aged 19 and 20, both soldiers, were sentenced to five, respectively seven years at hard labor. All family members survived kin punishment. After the war, Fritz Lindemann’s widow, her children and three grandchildren again lived at Maria-Louisen-Strasse 57 until 1959.

In 1964, a street in the new Hamburg-Lohbrügge housing estate was named for Fritz Lindemann; in 1987, the Lilo-Gloeden-Kehre in Hamburg-Bergedorf was named for Elisabeth Gloeden. The Elisabeth-Gloeden-Ring in Kiel also honors the woman who had concealed Fritz Lindemann from the Gestapo. And in Berlin, the Gloedenpfad commemorates Erich and Elisabeth-Charlotte Gloeden.



Source :
https://www.stolpersteine-hamburg.de/en.php?&LANGUAGE=EN&MAIN_ID=7&p=93&BIO_ID=1991

Funeral of Horst Kerfin

The body of Ritterkreuzträger (Knight's Cross recipient) from Fallschirmjäger, Hauptmann Horst Kerfin, was laid in a coffin with spruce leaves covered with swastika flags, before being interred in the prepared pit, which was dug in the snow. Kerfin was killed in the battle against the Red Army at Alexeyevka, Soviet Union, on January 22, 1943. He received the prestigious Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on May 24, 1940 for the successful attack of German paratroopers in the Netherlands. At that time he held the rank of Oberleutnant and served as a Zugführer (Platoon leader) in the 11.Kompanie / Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1.









Source :
https://www.kometmilitaria.com/product-page/8-pictures-fallschirmj%C3%A4ger-ritterkreuztr%C3%A4ger-kia-horst-kerfin

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Ritterkreuz Action of Gerhard Hensel

Gerhard Hensel (24 May 1912 - 26 January 1943) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 26 December 1941 as Oberfeldwebel and Zugführer in 2.Kompanie / I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 15 / 11.Panzer-Division. On 29 July 1941 Oberfeldwebel Hensel and his Zug clashed with double the number of enemy tanks near Manjokowka, with Hensel at the spearhead of his unit. Despite the loss of two of his own Panzers Hensel resolved to carry on the battle, and succeeded in eliminating 6 enemy medium tanks with his Panzer. As a result of this deed the march route for the continued advance of the Division was cleared and it could continue its movement without interruption. Hensel would be awarded the Ritterkreuz for this action.



Source :
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Hensel,_Gerhard
https://www.kometmilitaria.com/product-page/signed-private-picture-of-ritterkreuztr%C3%A4ger-gerhard-hensel-panzer-regiment-15
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/85692/Hensel-Gerhard.htm

Ludwig Kübler and Hubert Lanz


Press picture showing the celebration of the naming of the Mackensen-Kaserne (Mackensen barracks) in Bad Reichenhall on Sunday, 14 May 1939. On the right wearing visor cap is Generalmajor and later Ritterkreuzträger (Knight's Cross Holder) Ludwig Kübler, Kommandeur 1. Gebirgs-Division, with the Olympia Ehrenzeichen erster Klasse in wear. The picture shows him together with Oberstleutnant Hubert Lanz, also later Ritterkreuzträger, Kommandeur Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 100 (part of 1. Gebirgs-Division).
 
Source :
https://www.kometmilitaria.com/product-page/press-picture-general-k%C3%BCbler-with-olympia-ehrenzeichen-erster-klasse

Max Pemsel, Franz Böhme and Sepp Dietrich

From left to right: Oberstleutnant i.G. Max Pemsel (Chef des Generalstabes XVIII. Gebirgskorps), General der Infanterie Franz Böhme (Kommandierender General XVIII. Gebirgskorps), and SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Josef "Sepp" Dietrich (Kommandeur Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler). The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Röder in Greece on 20 May 1941, and first published two days later.

Source :
https://oorlogsspullen.nl/product/original-wwii-german-waffen-ss-photo-sepp-dietrich/

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Bio of Generalmajor Alfred Kuzmany (1893-1961)

Generalmajor Alfred Kuzmany
Born: 24 Oct 1893 in Dorna-Watra, Dukowina
Died: 04 Oct 1961 in Vienna (Wien)

Promotions:
Leutnant der Reserve (01 Oct 1915); Leutnant (01 Jul 1915); Oberleutnant (01 Nov 1916); Hauptmann (Titel) (01 Jan 1921); Hauptmann (21 Jan 1928); Major (23 May 1932); Oberstleutnant (01 Jun 1939); Oberst (01 Feb 1942); Generalmajor (30 Jan 1945)

Career:
Entered Austrian Army Service (Reserves) (09 Oct 1913)
One Year Volunteer in the 5th Landwehr-Infantry-Regiment, Pola (09 Oct 1913-1914)
Detached to One Year Volunteer School Graz (1913-31 Jul 1914)
Commandant of Strandwachen in Poland (1914-00 Feb 1915)
Severely wounded in the Carpathians, in Hospital (00 Feb 1915-01 Jul 1916)
Active-Officer (01 Jul 1916)
Platoon and Company Commander in the 5th Landwehr-Infantry-Regiment, later Training-Officer with the Replacement-Battalion of the 5th Landwehr-Infantry-Regiment, later renamed 5th Rifle-Regiment (01 Jul 1916-00 May 1917)
Personnel-Advisor in Department 16 of General-Government Serbia (00 May 1917-1919)
Personnel-Advisor Construction-Department of the Liquidating Military-Command I, Vienna (1919-01 Sep 1921)
Assigned to the 3rd Infantry-Regiment, there he was Recruitment-Training-Officer, Battalion-Adjutant, Telegraph-Officer, Company-Commander, Transport-Officer & Major with the Regiment-Staff (01 Sep 1921-14 Apr 1938)
Transferred into the German Army (15 Mar 1938)
Transferred into the 134th Infantry-Regiment & Detached as Second Personnel Officer (IIb) to the General-Command of XVII. Army-Corps (14 Apr 1938-10 Nov 1938)
Transferred to the Staff of the 79th Infantry-Regiment (10 Nov 1938-26 Aug 1939)
Führer-Reserve OKH (26 Aug 1939-01 Sep 1939)
Commander of III. Battalion of the 484th Infantry-Regiment (01 Sep 1939-15 Feb 1940)
Commander of the 16th Infantry-Replacement-Regiment (15 Feb 1940-06 Dec 1940)
Commander of the 338th Infantry-Regiment (06 Dec 1940-01 Apr 1942)
Führer-Reserve OKH (01 Apr 1942-01 Jun 1942)
Commandant of Ulm (01 Jun 1942-28 Mar 1945)
Commandant of Linz (28 Mar 1945-05 May 1945)
In US Captivity (21 Jun 1945-17 Apr 1947)
Released (17 Apr 1947)

Awards & Decorations:
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (02 Feb 1942)


Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2431125#p2431125
http://www.geocities.ws/orion47.geo/WEHRMACHT/HEER/Generalmajor2/KUZMANY_ALFRED.html

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Heinz Guderian with a Panzer IV

 

Generaloberst Heinz Guderian (Oberbefehlshaber Panzergruppe 2) standing beside a Panzerkampfwagen IV of Panzer-Regiment 35 / 4.Panzer-Division, 12 September 1941. The picture was taken in the Eastern Front during Unternehmen Barbarossa, German invasion of Soviet Union.

Source :
https://www.ebay.de/itm/385120762924?hash=item59aafc7c2c:g:9FoAAOSwhjljJXfT

Sunday, September 18, 2022

Bio of Korvettenkapitän Adalbert Schnee (1913-1982)

Korvettenkapitän (Crew 34)

Successes
21 ships sunk, total tonnage 90,189 GRT
2 auxiliary warships sunk, total tonnage 5,700 GRT
3 ships damaged, total tonnage 28,820 GRT

Born: 31 December 1913 in Berlin
Died: 4 November 1982 (68) in Hamburg, Germany
    
Ranks
8 Apr 1934 Offiziersanwärter
26 Sep 1934 Seekadett
1 Jul 1935 Fähnrich zur See
1 Jan 1937 Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Apr 1937 Leutnant zur See
1 Apr 1939 Oberleutnant zur See
1 Mar 1942 Kapitänleutnant
1 Dec 1944 Korvettenkapitän

Decorations
21 Oct 1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class
27 Nov 1939 U-boat War Badge 1939
15 Aug 1940 Iron Cross 1st Class
30 Aug 1941 Knights Cross
15 Jul 1942 Knights Cross with Oak Leaves

U-boat Commands
U-6     31 Jan 1940   to  10 Jul 1940       1 patrol (16 days)
U-60     19 Jul 1940  to   5 Nov 1940       3 patrols (54 days)
U-121     6 Nov 1940  to   27 Nov 1940       No war patrols
U-201     25 Jan 1941  to   24 Aug 1942       7 patrols (242 days)
U-2511     29 Sep 1944  to   9 May 1945       1 patrol (4 days)

Adalbert Schnee joined the Reichsmarine in April 1934. After some months on the light cruiser Leipzig, he began his U-boat career in May 1937.

He spent two pre-war years on board U-23 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Otto Kretschmer. He completed five patrols on her before going on to win great success with his own boat, U-201. He was awarded the Knights Cross after three patrols in U-201, then on the seventh he sank ships totalling 41,036 tons, which earned him the Oak Leaves to his Knights Cross.

In October 1942 he joined the BdU staff. In his position as the "Geleitzugs-Asto" (A I op), he planned and organised operations against Allied convoys.

In September 1944 he took over the command of the new 'Elektro-boot' U-2511, the first type XXI Elektro U-boat to see active service, commencing her first patrol on 16 March*. It is claimed that on her second patrol on the last day of the war, in the hours immediately after the cease-fire order of 4 May 1945, Korvettenkapitän Schnee had an excellent opportunity to sink the British cruiser HMS Norfolk, and in fact simulated an actual attack, evaded the destroyer screen, closed to point-blank range, and then simply left the area. (In recent years doubt has been cast on this version of events, however).

After the surrender he served for six months in a minesweeper unit. In October 1945 he was called into court to testify in defence of Heinz-Wilhelm Eck and some of his officers, who were being tried for their actions in the Peleus Affair. On the stand, Schnee was placed in a difficult position by the prosecutor, and faced with the choice of either incriminating himself or condemning Eck's decision. Backed into a corner, Schnee, who was to have been the star witness for the defense, was forced to admit he would not have done what Eck did.

Schnee later completed a commercial training course and worked for some years as a commercial representative. Then he retired from this profession to become the director of a sailing school on the island of Elba in the Mediterranean.

Adalbert Schnee was for many years chairman of the Verband der U-Boots-Fahrer (Association of U-Boat Crew).


Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adalbert_Schnee
http://miniaturasjm.com/mi-biblioteca/uboats-at-war-in-100-objects-19391945/
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/35675/Schnee-Otto-Adalbert.htm
https://uboat.net/men/schnee.htm

Curt Pflugbeil in a Map Discussion

General der Flieger Curt Pflugbeil (left, Kommandierender General IV. Fliegerkorps) talking on the phone while involved in a map discussion with other Luftwaffe officers, somewhere in the Eastern Front, 1941-43. At right is General der Luftnachrichtentruppe Dr.Ing. e.h. Wolfgang Martini (Leiter des Nachrichtenwesens bei der Luftwaffe).

Source :
https://www.ebay.de/b/General-in-Militaria-Fotos-1900-1918-1945/15504/bn_7004515776

Curt Pflugbeil in EK2 Award Ceremony

General der Flieger Curt Pflugbeil (Kommandierender General IV. Fliegerkorps) in the award ceremony for the Luftwaffe personnel, somewhere in the Eastern Front, 1942-1943. The medal given is Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd Class).

Source :
https://www.ebay.de/b/General-in-Militaria-Fotos-1900-1918-1945/15504/bn_7004515776

Alexander Löhr and Curt Pflugbeil

Two Luftwaffe high ranking officials is ready to enter the staff car, somewhere in the Eastern Front, 1941-1942. In the middle is Generaloberst Alexander Löhr (Chef Luftflotte 4), while at right is General der Flieger Curt Pflugbeil (Kommandierender General IV. Fliegerkorps).

Source :
https://www.ebay.de/b/General-in-Militaria-Fotos-1900-1918-1945/15504/bn_7004515776

Erwin Engelbrecht Wearing Civilian Suit

General der Artillerie Erwin Engelbrecht wearing civilian suit. He received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 9 May 1940 as Generalleutnant and Kommandeur 163. Infanterie-Division.

Source :
https://www.ebay.de/b/General-in-Militaria-Fotos-1900-1918-1945/15504/bn_7004515776

Bio of General der Flieger Curt Pflugbeil (1890-1955)

General der Flieger Curt Pflugbeil
Born: 09 May 1890 in Hütten by Königstein, Elbe
Died: 31 May 1955 in Weende, District Göttingen

Promotions:
Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (13 Aug 1910); Fähnrich (07 Nov 1910); Leutnant (23 Nov 1911); Oberleutnant (21 Oct 1915); Hauptmann (01 Apr 1921); umernannt zum Rittmeister (01 Oct 1926); Major (01 Nov 1931); Oberstleutnant (01 Aug 1934); Oberst (01 Apr 1936); Generalmajor (01 Jan 1939); Generalleutnant (01 Sep 1940); General der Flieger (01 Feb 1942)

Career:
Entered the Army as an Fahnenjunker and Company-Officer in the 10th Royal Saxon 134th Infantry-Regiment (01 Apr 1910-14 Dec 1915)
Pilot-Training with the 10th Flying-Replacement-Battalion (15 Dec 1915-31 Jan 1916)
Pilot with Combat-Squadron 24, Combat-Wing 4 of the Supreme Army Command (01 Feb 1916-18 Dec 1916)
Leader of Combat-Squadron 27 (19 Dec 1916-31 Dec 1916)
Pilot with Protection-Squadron 9 (01 Jan 1917-20 Jun 1917)
Leader of Combat-Squadron 23 with Combat-Wing 4 of the Supreme Army Command (21 Jun 1917-23 Apr 1918)
Shot Down, in Hospital then Granted Leave (23 Apr 1918-31 Jul 1918)
Detached to Army-Flight-Park 11 (01 Aug 1918-13 Jan 1919)
Court-Officer of the 6th Flying-Replacement-Battalion (14 Jan 1919-11 Feb 1919)
Detached to the 134th Infantry-Regiment (12 Feb 1919-28 Feb 1919)
MG-Officer in the 1st Volunteer-Border-Regiment (01 Mar 1919-09 Apr 1919)
MG-Officer in the 4th Border-Jäger-Regiment (10 Apr 1919-04 Sep 1920)
Company-Officer in the 37th Reichswehr-Infantry-Regiment (05 Sep 1920-31 Dec 1920)
Company-Chief in the 11th Infantry-Regiment (01 Jan 1921-30 Sep 1926)
Cavalry-Captain with the Staff of the 11th Mounted-Regiment, Detached to the Staff of the 4th Division (01 Oct 1926-31 Jul 1927)
Detached to Training-Staff of the Course for Army Technology (01 Aug 1927-31 Mar 1928)
Retired (31 Mar 1928)
Camouflaged Activity for the Formation of the secret Luftwaffe in the USSR, Sweden and Italy (01 Apr 1928-31 Mar 1931)
Reactivated to Army Service as Cavalry-Captain with the Staff of the 3rd Division (01 Apr 1931-30 Sep 1931)
Commander of the 2nd Transport-Battalion (01 Oct 1931-30 Jun 1933)
Retired (30 Jun 1933)
Camouflaged Activity for the Secret Luftwaffe (01 Jul 1933-30 Sep 1933)
Entered the Luftwaffe as Officer with Special Duties of the RLM, Inspection Of Schools (01 Oct 1933-30 Nov 1933)
Leader of the Forward-Command of School Lechfeld (01 Dec 1933-28 Feb 1934)
Director of the Blind and High-Altitude Centre of the German Flight Weather Service, Lechfeld (secret Bomber-Flying-School) (01 Mar 1934-28 Feb 1935)
Commander of the Greater Bomber-Flying-School Lechfeld (01 Mar 1935-31 Aug 1935)
Officer with Special Duties of the RLM and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe (01 Sep 1935-30 Sep 1935)
Inspector of Bomber Flying, RLM (01 Oct 1935-06 Aug 1939)
At the same, Higher Commander of Instruction-Troops of the Luftwaffe (01 Apr 1937-30 Sep 1937)
At the same time, Acting-Commander of the 4th Flying-Division (04 Jul 1938-06 Aug 1939)
Commander of Special-Purpose-Air-Region-Staff 8 (07 Aug 1939-07 Oct 1939)
Commander of Special-Purpose-Air-Region-Staff 16 (08 Oct 1939-23 Jun 1940)
Commanding General and Commander in Air-Region Belgium-North France (24 Jun 1940-20 Aug 1940)
Commanding General of the IV. Flying-Corps (20 Aug 1940-03 Sep 1943)
Commander-in-Chief Air-Fleet 1 (04 Sep 1943-17 Apr 1945)
Commander of Luftwaffe-Command Kurland (17 Apr 1945-08 May 1945)
In Soviet Captivity, Sentenced to 25 Years Hard Labour, Released Early (08 May 1945-04 Jan 1954)
Released (04 Jan 1954)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz (335): am 05.10.1941 als Generalleutnant und Kommandierender General des IV. Flieger-Korps
- Eichenlaub (562): am 27.08.1944 als General der Flieger und OB. der Luftflotte 1
- Ritterkreuz des Kgl. Preuss. Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern: 17.04.1918
- Ritterkreuz des Kgl. Sächs. Militär St. Heinrichs-Ordens: 27.07.1915
- EK I: 07.10.1916
- EK II: 14.09.1914
- Ritterkreuz II. Klasse des Kgl. Sächs. Verdienstordens mit Schwertern
- Ritterkreuz II. Klasse des Kgl. Sächs. Albrechts-Ordens mit Schwertern
- Kgl. Preuss. Flugzeugführer-Abzeichen
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
- Spange zum EK I: 15.06.1940
- Spange zum EK II: 07.10.1939
- Beobachter-Abzeichen
- Medaille “Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942”
- Kgl. Rumän. Orden “Michael der Tapfere” III. Klasse: 19.09.1941
- Kgl. Rumän. Flugzeugbeobachter-Abzeichen
- Ärmelband “Kurland”
- im Wehrmachtbericht genannt: 31.10.1941; 30.05.1942; 11.04.1944; 01.01.1945



Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=59504&start=90
http://www.geocities.ws/orion47.geo/WEHRMACHT/LUFTWAFFE/General/PFLUGBEIL_CURT.html

Fedor von Bock and Curt Pflugbeil

 
From left to right: Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe Mitte) and Curt Pflugbeil (Kommandierender General IV. Fliegerkorps). The picture was taken in the Eastern Front during Unternehmen Barbarossa, German invasion of Soviet Union.

Source :
https://www.ebay.de/b/General-in-Militaria-Fotos-1900-1918-1945/15504/bn_7004515776

Bio of Generalleutnant Johannes Streich (1891-1977)

Johannes Streich (16 April 1891 – 20 August 1977) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 5th Light Division during the early stages of the North African Campaign. Sacked for his poor performance during the Siege of Tobruk, he later briefly commanded the 16th Motorised Infantry Division during the advance on Moscow. A veteran of World War I, he was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Born in Augustenburg on 16 April 1891, Streich joined the army of Imperial Germany as an Fahnen-junker (officer cadet) in 1911 after completing his schooling. He was commissioned into the 2nd Railroad Regiment, stationed at Berlin-Schöneberg and operating the Royal Prussian Military Railway, as a leutnant (second lieutenant) two years later. During World War I, he served on both the Western and Eastern Fronts and was awarded the Iron Cross, both 1st and 2nd classes. He ended the war as an oberleutnant (first lieutenant) and company commander.

Streich was retained in the postwar Reichswehr (Imperial Defence) and, having developed an interest in motorized warfare, in 1921 was based in Hannover as a commander of motor transport company. He was promoted to hauptmann (captain) two years later. By 1930 he was an advisor in the Army Ordnance Office and played a role in the development of armoured vehicles including the Panzer I tank. He took command of 15th Panzer Regiment in 1935, having been promoted oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel).

His new command was part of 8th Panzer Brigade, 5th Panzer Division, and was part of the force that occupied the Sudetenland in 1938. As a regimental commander, Streich had difficult relationships with two of his battalion commanders. By early 1939, tensions had escalated to the point where Streich's divisional commander had to resolve the situation by moving the two junior officers to new roles with other units.

Streich's 15th Panzer Regiment played only a minor role in the Invasion of Poland but was more prominent in the Battle of France the following year. It was involved in the encirclement of French forces at Lille and then the Battle of Dunkirk. After the British evacuation, the regiment made for the Seine and then onto Rouen. At one stage, Streich had a dispute with Generalmajor Erwin Rommel, whose 7th Panzer Division was operating nearby, over some bridging equipment. His regiment ended the French campaign near the Spanish border having made 20,000 French and British soldiers prisoners of war. He would be awarded the Knight's Cross for his regiment's capture of Veules-les-Roses while it was in the process of being evacuated. Streich's panzers overran the town during a night attack and captured thousands of prisoners including two brigade commanders and the French division commander Général Durant.

In early 1941, Streich was given command of the 5th Panzer Brigade, 4th Panzer Division. Shortly afterwards he was promoted to generalmajor and was appointed commander of the 5th Light Division.

The 5th Light Division was still in the process of being formed and was only activated on 18 February 1941. Shortly afterwards it was dispatched to Libya to join the newly formed Afrika Korps, commanded by Rommel, now a generalleutnant. Although Streich arrived in the country in late February, his division was not complete until the following month. From 31 March, it was involved in Operation Sonnenblume (Operation Sunflower) and Streich's forces largely destroyed the British 2nd Armoured Division. Nonetheless, Rommel was not impressed with his leadership, considering him too cautious and slow in his advance. When Streich opposed orders to attack the town of Mechili on 7 April on the grounds his division was not prepared, Rommel accused him of cowardice. The accusation was retracted when Streich threatened to return his Knight's Cross.

As the advance moved onto Tobruk, Streich continued to be conservative with the use of his forces and Rommel grew increasingly frustrated after attacks mounted on Tobruk on 12 and 13 April failed. Given a final chance to capture the port in early May, Streich failed again and Rommel relieved him of his command. Streich returned to Germany and Generaloberst Franz Halder, the head of the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH) and an acquaintance from his time at the Army Ordnance Office, soon found him a new assignment on the Eastern Front.

Originally a commander of a battle group during Operation Barbarossa, Streich was soon given command of the 16th Motorised Infantry Division when its commanding officer, Generalleutnant Sigfrid Henrici, fell ill. At the time, it was engaged in the Battle of Kiev before being transferred to Generaloberst Heinz Guderian's 2nd Panzer Army to participate in the advance on Moscow. He was soon criticised by Guderian for the division's slow pace and when Henrici recovered his health and resumed command of the division in November 1941, Streich was returned to Germany.

After his return to Berlin, Streich was without a post for seven months until Halder made him inspector of mobile troops for OKH. This was not a significant role and nor was his following appointment, commander of Recruiting Area Breslau, in June 1943. He received a promotion to generalleutnant in October 1943. He was able to avoid the encirclement of Breslau by the Soviet Army in February 1945 and made his way to Berlin where he was made commander of that city's Recruiting Area. He evaded the Soviet Army when they captured Berlin and was able to surrender to the Allies in the west. Held as a prisoner of war for three years, he later lived in Hamburg and died there on 20 August 1977.



Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannes_Streich
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=153501

Friday, September 16, 2022

Luftwaffe Photo Album

Comes from the photo album of Hauptmann Wilfried Reinwald, Stab III.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet", Jagdfliegerschule Schleißheim, 6.Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen", 2.Staffel / Jagdgruppe Drontheim, 1.Staffel / Jagdfliegerschule 3, 1.Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 103, 3.Staffel / Jagdgeschwader 104, and II.Gruppe / Jagdgeschwader 110.


Oberleutnant Eberhard von Boremski


Leutnant Walter Ohlrogge



From left to right: Oberstleutnant Harry von Bülow-Bothkamp and Hauptmann Walther Dahl


Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2429553#p2429553

Heinz Guderian in Lengres France

 
General der Panzertruppe Heinz Guderian (Kommandierender General Panzergruppe Guderian) in Lengres, France, 15 June 1940. In the morning of that day, 1 Panzer Division - part of Guderian's divisions - forced the surrender of Langres fortress and took some 3,000 French prisoners. 1st Panzer Division was to continue to advance towards Besançon, 2nd Panzer Division towards Til-Châtel. XLI Army Corps would continue its advance southwards on the Marne's east bank. The entire Panzer Group would thus cover the left flank of XVI Army Corps of Erich Hoepner in its advance towards Dijon. 29th Infantry Division captured Pontailler-sur-Saône by nightfall.

Source :
https://www.ebay.de/b/General-in-Militaria-Fotos-1900-1918-1945/15504/bn_7004515776
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XIX_Army_Corps

Thursday, September 15, 2022

Bio of Oberst Alfred Bruer (1897-1976)

Alfred Gottfried Hermann Bruer
*04.11.1897 in Bredelem, Kreis Goslar
†12.02.1976 in Schwäbisch Gmünd

Vater: Gottfried Bruer, Hofbesitzer, zuletzt in Groß Elbe, Kreis Marienburg (Hannover), †13.02.1920
Mutter: Adele, geb. Köhler, †13.08.1911
Ehefrau: Ilse, geb. Kühnast, *16.11.1903, verheiratet den 26.11.1926, †31.07.1984
1 Sohn (1927-2005)

A few sources, includung lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de, erroneously list his birthplace as Schwäbisch Gmünd. He was a native of Hannover, growing up in Bredelem and Groß Elbe, and attending Gymnasium in Hildesheim. His police career was almost entirely in Berlin. He does not appear to have had any connection to Schwäbisch Gmünd until taking command of II./AR 61 in November 1938.

Beförderungen:
01.12.1915 Gefreiter
21.01.1916 Oberjäger
21.05.1917 Vizefeldwebel
13.11.1917 Fähnrich und gleichzeitig Leutnant, vorläufig ohne Patent
06.02.1920 Polizei-Leutnant (RDA vom 01.01.1916)
01.10.1923 Polizei-Oberleutnant
01.04.1928 Polizei-Hauptmann (RDA 01.04.1932)
01.04.1936 Major der Landespolizei
01.09.1936 Major mit RDA vom 01.04.1936 (14)
01.08.1939 Oberstleutnant (20)
01.02.1942 Oberst (285)

Dienstlaufbahn:
19.12.1914 als Kriegsfreiwilliger in das Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 4 eingetreten
04.03.1915 ins Feld
12.09.1917 in das Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 165 versetzt
11.04.1919 Adjutant des Bezirks-Kommando Neuhaldensleben
01.11.1919 in das Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 165 zurückversetzt

06.02.1920 bei der Sicherheitspolizei des Berliner Polizeipräsidiums eingetreten
15.10.1927 zum Ministerium des Innern kommandiert
04.04.1928 zum Polizei-Institut Berlin unter Aufrechterhaltung der Abordnung zum Ministerium des Innern versetzt
29.04.1929 zur Landespolizeischule Spandau versetzt
01.11.1932 zur Polizei-Verwaltung Berlin versetzt als Führer der Hundertschaft 1 Kreuzberg
01.10.1933 zur Landespolizei-Inspektion Brandenburg versetzt
01.04.1935 unmittelbarer Reichsbeamter im unmittelbaren Reichsdienst
01.08.1935 zum Reichsstabe der Landespolizei im Reichs- und preußischen Ministerium des Innern versetzt

10.05.1936-29.05.1936 zur Artillerie-Schule Jüterbog kommandiert
01.09.1936 als Major in die II. Abteilung des Artillerie-Regiments 41 im Heer angestellt
12.10.1937 Chef der 4. Batterie des Artillerie-Regiments 71 (laut Stellenbesetzung)
10.11.1938 Kommandeur der II. Abteilung des Artillerie-Regiments 61 (laut Stellenbesetzung)
18.06.1940 zum Artillerie-Regiments-Stab z.b.V. 612 kommandiert
24.07.1940 m.W.v. 25.06.1940 Kommandeur des Artillerie-Regimentsstabes 612
10.07.1941 m.W.v. 07.06.1941 Kommandeur des Panzer-Artillerie-Regiments 155
21.07.1942-20.08.1942 mit der stellv. Führung der 21. Panzer-Division beauftragt
31.08.1942 mit der stellv. Führung der 21. Panzer-Division beauftragt
21.12.1942-08.01.1943 mit der stellv. Führung der 21. Panzer-Division beauftragt
xx.05.1943 in Tunesien in Gefangenschaft geraten

Bruer's April 1943 Beurteilung has the dates below for AR 612. It does not show any assignments earlier than October 1940, but his Dienstlaufbahn indicates that he was commanded to and then named commander of the regiment on the dates shown above.

11.10.1940 04.12.1940 Kommandeur des Artillerie-Regiments 612
20.01.1941-30.04.1941 Kommandeur des Artillerie-Regiments 612

The dates for the stellv. Fhrg. of the 21.PzD were not recorded in his Personalakte. They are from askropp's post in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=92533

Auszeichnungen:
25.06.1916 1914 Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
19.07.1918 Herzoglich Braunschweigisches Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse
27.08.1918 Verwundetenabzeichen in schwarz
xx.09.1919 1914 Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
22.12.1934 Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
02.10.1936 Wehrmacht (Heer) Dienstauszeichnung 4. bis 2. Klasse
18.05.1940 1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuze 2. Klasse
22.06.1940 1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuze 1. Klasse
30.07.1942 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberst and Kommandeur Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 155 / 21.Panzer-Division
20.09.1942 Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen
xx.xx.194x Königlich Italienische Silberne Tapferkeitsmedaille


Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/search.php?keywords=alfred+bruer&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sr=topics&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/28742/Bruer-Alfred.htm
https://veryimportantlot.com/en/lot/view/bruer-alfred-192976

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Bio of General der Infanterie Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller (1897-1947)

General der Infanterie Friedrich Wilhelm Müller

Born: 29.08.1897 in Barmen / Preussen.
Executed: 20.05.1947 in Athens (shot by firing squad).

Promotions:
26.11.1915 Leutnant d. R.
Oberleutnant
Hauptmann
16.03.1936 Major
01.05.1939 Oberstleutnant
01.01.1942 Oberst (mit RDA vom 01.10.1941)
01.08.1942 Generalmajor (mit RDA vom 01.09.1942)
01.04.1943 Generalleutnant
01.07.1944 General der Infanterie

Commands & Assignments:
29.08.1897 geboren in Barmen/Westfalen
1914 im Grenadier-Regiment 2
1915 Beförderung zum Leutnant im Infanterie-Regiment 266
1918 Übernahme in die Schutzpolizei
1936 Major in der Wehrmacht
10.11.1938 Kommandeur des III. Bataillons des Infanterie-Regiments 105
01.05.1939 Beförderung zum Oberstleutnant
01.10.1940 Kommandeur des Infanterie-Regiments 105
Januar 1941 Lehrtruppe nach Rumänien
01.01.1942 Beförderung zum Oberst
01.08.1942 Generalmajor und Kommandeur der 22. Infanterie-Division in Griechenland
04.05.1944 Generalleutnant und Führer des V. Armeekorps
01.07.1944 Beförderung zum General der Infanterie und Kommandeur Festung Kreta
30.09.1944 ?
13.11.1944 Führer des XXXIV. Armeekorps
08.12.1944 Kommandierender General des LXVIII. Armeekorps
29.01.1945 Oberbefehlshaber der 4. Armee in Ostpreußen
April 1945 Britische Gefangenschaft und Auslieferung an Griechenland, mit Haft im Averoff-Gefängnis. Wegen Kriegsverbrechen auf der Insel Kreta in Athen zum Tode verurteilt und am 20. Mai 1947 erschossen.

Decorations & Awards:
27.01.1945 Schwertern zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (128.) as General der Infanterie and Kom. Gen. LXVIII.Armee-Korps, Balkan Front
08.04.1942 Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (86.) as Oberst and Kdr. Infanterie-Regiment 105 / 72.Infanterie-Division / XXX.Armee-Korps / 11.Armee, Eastern Front
22.09.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as Oberstleutnant and Kdr. Infanterie-Regiment 105 / 72.Infanterie-Division / LIV.Armee-Korps / 11.Armee / Heeresgruppe Süd, Eastern Front
00.00.191_ Ritterkreuz des Kgl. Preuss. Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
18.06.1943 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold as Generalleutnant and Kdr. 22.(Luftlande)Infanterie-Division
08.02.1942 Anerkennungsurkunde
12.06.1940 1939 Spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
22.12.1939 1939 Spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
29.08.1916 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
25.05.1916 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
ca. 1934 Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
19.01.1942; 18.11.1943; 10.03.1945; 30.03.1945 Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
00.00.193_ Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller (29 August 1897 – 20 May 1947) was born in Barmen, Prussia. When World War I began, Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller served as an infantryman with the 2nd Infantry Regiment. In 1915, he was promoted to second lieutenant and transferred to the 266th Regiment. After the war, Müller remained in the army and continued to rise through the ranks, attaining the rank of major in 1936. Shortly after World War II commenced, Müller was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

As the commanding officer of 105th Infantry Regiment, he saw action against the Soviet Army, for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in 1941 and Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross in 1942. In August 1942, Müller was appointed commanding officer of 22nd Air Landing Infantry Division. Müller became notorious as a brutal commander responsible for several atrocities against Greek civilians.

The attacks on civilians included the massacres at Viannos, Anogia, Amari, Damasta, Skourvoula and Malathyros. During the autumn of 1943, Müller led the German forces in their victory over the Italian-British forces in the Dodecanese Campaign. On 6 October 1943, on the island of Kos, under his orders, German forces killed and buried in mass graves over one hundred Italian army officers captured at the end of the battle for the island, who would not side with their former allies. On 1 July 1944, he replaced Bruno Bräuer as commander of occupied Crete. His infamy earned him the nickname of "The Butcher of Crete."

Müller was also responsible for the Holocaust of Kedros on 22 August 1944. Under his orders, German infantry killed 164 Greek civilians which was followed in the coming days by the razing of most villages, looting, and the destruction of livestock and harvests. By 1945, Müller commanded the German 4th Army on the Eastern Front. Müller ended the war in East Prussia where he surrendered to the Red Army.

After the war, he was tried by a Greek military court for war crimes. In 1946, Müller was convicted by a Greek court in Athens for the massacres of hostages for reprisals. He was sentenced to death on 9 December 1946 and executed by firing squad on 20 May 1947, along with former General Bruno Bräuer, on the anniversary of the Axis invasion of Crete.



Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich-Wilhelm_M%C3%BCller
https://www.historic.de/Militar/Personen/Mueller/Mueller.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20091027112647fw_/http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/WEHRMACHT/HEER/General2/MUELLER_FRIEDRICH.html

Georg von Küchler and Alfred Keller

From left to right: Generalfeldmarschall Georg von Küchler (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe Nord) and Generaloberst Alfred Keller (Chef Luftflotte 1 und Oberbefehlshaber Ost). There is no information about when and where this picture was taken, but probably between June 1942 (Küchler's promotion to Field Marshal) and June 1943 (Keller relinquished his job as Chief of Air Fleet 1 and Commander East).

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2022/08/foto-georg-von-kuchler-marsekal-jerman.html

Monday, September 12, 2022

Bio of Oberstleutnant Albrecht Lanz (1891-1942)


Dr.jur. Dr.phil. Albrecht Lanz was born on 25 February 1898, in Entringen in the Kingdom of Württemberg of the German Empire.

On 1 June 1940, Lanz arrived at Guernsey Airport with the Luftwaffe, as part of an attempt to discover the level of military preparedness of the islands (though they had been demilitarised, the information was kept secret until 28 June). Upon his arrival with his interpreter Major Maass. Lanz states that the moment command was transferred to him was "the proudest in this war". When Lanz went to Sark on 3 July to see Dame Sybil Hathaway, she noted that "Lanz was a tall, alert, quick-spoken officer, with dark hair and dark eyes. In civilian life he had been a Doctor of both Law and Philosophy, and I believe he came from a family of agricultural machinery manufacturers in Stuttgart [...] a fair minded man who would never trick anyone by low cunning". Ambrose Sherwill stated that he was "every inch a soldier and not very easy to get to know but absolutely straight and kindly".

Lanz was given a Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 4 September 1940 as Major and Kommandeur I.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 396 / 216.Infanterie-Division. It was noted in Die Wehrmacht in 1940, and an American military translation revealed the following. Whilst the German forces were attacking Belgium, specifically during the crossing of the River Lys, around Theilt (potentially Thielt). The battalion was attempting to attack Gothem, a village, on the 24 May 1940, but beaten back. The battalion again tried on the 26 May through grain fields with limited visibility due to the grain, and under enemy fire, the attack was failing. Lanz organised the group and they attacked successfully, taking several enemies prisoner.

However, he left the post at the rank of Oberstleutnant and later transferred to the Eastern Front. There, it was stated of Lanz and his regiment, the 396th Infantry Regiment, "I envy the men under this wonderful leader and person. He's a man who has intelligence written all over his tanned face, which is full of humour. He has a kind word or a joke for everyone". He died on the Eastern Front on the 27 January 1942 at Lazerett in Smolensk, Soviet Union in hospital of wounds he sustained.



Source :
https://www.alexautographs.com/auction-lot/albrecht-lanz_49547DD952
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albrecht_Lanz
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/46928/Lanz-Albrecht.htm

Sunday, September 11, 2022

Bio of Major Gerhard Barkhorn (1919-1983)

Gerhard "Gerd" Barkhorn (20 March 1919 – 11 January 1983) was a German military aviator and wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was the second most successful fighter pilot of all time after fellow pilot Erich Hartmann. Other than Hartmann, Barkhorn is the only fighter ace to ever exceed 300 claimed victories. Following World War II, he became a high-ranking officer in the German Air Force of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Barkhorn flew 1,104 combat sorties and was credited with 301 victories on the Eastern Front piloting the Messerschmitt Bf 109. In January 1945, he left JG 52 on the Eastern Front and joined Jagdgeschwader 6 (JG 6—6th Fighter Wing) as Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander), defending Germany from Western Allied air attack. In April 1945, he joined Galland's Jagdverband 44 (JV 44—44th Fighter Detachment) and surrendered to the Western Allies in May 1945 and was released later that year. After the war, Barkhorn joined the German Air Force of the Bundeswehr, serving until 1975. On 6 January 1983, Barkhorn was involved in a car crash with his wife Christl. She died instantly and Barkhorn died five days later on 11 January.

Barkhorn was born on 20 March 1919 in Königsberg in the Free State of Prussia of the Weimar Republic. Today it is Kaliningrad in Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea. He was the third of four children of Stadtbauoberinspektor Tiefbautechniker im Straßenbau (inspector for road construction) Wilhelm and his wife Therese. Barkhorn had two brothers, Helmut and Dieter, and a sister Meta. The four children were all members of the Bündische Jugend, a German youth movement. From 1925 to 1929, Barkhorn attended the Volksschule (primary school) in Königsberg and then the Wilhelms-Gymnasium, a secondary school, where he graduated with his Abitur (diploma) in early 1937.

On 1 April 1937, Barkhorn started his compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labour Service) with Arbeitsdienstabteilung 6/12, a labor service department, in Mehlkehmen, present-day Kalinino in Kaliningrad Oblast. His Reichsarbeitsdienst ended on 30 September. A month later, on 1 November, Barkhorn joined the military service in the Nazi German Luftwaffe as a Fahnenjunker (cadet) at the Air War School Klotzsche in Dresden. He started his flight training in March 1938 at the Luftkriegsschule 2 at Gatow. His classmates at Gatow included Julius Meimberg and Egon Mayer. On 4 March, he made his maiden flight on a Heinkel He 72 biplane trainer. Until 25 March, accompanied by his flight instructor, he flew up to nine times daily, flights of up to 60 minutes. His first solo flight, his 68th in total, was flown on 29 March. In April and May, he learns to fly the Focke-Wulf Fw 44 and Bücker Bü 131. On 1 June, he began with learning aerobatics on the Gotha Go 145. One of his flight instructors at the time was Franz Stigler who initially thought that Barkhorn was a bad pilot but later graduated him with good ratings.

In December 1938, Barkhorn and the other flight students transferred from Dresden to the airfield at Garz on the island of Usedom. On 6 December, Barkhorn made a crash landing in a Heinkel He 51 biplane fighter and sustained minor injuries. The pilots for the first time flew a mock combat against one of the other pilots in January 1939. In February, the students returned to Dresden where theoretical training was emphasized. Prior to completing his training, Barkhorn was given home leave in the summer. Effective as of 1 August 1939, Barkhorn was promoted to Oberfähnrich (rank equivalent to master sergeant) and at the same time to the officer rank of Leutnant (second lieutenant) on 27 August. His training in Dresden ended that day.

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland and Barkhorn was selected for specialized fighter pilot training. That day, Barkhorn was posted to the Jagdfliegerschule Schleißheim, the fighter pilot school in Schleißheim. Training began on the He 51, on 10 October, training progressed to the Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun single-engine sport and touring aircraft. Barkhorn first flew the Messerschmitt Bf 109 on the morning of 21 October. His first aerial gunnery training was flown on the He 51 on 7 November, scoring 20 out of 100 hits, a relatively poor performance. His next attempt, flown on 16 November was even worse, scoring only 10 out 100 hits on the target. Training in Schleißheim ended on 23 November with an aerial gunnery training on the Bf 109 and a navigation flight on the He 51. On 1 December, he was posted to the Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Merseburg, a supplementary training unit based at Merseburg. There, he received further training, particularly in formation flying. He made his last two flights in Merseburg on 7 January 1940, both aerial gunnery training on a Bf 109 B. His last flight was his 615th in total.

Upon completion of his training, he was posted to 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) in Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing), named after the World War I fighter pilot Manfred von Richthofen, on 10 January 1940. At the time, the squadron was based Frankfurt-Rebstock Airfield and commanded by Hauptmann Henning Strümpell. The squadron was subordinated to I. Gruppe (1st group) of JG 2 headed by Hauptmann Jürgen Roth. The Gruppe was equipped with the Bf 109 E and flew combat air patrols along Germany's western border during the "Phoney War" period of World War II. In total, Barkhorn flew on 22 such missions with JG 2.

From 1 April until 30 June, Barkhorn was posted to Fliegerausbildungs-Regiment 10 (10th Aviators Training Regiment) based in Pardubitz, present-day Pardubice in the Czech Republic, as a company commander. In June 1940, Barkhorn fell ill and was diagnosed with scarlet fever. He was sent to a hospital in Wildenschwert, present-day Ústí nad Orlicí in the Czech Republic. By July, he had fully recovered and on 1 July was posted to the 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing), a squadron of II. Gruppe. This squadron was commanded by Oberleutnant Johannes Steinhoff while the Gruppe was led by Hauptmann Horst-Günther von Kornatzki. Barkhorn conducted many training flights with 4. Staffel at Nordholz and Stade. Shortly after 18 August, he was transferred to 6. Staffel. His new Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) was Oberleutnant Werner Lederer. Lederer commanded the Staffel until 6 October when he was transferred and replaced by Oberleutnant Rudolf Resch. Flying from Peuplingues on 27 September, Barkhorn for the first time had enemy contact on a combat air patrol across the English Channel during the Battle of Britain. Near Maidstone and Chatham, the flight encountered Royal Air Force (RAF) fighters. He flew many fighter escort missions to England, on 29 September he participated on a mission providing protection for bombers from II. Gruppe of Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2—2nd Demonstration Wing) targeting London. On 4 October, he helped escort bombers from I. Gruppe of LG 2, and again on the following day. Barkhorn flew two further missions in support of I. Gruppe of LG 2 on 5 October and three days later, he escorted II. Gruppe of LG 2 and fighter bombers to London. On 10 October, he flew a courier mission, taking documents to Rouen, Beaumont and Cherbourg, before returning to Peuplingues. On 11 and 12 October, Barkhorn flew two further missions to London. On 23 October 1940, for his service he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse).

On 27 October, Barkhorn flew a further mission, escorting bombers of LG 2 to England. Two days later, on his 38th combat mission, Barkhorn encountered Supermarine Spitfires over the English Channel. His Bf 109 E-7 (Werknummer 5922—factory number) took numerous hits, forcing him to make an emergency landing in the English Channel. Floating in a small inflatable dinghy for two hours, he was rescued by the Seenotdienst, the German air-sea rescue service. Barkhorn flew again on 2 November. This was also the last day of operations for II. Gruppe before it relocated to Germany again. That day, II. Gruppe had also lost its commanding officer, Hauptmann Wilhelm Ensslen, who had led the Gruppe since 26 August and was killed in action. Ensslen was replaced by Hauptmann Erich Woitke. On 5 November, II. Gruppe moved to München Gladbach, present-day Mönchengladbach, for a period of rest and replenishment. On 3 December 1940, Barkhorn was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse).

On 22 December, II. Gruppe was ordered to Leeuwarden Airfield where they were tasked with flying fighter patrols along the Dutch North Sea coast. On 15 January 1941, the Gruppe moved to Ypenburg Airfield where they stayed until 10 February. Barkhorn's 6. Staffel also used a forward airfield at Haamstede. From this airfield, Barkhorn flew many escort missions for German shipping. On 10 February, II. Gruppe moved to Berck-sur-Mer. From this airfield, the Gruppe again patrolled the English Channel and missions to England. Barkhorn flew two more patrols on 12 February. Three days later, he participated on a mission to Dover-Dungeness. On 6 March, II. Gruppe was ordered to Maldegem, where they were joined by Walter Krupinski, someone Barkhorn had befriended during training, having completed his training with the Ergänzungsgruppe. Until 24 March, Barkhorn flew further combat air patrols, mostly in the area of Ostend to Calais followed by a shipping escort mission on 27 March. On 15 April, the Gruppe moved again, this time to Raversijde. On 27 April, II. Gruppe was ordered to Katwijk where they received the new Bf 109 F variant. On 24 May, the Gruppe returned again to Raversijde. During this time, Barkhorn flew many training and patrol missions on the Bf 109 F-2 until 20 April when he received the Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Silver (Frontflugspange in Silber). II. Gruppe was withdrawn from the Channel on 9 June and headed east.

In preparation of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, II. Gruppe of JG 52, without a period of replenishment in Germany, was ordered to airfields close to the German-Soviet demarcation line. While the Gruppenstab (group headquarters unit) and 4. Staffel were based at Suwałki in northeastern Poland, 5. and 6. Staffel were transferred to a forward airfield at Sobolewo. For the invasion, II. Gruppe of JG 52 was subordinated to the Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing). The Geschwader was part of the VIII. Fliegerkorps commanded by Generaloberst Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen which supported the northern wing of Army Group Centre.

On 22 June, the German forces launched the attack on the Soviet Union which opened the Eastern Front. That day, Barkhorn flew five combat missions in support of the invasion. On his third mission, he was credited with a ground victory over a Polikarpov I-15 fighter aircraft during a strafing attack on a Soviet airfield. Barkhorn claimed his first aerial victory by shooting down a Red Air Force Ilyushin DB-3 bomber on 2 July, flying his 120th combat sortie. That day, II. Gruppe claimed 19 aerial victories in combat near Barysaw. The next day, II. Gruppe moved further east to an airfield at Sloboda, east of Minsk where they stayed for two days. The Gruppe then moved to Lyepyel where they supported Panzergruppe 2 and 3 in their advance to Vitebsk and Polotsk. On 12 July, the Gruppe moved to Kamary, an airfield in the western parts of Vitebsk. Barkhorn flew many combat missions during this period without claiming a further aerial victory. On 16 July, he was tasked with shuttling a Bf 109 back to Werneuchen in Germany for repairs, a task normally given to junior pilots. Ten days later, he returns to the Eastern Front. By this time, II. Gruppe had advanced to Andrejewka airfield near Smolensk. On 28 July, Barkhorn claimed his second aerial victory over a Polikarpov I-16 fighter. The following day, he was credited with the destruction of a DB-3 bomber, his third aerial victory.

On 5 August, II. Gruppe was ordered to relocate to Soltsy, west of Lake Ilmen, in support of the 16th Army and Army Group North. In the following days, Barkhorn flew many ground support, combat air patrols and Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber escort missions to the combat area near Shimsk and Veliky Novgorod. He claimed the destruction of an I-18 fighter, an early German designation for a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 fighter, on 19 August. The next day, II. Gruppe was ordered to an airfield at Spasskaya Polist, south of Chudovo and north of Lake Ilmen. Two days later, Barkhorn escorted a Focke-Wulf Fw 189 aerial reconnaissance aircraft to Chudovo on his first mission of the day. On his second mission that day, he claimed a Vultee V-11 attack aircraft which was an Ilyushin Il-2 attack aircraft. On 25 August, Barkhorn was credited with two aerial victories, a Polikarpov I-153 fighter on his first mission of the day and later an I-18 fighter. On 27 August, Barkhorn's Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe was upgraded to Gold (Frontflugspange in Gold).

On 2 September, II. Gruppe moved to Lyuban, staying there until end-September. From there, the Gruppe flew missions against Shlisselburg, Mga and Leningrad. II. Gruppe's subordination to JG 27 ended on 20 October and they came under the command of the Stab of JG 52. Barkhorn was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) on 1 November 1941. He claimed his tenth and last aerial victory in 1941 on a meteorological reconnaissance mission (Wetterflug) over an I-61, an early German designation for a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 fighter,[36] on 30 November.

On 24 January 1942, having been withdrawn from the Eastern Front, II. Gruppe arrived in Jesau near Königsberg, present-day Kaliningrad in Russia, for a period of recuperation and replenishment. In Jesau, the Gruppe received many factory new Bf 109 F-4 aircraft. On 14 April, II. Gruppe received orders to move to Pilsen, present-day Plzeň in the Czech Republic, for relocation to the Eastern Front.

While II. Gruppe was based at Jesau, Barkhorn was appointed Staffelkapitän of 4. Staffel of JG 52 on 1 March 1942. He succeeded Steinhoff in this capacity who had been given command of II. Gruppe of JG 52. The unit then moved to Wien-Schwechat on 24 April before flying to Zürichtal, present-day Solote Pole, a village near the urban settlement Kirovske in the Crimea. There, II. Gruppe participated in Operation Trappenjagd, a German counterattack during the Battle of the Kerch Peninsula, launched on 8 May. On 16 May, II. Gruppe relocated to Artyomovsk, present-day Bakhmut where JG 52 supported the German forces fighting in the Second Battle of Kharkov.

On 22 June, German forces launched Operation Fridericus II, the attack on Kupiansk, a preliminary operation to Case Blue, the strategic summer offensive in southern Russia. That day, Barkhorn for the first time became "ace-in-a-day", claiming five Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighters shot down, taking his total to 26 aerial victories. Barkhorn again became an "ace-in-a-day" on 19 July, flying four missions that day, he shot down six Soviet fighters taking his total to 51 aerial victories. His claims that day include two Hawker Hurricanes, three LaGG-3s and an I-16 shot down. The following day, he increased his total number of aerial victories to 56, again an "ace-in-a-day" achievement. With Leutnant Waldemar Semelka as his wingman, Barkhorn shot down five LaGG-3 fighters.

On 22 July, II. Gruppe moved to an airfield named Nowy Cholan, approximately 200 kilometers (120 miles) northeast of Rostov-on-Don. On 24 July, Barkhorn transferred to an airfield named Nikolajewskaja, approximately 15 minutes flying time closer to front lines. During this day, Barkhorn claimed three further aerial victories, increasing his total to 64. The following day, he flew on an escort mission for a Fieseler Fi 156 Storch heading for the front lines. His Bf 109 F-4/R1 (Werknummer 13388—factory number) took a hit from anti-aircraft artillery, resulting in a forced landing near Morosow. Although the damage to the aircraft was only minor, Barkhorn was severely injured in his lower leg and had to be flown out. He was taken to a makeshift hospital installed at the Olympiapark Berlin. During his convalescence, Barkhorn was temporarily replaced by Semelka who was killed in action on 21 August. Command was then given to Leutnant Otto Leicher who was also killed in action. In consequence, Krupinski was transferred from 6. Staffel, taking command of 4. Staffel on 10 September. In July 1942, Barkhorn had destroyed 30 Soviet aircraft. While hospitalized, on 21 August 1942, he was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) and two days later the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes).

In late September, following his convalescence, Barkhorn returned to his 4. Staffel. By this time, II. Gruppe had made several relocations was then based at Maykop since 21 September. On 2 October, he logged his first brief maintenance flight after returning to the front. On 7 October, Barkhorn, with Unteroffizier Werner Quast as his wingman, claimed a LaGG-3 fighter shot down north of Tuapse. Later that day, he claimed three further LaGG-3 fighters destroyed. On 19 December 1942, Barkhorn had raised his score to 101 victories. That day, he became the 32nd Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. Barkhorn came to respect the Soviet pilots. On one occasion he was involved in a forty-minute dogfight with a LaGG-3. "Sweat was pouring off me just as though I had stepped out of the shower", he recalled: despite having a faster aircraft he was simply unable to get a bead on the Russian pilot.

On 9 January 1943, Barkhorn claimed his 105th aerial victory. His victims included Lieutenant Vasiliyev, and Hero of the Soviet Union Podpolkovnik Lev Shestakov of the 236 IAP Fighter Regiment. Barkhorn strafed their Yakovlev Yak-1 fighters until they caught fire. Both pilots survived. On 11 January 1943, Barkhorn was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). Barkhorn claimed his 120th aerial victory on 27 February, four days later he went on home leave. During his vacation, he was presented the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross and married his fiancé, Christine Tischer, also known as Christl, in Tegernsee. The marriage produced three daughters, Ursula born 1943, Eva born 1945 and Dorothea born 1954.

Barkhorn returned to his unit on 23 April. At the time, II. Gruppe was based at Anapa located on the northern coast of the Black Sea near the Sea of Azov and was fighting in the Battle of the Caucasus. During his absence, Steinhoff as commander of II. Gruppe had been replaced by Hauptmann Helmut Kühle. On 28 April, Barkhorn claimed his 121st aerial victory, a LaGG-3 fighter. Barkhorn's 157 aerial victory, claimed on 23 August, was also II. Gruppe's 2000th aerial victory in total. From 4 to 30 August, Barkhorn temporarily led I. Gruppe of JG 52. The acting commander of I. Gruppe, Hauptmann Johannes Wiese had fallen ill on 1 August and needed to be replaced during his recovery.

Barkhorn was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe of JG 52 on 1 September 1943. He replaced Kühle who was transferred. Command of 4. Staffel was passed on to Leutnant Heinrich Sturm. On 5 September, he shot down Hero of the Soviet Union and Soviet fighter ace Nikolay Klepikov, an ace with 10 personal and 32 shared victories. This was offset by the loss of II. Gruppe's 173-victory ace Oberleutnant Heinz Schmidt. The two Lavochkin La-5s shot down by Barkhorn were his 165th and 166th aerial victories. Barkhorn reached the 200 mark on 30 November 1943. This achievement earned him a named reference in the Wehrmachtbericht on 2 December. That day, he also became an "ace-in-a-day" for the fourth time in combat near Tuzla Island. On 28 December, he yet again became an "ace-in-a-day", taking his total number of aerial victories to 222. On 23 January 1944, Barkhorn became the first German pilot to fly 1,000 combat missions. At the time, Barkhorn's regular wingman was Heinz Ewald.

The main German fighter unit covering the Crimea and Kuban was his II. Group of JG 52 and in the three months between December 1943 and 13 February 1944 the unit claimed 350 victories, of which 50 were claimed by Barkhorn personally. On 13 February 1944, he reached 250 aerial victories. Barkhorn was the third pilot to reach this total, earning him a second named reference in the Wehrmachtbericht on 14 February. For several days, Barkhorn was grounded and did not fly any further combat missions. He claimed his next aerial victory on 25 February over a Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber.

On 2 March 1944, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern). The presentation of the Swords was made at the Führerhauptquartier (Führer Headquarter) on 24 March. Barkhorn took an overnight train to the Führerhauptquartier from the Anhalter Bahnhof in Berlin. On the train he met fellow JG 52 pilots Krupinski, Wiese and Hartmann, who were to receive the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross. At the Führerhauptquartier they joined Kurt Bühligen, Horst Ademeit, Reinhard Seiler, Hans-Joachim Jabs, Dr. Maximilian Otte, Bernhard Jope and Hansgeorg Bätcher from the bomber force, and the Flak officer Fritz Petersen, all destined to receive the Oak Leaves. The travelers assumed that they were heading for the Wolf's Lair in East Prussia but the train was heading for the Berghof in Berchtesgaden. On the train, all of them got drunk on cognac and champagne. Supporting each other and unable to stand, they arrived at Berchtesgaden. Major Nicolaus von Below, Hitler's Luftwaffe adjutant, was shocked. After some sobering up, they were still intoxicated. Hartmann took a German officer's hat from a stand and put it on, but it was too large. Von Below became upset, told Hartmann it was Hitler's and ordered him to put it back. Barkhorn was sent on a propaganda tour in Germany, visited Jagdgeschwader 11 (JG 11—11th Fighter Wing) at Wunstorf Airfield and was promoted to Major (major) on 1 April 1944. He returned to his II. Gruppe in late April, which was then based at Chersonesus at Sevastopol.

Barkhorn was credited with shooting down three Yakovlev Yak-7 fighters on 26 April, a further Yak-7 the following day, and again three Yak-7 fighters on 28 April. Barkhorn thus surpassed Walter Nowotny who at the time was credited with 256 aerial victories. On 25 May, Barkhorn was ordered to transfer one Staffel to the west in Defense of the Reich. Barkhorn selected Leutnant Hans Waldmann's 4. Staffel which was officially assigned to the II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 "Udet" (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing), at the time under the command of Hauptmann Hans-Ekkehard Bob, and later by Hauptmann Herbert Kutscha. Two days later, II. Gruppe was moved to Huși. On 30 May, Barkhorn was credited with shooting down two Bell P-39 Airacobra. The following day, he claimed his 273rd aerial victory and was shot down by Soviet fighters and hospitalized for four months. On that day, Barkhorn was escorting Ju 87 dive bombers from III. Gruppe of Schlachtgeschwader 2 (SG 2—2nd Ground Attack Wing) headed by Major Hans-Ulrich Rudel on a ground support mission to the combat area at the Prut. Barkhorn claimed two P-39s fighters, an Il-2 ground attack aircraft and Yak-9 fighter. He was then shot down in his Bf 109 G-6 (Werknummer 163195) by a P-39 fighter. Severely wounded in his right arm and leg, he made a forced landing near Iași. It had been his sixth mission of the day and he was attacking Soviet bombers when he was attacked from behind. Following immediate treatment at a field hospital in Huși, he was evacuated to Bad Wiessee for convalescence. With Barkhorn sidelined, Hartmann surpassed his total, taking his total to 301 aerial victories. Following this achievement, Hartmann was sent on home leave and married at Bad Wiessee on 10 September. Barkhorn, who was still recovering in Bad Wiessee at the time, attended the wedding and became Hartmann's best man.

Eventually returning to his unit the psychological damage and combat stress on Barkhorn became apparent; sitting in his cockpit he became overcome with anxiety, and even when flying with friendly aircraft behind him he felt intense fear. It took several weeks for him to overcome this condition. Returning to combat in October he claimed his 275th victory on 14 November. Over the next few weeks Barkhorn added another 26 victories, scoring his 301st (and final) victory on 5 January 1945.

On 1 January 1945, the Luftwaffe launched Operation Bodenplatte, a failed attempt to gain air superiority during the stagnant stage of the Battle of the Bulge. In this attack, Jagdgeschwader 6 (JG 6—6th Fighter Wing) lost its Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander), Oberstleutnant Johann Kogler, who was taken prisoner of war. Following Operation Bodenplatte, JG 6 relocated from the Western Front to the Eastern Front where it was based at Tschenstochau, present-day Częstochowa in southern Poland. On or near 23 January, Barkhorn took command of JG 6, the Geschwaderstab had just moved from Schroda, present-day Środa Wielkopolska, to Sorau, present-day Żary. At the time, the Geschwaderstab was equipped with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 and A-9. While the three groups of JG 6 were equipped with the Bf 109 G-14 and the Fw 190 A, the Geschwaderstab was equipped with Fw 190 D-9 in February.

Barkhorn led this unit until the end-March 1945. During his ten weeks tenure as Geschwaderkommodore of JG 6, he did not claim any aerial victories. He had difficulties adjusting to the Fw 190 D-9. He later stated that he would have needed 50 more flights to master the aircraft. It is unclear whether Barkhorn flew the Fw 190 D-9 in combat. Nevertheless, on 11 February, he was presented the Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "1,100" (Frontflugspange in Gold mit Anhänger "1,100"). Shortly after 23 March, Barkhorn was relieved of command. His wingman later stated that Barkhorn was forced to leave out of medical reasons. At the time he was suffering from severe physical and mental strain after four years of combat.

Following the dismissal of Generalleutnant Adolf Galland as General der Jagdflieger (Inspector of Fighters), Galland was given the opportunity by Hitler to prove his ideas about the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter. He had hoped that the Me 262 would compensate for the numerical superiority of the Allies. In consequence, Galland formed Jagdverband 44 (JV 44—44th Fighter Detachment) at Brandenburg-Briest on 24 February 1945. Galland was also given a carte blanche with respect to staffing and began recruiting his pilots. On 31 March, JV 44 had relocated to Munich-Riem. Galland and Steinhoff, who had also joined JV 44, drove to Bad Wiessee where Barkhorn and Krupinski were recovering. Both pilots accepted Galland's offer and joined JV 44. Barkhorn found flying the Me 262 over the western front difficult and he did not score any victories in it. On 21 April 1945, he flew his 1,104th and last mission. One of the engines of his aircraft flamed out as he was approaching an enemy bomber formation and he was forced to make an emergency landing. As he approached the airfield, his jet was attacked by several prowling North American P-51 Mustang fighters. Barkhorn managed to land his burning plane though he received a slight wound as a result of this action when the cockpit canopy – which on the Me 262 A, flipped open to starboard, like a Bf 109's did – prior to crash landing, slammed shut on his neck. On 4 May, JV 44 surrendered to U.S. forces at Maxglan, near Salzburg. Barkhorn and other pilots were taken to a makeshift prisoner of war camp near Bad Aibling. Five days later, a U.S. officer was looking for JV 44 pilots and Barkhorn, Krupinski, Karl-Heinz Schnell, Erich Hohagen and Waldemar Wübke stepped up. The men were then taken to Heidelberg, Wiesbaden-Erbenheim and flown to England for interrogation near London. In June, Barkhorn was taken to Southampton and then with a ship to Cherbourg where he was interred in a prisoner of war camp near Foucarville.

Barkhorn was released as a prisoner of war on 3 September 1945. He then returned to Tegernsee to be reunited with his family. There, he was also joined by his mother who had managed to escape from Königsberg. In October, Barkhorn first employment as an auxiliary worker was with Linhof, a manufacturer of cameras, based in Munich. A year later, he found employment in Grünwald. His employment in Grünwald ended in 1949. Following a brief period of unemployment, he took a course at Volkswagen in November 1949. In December, he was hired by Auto Junk, a Volkswagen dealership in Trier, at first as head of technical field services. Four years later, Barkhorn was promoted to head of facility and service management.

Following the decision of the Cabinet of Germany to rearm the Federal Republic of Germany, Barkhorn was approached by the Federal Ministry of Defense in late 1955. He accepted the offer, and on 2 January 1956 joined the newly created German Air Force, at the time referred to as the Bundesluftwaffe. On 19 June 1956, Barkhorn was again promoted to the rank of Major, then followed by his oath of allegiance. The first three Bundesluftwaffe pilots to receive jet aircraft training were Steinhoff, Barkhorn's former squadron commander during World War II, Dietrich Hrabak and Kurt Kuhlmey. All three of them were trained by the United States Air Force (USAF) in the USA. Barkhorn, along with Krupinski and Herbert Wehnelt, belonged to the second batch of pilots which were sent to England and were trained by the RAF. At first, Ralph von Rettberg had been considered for training in England. Von Rettberg reconsidered and Krupinski then suggested to give the now vacant training position to Günther Rall. Rall however was already scheduled for a training in the U.S.. In consequence, the vacant training position was given to Barkhorn.

The three pilots were welcomed by the German ambassador in the UK, Hans von Herwarth. Training began at RAF Feltwell on 19 January 1956 on the Percival Provost, a propeller driven trainer aircraft. The pilots completed their refresher training on 23 March. Barkhorn then advanced to the de Havilland Vampire jet aircraft. Barkhorn, Krupinski and Wehnelt complete this training in May 1956. In June, the pilots trained on the Hawker Hunter for ten weeks. On 18 June 1956, Barkhorn, Krupinski and Wehnelt received the RAF aircrew brevet from Air Vice-Marshal George Philip Chamberlain in Stanford Park. Following his return to Germany, Barkhorn was appointed squadron leader of 1. Staffel of the Waffenschule der Luftwaffe 30 (WaSLw 30—Air Force Weapons School 30). Based at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base, the training unit was commanded by Krupinski and later became the Jagdbombergeschwader 33 (JaboG 33—Fighter-Bomber Wing 33). On 1 July 1957, Barkhorn succeeded Krupinski as commander of the weapons school which was then moved to Büchel Air Base. From 1 April 1957 to 31 December 1962, he commanded the Jagdbombergeschwader 31 "Boelcke" (JaboG 31—Fighter-Bomber Wing 31), initially equipped with the Republic F-84F Thunderstreak. During this timeframe, Barkhorn was promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) on 28 April 1958, effective as of 12 May 1958. Because Barkhorn had been separated from his family for more than two years, he requested to be transferred to a position located in southern Germany on 13 October 1958. This request was denied. On 28 September 1960, Barkhorn was promoted to Oberst (colonel). In May and June 1961, Barkhorn attended the 4. Staffel of the Waffenschule der Luftwaffe 10 (WaSLw 10—Air Force Weapons School 10) at Oldenburg Air Base. There, he was trained to fly the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. In 1962, JaboG 31, under the command of Barkhorn, was the first unit to complete transition to the fighter bomber F-104 G. This event was to be celebrated at the Nörvenich Air Base on 20 June 1962. The day before, the aerobatics team of the Bundesluftwaffe, led by their flight instructor Captain Jon Speer from the USAF, practiced the diamond formation for the celebration. Flying too fast and too low, the four F-104 F Starfighters crashed near Balkhausen, present-day part of Kerpen. The pilots Speer, Bernd Kuebart, brother of Jörg Kuebart, Wolf von Stürmer and Hein Frye were all killed in the accident. The diamond formation was forbidden after the accident. Barkhorn had found out that pilots of JaboG 31 had also practiced this formation flying their F-104 G fighter bombers. On 1 January 1963, Barkhorn was transferred to the Führungsstab der Luftwaffe (German Air Staff), a department of the Federal Ministry of Defense.

In 1964, Barkhorn was posted to the staff of Luftwaffen-Erprobungskommando (Air Force Test Command). From October 1964 until November 1965, Barkhorn headed the six-man Bundesluftwaffe contingent of the Tripartite Kestrel Evaluation Squadron at RAF West Raynham, Norfolk, England. The squadron's mission was to evaluate the military capabilities of the V/STOL Kestrel, the Hawker Siddeley P.1127 and forerunner of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier V/STOL aircraft. The squadron consisted of military pilots and ground staff from three nations: Britain, USA and West Germany. In addition to being one of the squadron pilots, Barkhorn also served as one of the squadron's two deputy commanders. During one mission on 13 October 1963, he crash-landed a Hawker Siddeley Kestrel FGA.1, XS689, No. 9, at RAF West Raynham, when he apparently cut thrust one meter above ground, wiping out the undercarriage. A Luftwaffe experten with 301 kills, he is said to have commented, "Drei hundert und zwei!" as he was helped from the jet. At the conclusion of the evaluation, Barkhorn then accompanied the American contingent to the U.S., where he assisted in that nation's continuing trials of six of the Kestrels that had been shipped to the U.S. and renamed the XV-6A.

In April 1968, Barkhorn became a member of the Air Force Staff. He was then transferred to the Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force (4 ATAF) and the AIRBALTAP, Allied Forces Baltic Approaches at the headquarters in Karup, Denmark. On 10 September 1969, with the permission of the President of Germany, he was given the temporary rank of Brigadegeneral (brigadier general), the official promotion followed on 14 May 1970, effective as of 1 April. In February 1972, Barkhorn was informed that his assignment to AIRBALTAP would have to be extended until 1 October 1973 because there were no vacant positions for a Brigadegeneral in Germany at the time. As of 1970, the first generation senior Bundesluftwaffe officers started going into retirement. Steinhoff, who had advanced in career to Inspector of the Air Force, had defined a small group of second generation leaders, among them Krupinski, Rall, Gerhard Limberg and Friedrich Obleser. At first, Barkhorn was also a member of this inner circle. However, Rall, who succeeded Steinhoff as Inspector of the Air Force in 1971, attested that Barkhorn lacked the toughness and ability to work under pressure required for a higher command position in the Bundesluftwaffe.

In early 1973, Rall had promised Barkhorn command of the 1st Luftwaffe Division, an offer that was later withdrawn. Following his assignment to AIRBALTAP, Barkhorn was promoted to Generalmajor (major general) on 1 October 1973. Barkhorn, whose aspiration for an higher command position in the Bundesluftwaffe was unfulfilled, asked to be released from active service in early 1974. This request was initially refused until in February 1975 his retirement process was initiated. On 16 April 1975, he requested that the authorities spare him from a personal handout of his retirement papers. His last position was Chief of Staff of the Second Allied Tactical Air Force (2 ATAF), a NATO military formation under Allied Air Forces Central Europe based in Ramstein Air Base. He retired from active service on 30 September 1975.

On 6 January 1983, Barkhorn was driving his wife Christl and their friend Reichsfreiherr Walter von Loë on a wintry highway close to the interchange Frechen, near Cologne, when they were involved in a serious car accident which was not Barkhorn's fault. Christl was thrown from the vehicle and killed instantly, while Barkhorn and von Loë were taken to a nearby hospital. Although Barkhorn had sustained severe internal injuries, he was still conscious when he arrived at the hospital. He asked the doctor about his wife, and learned that she had not survived the accident. Shortly afterwards, he fell into a coma. Von Loë died two days later. Barkhorn died on 11 January without regaining consciousness.

On 14 January, Barkhorn and his wife were buried in Tegernsee. He was given a military funeral, with many senior officers of the Bundesluftwaffe in attendance. Oberst Gert Overhoff, the Geschwaderkommodore of JaBoG 31 "Boelcke", carried his military decorations pillow. Generalleutnant Obleser, the Inspector of the Air Force, and Steinhoff gave a eulogy.

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Barkhorn claimed 301 victories in 1,100 combat missions. He was shot down nine times, bailed out once and was wounded twice. Author Spick states his total number of combat missions was 1,104. Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 300 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim. All of his aerial victories were claimed on the Eastern Front.

Awards
Pilot's Badge (3 May 1939)
Iron Cross 2nd class (23 October 1940)
Iron Cross 1st class (3 December 1940)
Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Silver (20 April 1941)
Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold (27 August 1941)
Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant (6 October 1942)
Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "1,100" (11 February 1945)
Combined Pilots-Observation Badge
Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 20 July 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän
Wound Badge in Black (25 July 1942)
German Cross in Gold on 21 August 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 52
Eastern Medal (31 August 1942)
Crimea Shield (15 March 1943)
Slovakian Medal of Valor in Silver 2nd Class (17 August 1943)
Knight's Cross on 23 August 1942 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 4./Jagdgeschwader 52
175th Oak Leaves on 11 January 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 4./Jagdgeschwader 52
52nd Swords on 2 March 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Jagdgeschwader 52
With an unknown date of presentation, Barkhorn was also awarded the Hungarian Cross of Valor, the Croatian Medal of Valor in Silver, and the Wehrmacht Long Service Award for four years of service.

Dates of rank
Wehrmacht
27 August 1939:     Leutnant (second lieutenant)
1 November 1941:     Oberleutnant (first lieutenant)
1 April 1943:     Hauptmann (captain)
1 April 1944:     Major (major)
Bundeswehr
19 June 1956:     Major
12 May 1958:     Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel)
28 September 1960:     Oberst (colonel)
10 September 1969:     Brigadegeneral (brigadier general; TR—temporary rank)
1 April 1970:     Brigadegeneral (brigadier general)
1 October 1973:     Generalmajor (major general)



Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2011/07/album-foto-berwarna-perwira-dan_5529.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerhard_Barkhorn