Bio of Hauptmann Hartmut Schairer (1916-1942)

Hartmut Schairer

Date of Birth: 16.09.1916 - Nagold, Schwarzwald, Baden-Württemberg (German Empire)
Date of Death: 19.07.1942 - Staraya Russa, Novgorod Oblast (Soviet Union)
Buried: Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Solzy (Soviet Union)

Promotions:
00.00.1939 Oberleutnant
00.00.194_ Hauptmann

Career:
00.00.1936 Joined the Kriegsmarine
00.00.1936 Transferred to the Luftwaffe
01.09.1939 - 00.09.1939 Assigned to the Luftwaffenpersonalamt des Reichsluftfahrtministerium
00.09.1939 Staffelführer 1.Staffel (Sturzkampf) / Trägergruppe 186
09.07.1940 Staffelführer 7.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 (StG 1)

Awards and Decorations:
00.00.19__ Flugzeugführerabzeichen
00.00.19__ Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht IV.Klasse (4 Jahre)
00.00.19__ Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.19__ Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.194_ Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg
00.00.194_ Frontflugspange in Gold
30.08.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän 7.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 (StG 1). Awarded after flying considerably more than 150 sorties as a ground attack pilot.

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Hartmut Schairer (September 16, 1916 in Nagold; died July 19, 1942 near Staraja Russa in Russia) was a German officer in the Wehrmacht, most recently a captain in the Luftwaffe, dive fighter pilot and recipient of the Knight's Cross in World War II. In a relatively short time, Schairer completed 562 enemy flights with his Junkers Ju 87 against warships, troop carriers, enemy tanks and enemy positions, etc. in support of infantry and armored forces.

The Black Forest Schairer joined the Kriegsmarine in 1936 with the aim of becoming a sea pilot, but there were only limited positions and opportunities for advancement in the sea pilot associations. In the same year, the young ensign was transferred to the Luftwaffe, where he later became a Leutnant. After training as a pilot, he was assigned to the Air Force Personnel Office of the Reich Aviation Ministry at the beginning of September 1939.

From the RLM, Schairer was commanded to the 1.Staffel (Sturzkampf) / Trägergruppe 186, which was equipped with Junkers Ju 87 B (until September 2, 1939 in Stolp-West with the 1. Flieger-Division, until September 6 in breasterort, then stationed in Lauenburg, Danzig and Radom until October 1939). With the Tr.Gr.186 he took part in the Polish campaign and the western campaign in 1940. The 1./Tr.Gr.186 was stationed in Bastogne, Guise, Buzanzy, Villenauxe, Auxerre and Falaise.

On July 9, 1940, Schairer joined the 7th Squadron of the III.Gruppe / Sturzkampfgeschwader 1. Schairer was now assigned a new radio operator, Heinz Bevernis, with whom he was to fly continuously for the next two years. The group flew sorties with VIII. Fliegerkorps against sea targets in the Channel and near-shore targets in southern England during Operation Eagle Strike. In September the group was transferred to St. Pol near St. Omer and assigned to the II. Fliegerkorps. Under strong fighter cover, the group continued to fly missions against ships in the Thames estuary until mid-November. After that, only raids against sea targets in the Thames estuary were flown in bad weather or at night. On December 8, 1940, a supplementary squadron for the squadron was formed in Schaffen-Diest.

At the beginning of 1941 the III.Gruppe of the Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 stationed in Ostend. From mid-February 1941, the group moved to Trapani in Sicily, where it was deployed to the staff of X. Fliegerkorps against the British Mediterranean fleet of the Royal Navy and the British Mediterranean island of Malta.

From April 10th to May 8th the group with two squadrons (without 9th squadron) was deployed in Derna under Fliegerführer Afrika against sea targets and in support of the German Afrikakorps. The 9th squadron remained in Sicily and flew night missions against Malta from Comiso.

On May 23, the III. Gruppe, still without the 9 Squadron, transferred to Argos-South Greece to join the VIII. Fliegerkorps in support of Operation Merkur, the conquest of Crete. Squadron leader (possibly already squadron captain) Schairer sank a destroyer and four supply ships in the Mediterranean and damaged six other enemy ships, some of them severely. He had still managed to become a kind of naval aviator. At the beginning of June 1941, the group in Kitzingen and Cottbus was briefly refreshed.

At the beginning of the Russian campaign, the group was subordinate to its own squadron headquarters at VIII. Fliegerkorps. The group was used for attacks on troop targets, enemy movements, bridges, transport hubs and centers of resistance, the group supported the army's advance across the Berezina, the breakthrough through the Dnieper and Duna lines at Vitebsk and Polotsk, the encirclement battle of Smolensk, the Battle of Roslavl, at Rogachev and Gomel-Klinzy. This was followed by the encirclement battle of Kiev, the double battle of Bryansk-Vyazma and the advance on Orel and Tula under the VIII. Fliegerkorps. After suffering heavy losses, the group was withdrawn from action on December 6, 1941 and transferred to Schweinfurt for refreshment.

At the beginning of 1942, the II. Gruppe of the Sturzkampfgeschwader 1 was stationed in Schweinfurt for refreshment. In February 1942 the group moved via Neukuhren to Gostkino and Gorodjetz. The group was deployed in 1942 in the northern sector of the eastern front under the command of I. Fliegerkorps at the front focal points there.

On July 19, 1942, while the Battle of Demyansk was raging, Schairer's squadron had to engage in dive combat operation against advancing Soviet tanks, which they succeeded in doing. The Russians retreated. As squadron commander, it was his job to inspect the battlefield and the aftermath of the attack afterwards, which he did at low altitude. His Ju 87 D-1 (factory no. 2360) was hit by enemy anti-aircraft guns south-southeast of Lake Ilmen. The burning machine fell in Staraya Russa (Novgorod region) inexorably towards the earth. Hauptmann Schairer and his faithful radio operator/gunner Oberfeldwebel Heinz Bevernis fell as they flew – together for Germany. On September 19, 1942, Bevernis was the first Stuka Bordfunker (radio operator) / gunner to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross posthumously in World War II.

Ritterkreuzträger Leutnant Erich Hanne took over the leadership of the 7. Staffel for a short time, but he also stayed ahead of the enemy - he fell on September 5, 1942. After an attack on enemy tanks and a hit by anti-aircraft guns, he was able to intercept his damaged machine and gain height. brought his Ju 87 D-1 behind his own lines, ordered his gunners to parachute out, but before he could follow him over the wooded terrain, his machine stalled, leaving Hanne trapped in it.

Flew a total of 562 sorties as a Ju 87 pilot.

Oberleutnant Hartmut Schairer with the Ritterkreuz.

Oberleutnant Hartmut Schairer (Staffelkapitän 7.Staffel / III.Gruppe / Sturzkampfgeschwader 1) is seen cleaning his Leica camera. This Luftwaffe officer and Stuka ace was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes medal on 30 August 1941 after he completed 150 combat missions as a ground-attack pilot. Hauptmann Schairer died in action nearly a year later - on July 19, 1942 to be precise - after the Junkers Ju 87 he piloted crashed in Staraya Russa, Soviet Union, on his 562nd combat mission. His trusted gunner who had accompanied him since 1940, Oberfeldwebel Heinz Bevernis, also died with him. The gunner was later awarded the Ritterkreuz posthumously on September 19, 1942, and was recorded as the first Stuka gunner / radio operator in the entire Luftwaffe to receive such a high honor!



Theodor Nordmann (left) and Hartmut Schairer (right)



Hauptmann Hartmut Schairer and his trusted gunner Oberfeldwebel Heinz Bevernis in the cockpit of a Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka", May-July 1942. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Helmut Grosse of KBK Lw 5 (Kriegsberichter-Kompanie Luftwaffe 5).

Source :
"Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries: Section S-Z" by Henry L. deZeng IV and Douglas G. Stankey
"New Images of Nazi Germany: a Photographic Collection" by Paul Garson
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2013/05/saat-para-fotografer-beraksi.html
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/69001/Schairer-Hartmut.htm