Ritterkreuzträger of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 (NJG 3)

Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 (NJG 3) was a Luftwaffe night-fighter wing formed on 29 September 1941 at Stade from the Stab of Zerstörergeschwader 26 and placed initially under the 1. Nachtjagddivision (later the 2. Jagddivision), operating primarily in the defence of the Reich over northern Germany, Denmark and the North Sea approaches with the Geschwaderkennung first L1 and later D5. Its Stab remained based at Stade for most of the war under successive Kommodore Major Johann Schalk (until 1 August 1943), Oberst Helmut Lent (1 August 1943 until his death on 7 October 1944) and finally Oberst Günther Radusch (from 12 November 1944), while its four Gruppen were raised from various Zerstörer and night-fighter elements: I. Gruppe (formed earlier as V.(Z)/Lehrgeschwader 1 at Vechta in October 1940) flew mainly from Vechta, Schleswig and Grove; II. Gruppe was established at Schleswig in September 1941; III. Gruppe was created at Stade in November 1941 from II./Zerstörergeschwader 76; and IV. Gruppe was formed at Grove in November 1942, later exchanging designations with elements of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2. Initially equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 110s (and some Dornier Do 217s from mid-1942), the wing progressively converted to Junkers Ju 88C night fighters from mid-1943 and Ju 88G models from mid-1944, with limited use of the Heinkel He 219, conducting both defensive night interceptions against RAF Bomber Command raids and occasional day operations; detachments operated briefly in the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Smolensk area early in the war, while later bases included Plantlünne, Gütersloh, Westerland, Jever and various Danish airfields such as Grove (Karup), Kastrup and Skrydstrup. Pilots of NJG 3 claimed approximately 820 aerial victories by day and night before the unit was progressively reduced in strength in early 1945, with several Staffeln disbanded or redesignated by late March, remaining operational until the German surrender on 8 May 1945; two of its aircraft—a Bf 110 G-4 and a Ju 88 R-1—survive today at the RAF Museum in London.

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BRILLANTENTRÄGER


Oberst Helmut Lent (1918-1944) was born on 13 June 1918 in Pyrehne, Landsberg an der Warthe, into a devoutly Lutheran family as the fifth child of a minister; after primary schooling and private tutoring he passed his Abitur in December 1935, completed Reichsarbeitsdienst, and against his father’s wishes entered the Luftwaffe as a Fahnenjunker on 1 April 1936, training at Luftkriegsschule 2 Gatow where he earned his wings and was commissioned Leutnant on 1 March 1938 before converting to the Messerschmitt Bf 110 with I./Zerstörergeschwader 76. He claimed his first victories during the invasion of Poland in September 1939 and further successes over the North Sea, including two confirmed Wellingtons in the Battle of the Heligoland Bight on 18 December 1939, then flew ground-support missions during the Norwegian Campaign in April 1940, force-landing at Fornebu after engine damage while helping secure the airfield. Transferred to the newly formed Nachtjagdgeschwader 1, he scored his first nocturnal victory on 12 May 1941 and, as Staffelkapitän of 6./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 with 8 day and 14 night victories, received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 30 August 1941. Promoted Hauptmann and appointed Kommandeur of II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2, he continued to accumulate night victories against RAF bombers and was awarded the Eichenlaub on 6 June 1942 after 35 nocturnal kills; later as Kommandeur of IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 he received the Schwerter on 2 August 1943 after 66 night victories. On the night of 15–16 June 1944, by then Oberstleutnant and Geschwaderkommodore of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3, he became the first night-fighter pilot to claim his 100th nocturnal victory, for which he was awarded the Brillanten on 31 July 1944; overall he was credited with 110 aerial victories (102 at night, including 61 four-engined bombers) in 507 sorties. On 5 October 1944, while flying a Junkers Ju 88 on a routine transit flight from Stade to Nordborchen near Paderborn, an engine failed on approach and the aircraft struck power lines; Lent succumbed to his injuries two days later on 7 October 1944 and was posthumously promoted to Oberst.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nachtjagdgeschwader_3

Ritterkreuzträger of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1)

Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1) was the first and most successful German Luftwaffe night-fighter wing of the Second World War, formed on 22 June 1940 at the direction of Hermann Göring under the command of Oberst Wolfgang Falck (who remained Geschwaderkommodore until 30 June 1943) as an air-defence unit for the Defence of the Reich against RAF Bomber Command night raids, initially organised from elements of I./Zerstörergeschwader 1, IV./Zerstörergeschwader 26, IV.(N)/Jagdgeschwader 2 and other Zerstörer units and based primarily at Deelen-Arnhem, Venlo, Düsseldorf, St. Trond, Twente and Leeuwarden; it eventually comprised four Gruppen equipped successively with the Messerschmitt Bf 109, Dornier Do 17, Messerschmitt Bf 110 (its mainstay), Junkers Ju 88, Dornier Do 217 and the advanced Heinkel He 219 Uhu, operating under the evolving Kammhuber Line system of Himmelbett controlled interceptions that combined Freya and Würzburg ground radars, searchlights and, from 1941–42, airborne Lichtenstein radar. Early experimental intercepts in July 1940 yielded the wing’s first claims (including an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley by Werner Streib), and by the end of 1941 pilots such as Streib, Paul Gildner and Helmut Lent had become leading night aces; the wing played a central role in the battles over the Ruhr, Hamburg and Berlin, introducing innovative attack tactics (notably Ludwig Becker’s underside approach) and producing the highest-scoring night-fighter pilot in history, Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (121 victories), who later commanded IV./NJG 1. Command passed to Oberst Werner Streib in July 1943 and then to Oberstleutnant Hans-Joachim Jabs in March 1944; despite mounting losses from improved Allied electronic countermeasures, Mosquito night fighters and overwhelming numbers, NJG 1 claimed approximately 2,311 victories by day and night for the loss of some 676 aircrew killed, remaining operational until the final collapse in May 1945 when its remnants withdrew to Husum and other northern bases before the German surrender on 8 May.

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SCHWERTERTRÄGER


Oberst Helmut Lent (1918-1944) was born on 13 June 1918 in Pyrehne, Landsberg an der Warthe, into a devoutly Lutheran family as the fifth child of a minister; after primary schooling and private tutoring he passed his Abitur in December 1935, completed Reichsarbeitsdienst, and against his father’s wishes entered the Luftwaffe as a Fahnenjunker on 1 April 1936, training at Luftkriegsschule 2 Gatow where he earned his wings and was commissioned Leutnant on 1 March 1938 before converting to the Messerschmitt Bf 110 with I./Zerstörergeschwader 76. He claimed his first victories during the invasion of Poland in September 1939 and further successes over the North Sea, including two confirmed Wellingtons in the Battle of the Heligoland Bight on 18 December 1939, then flew ground-support missions during the Norwegian Campaign in April 1940, force-landing at Fornebu after engine damage while helping secure the airfield. Transferred to the newly formed Nachtjagdgeschwader 1, he scored his first nocturnal victory on 12 May 1941 and, as Staffelkapitän of 6./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 with 8 day and 14 night victories, received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 30 August 1941. Promoted Hauptmann and appointed Kommandeur of II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2, he continued to accumulate night victories against RAF bombers and was awarded the Eichenlaub on 6 June 1942 after 35 nocturnal kills; later as Kommandeur of IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 he received the Schwerter on 2 August 1943 after 66 night victories. On the night of 15–16 June 1944, by then Oberstleutnant and Geschwaderkommodore of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3, he became the first night-fighter pilot to claim his 100th nocturnal victory, for which he was awarded the Brillanten on 31 July 1944; overall he was credited with 110 aerial victories (102 at night, including 61 four-engined bombers) in 507 sorties. On 5 October 1944, while flying a Junkers Ju 88 on a routine transit flight from Stade to Nordborchen near Paderborn, an engine failed on approach and the aircraft struck power lines; Lent succumbed to his injuries two days later on 7 October 1944 and was posthumously promoted to Oberst.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nachtjagdgeschwader_1

Bio of Oberst Werner Streib (1911-1986)

Full name: Werner Streib
Nickname: Father of the Nachtjagd

Date of Birth: 13 June 1911 in Pforzheim, Grand Duchy of Baden, German Empire
Date of Death: 15 June 1986 in Munich, West Germany

Battles and Operations: Invasion of Poland, Battle of France, Defence of the Reich
NSDAP-Number: none
SS-Number: none
Religion : unknown
Parents: Reinhold Streib (merchant), Sofie Pauline Beller
Siblings: unknown
Spouse: Barbara Streib
Children: unknown

Promotions:
- 1934: Fahnenjunker (Infanterie-Regiment 14)
- 1 October 1935: Oberfähnrich (Luftwaffe)
- 1 April 1936: Leutnant
- 1940: Oberleutnant
- 7 October 1940: Hauptmann
- February 1943: Major
- March 1944: Oberst
- 1956 onward: Brigadegeneral (Bundeswehr)

Career:
- 1934-1935: Infanterie-Regiment 14, 5. Infanterie-Division
- 1 October 1935: transferred to Luftwaffe as aerial observer in reconnaissance unit
- 1938: posted to II. Gruppe Jagdgeschwader 132 (later ZG 1)
- September 1939: Zerstörergeschwader 1 flying Bf 110
- 6 June 1940: Staffelkapitän 2. Staffel ZG 1 (later 2./NJG 1)
- 7 October 1940: Gruppenkommandeur I./NJG 1
- 1 July 1943: Geschwaderkommodore NJG 1
- March 1944-May 1945: Inspector of Night Fighters
- 16 March 1956-1959: commander of pilot school A in Landsberg am Lech (Bundeswehr)
- until 31 March 1966: Inspector of Flying Forces (Bundeswehr)

Awards and Decorations:
- Iron Cross 2nd Class (17 May 1940)
- Iron Cross 1st Class (20 June 1940)
- Luftwaffe Honour Goblet (13 September 1940)
- German Cross in Gold (26 February 1942)
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (6 October 1940) as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of 2./NJG 1. Awarded after claiming eight aerial victories in total, seven of them at night. His very first nocturnal victory – and the first confirmed night kill for the entire Luftwaffe night-fighter arm – came on the night of 19/20 July 1940 (or 20/21 July according to some logs) when he shot down a British bomber (Whitley or Wellington) while flying a Bf 110. This early success in the newly formed Nachtjagdgeschwader 1, together with his rapid follow-up claims during the Defence of the Reich in summer and autumn 1940, made him the first Nachtjagd pilot to be honoured with the Ritterkreuz and earned him mentions in the Wehrmachtbericht.
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #197 (26 February 1943) as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of I./NJG 1. Awarded after Streib reached his 40th aerial victory on 14 January 1943 (an Avro Lancaster bomber). By early February 1943 further claims (including two Lancasters on the night of 2/3 February) had raised his score to around 45. The award recognised his sustained success as group commander and his contribution to the defensive operations over western Germany and the Netherlands. He received the decoration personally from Adolf Hitler in Berlin on 11 May 1943.
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #54 (11 March 1944) as Geschwaderkommodore of NJG 1. Awarded after reaching 66 confirmed victories (65 or 66 of them nocturnal, depending on the exact confirmation source). A spectacular single sortie that formed part of the score leading to this honour occurred on the night of 11-12 June 1943: flying the prototype Heinkel He 219 Uhu on a combat test mission, he shot down five four-engined Avro Lancaster bombers in one patrol before his own aircraft crashed on landing because of cockpit icing and flap failure. He escaped with only minor injuries. Shortly afterwards he was withdrawn from operational flying and appointed Inspekteur der Nachtjäger. The Swords recognised both his personal record and his tactical influence on night-fighting methods.
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Night Fighters in Gold
- Combined Pilots-Observation Badge
- Wound Badge in Black
- multiple mentions in the Wehrmachtbericht (1941-1942)

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Werner Streib was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II and a general officer in the post-war Bundeswehr. A leading night fighter ace, he was credited with 68 enemy aircraft shot down in roughly 150 combat missions, including one daytime victory and 67 nocturnal victories, all claimed over the Western Front in Defence of the Reich operations against RAF Bomber Command. He was the first Luftwaffe pilot to achieve a confirmed night victory, introduced innovative tactics that shaped the Nachtjagd, and rose to command Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 before serving as Inspector of Night Fighters. For his achievements he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, becoming one of the highest-decorated night fighter pilots of the war. After 1945 he worked in commerce before rejoining the military in 1956 and retiring as Brigadegeneral in 1966.

Streib was born on 13 June 1911 in Pforzheim, at that time in the Grand Duchy of Baden within the German Empire. He was the son of merchant Reinhold Streib and Sofie Pauline Beller. After completing his Abitur he worked for three years in banking and finance. In 1934 he enlisted in the Reichswehr as a Fahnenjunker with Infanterie-Regiment 14 of the 5th Infantry Division based in Konstanz. On 1 October 1935, as an Oberfähnrich, he transferred to the newly formed Luftwaffe and was commissioned Leutnant on 1 April 1936. He initially served as an aerial observer in a reconnaissance unit before qualifying as a pilot. In 1938 he was posted to II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 132 Richthofen, later redesignated I. Gruppe of Zerstörergeschwader 1, where he flew the Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter.

At the outbreak of war in September 1939 Streib was serving with the airport operational company of I./ZG 1. During the invasion of Poland he flew daytime missions but recorded no victories. On the first day of the Battle of France, 10 May 1940, he claimed his first aerial victory by shooting down an RAF Bristol Blenheim bomber while flying a Bf 110. For this success he received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 17 May 1940 and the Iron Cross 1st Class on 20 June 1940. On 6 June 1940 he was appointed Staffelkapitän of 2. Staffel of ZG 1. When that unit was redesignated 2. Staffel of the newly formed Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 on 26 June 1940, Streib became one of the first operational night fighter pilots.

The creation of the Nachtjagd force under Generalmajor Josef Kammhuber began in mid-1940. On the night of 19/20 July 1940 Streib achieved the Luftwaffe's first confirmed nocturnal victory, shooting down an RAF Armstrong Whitworth Whitley at 02:15 near Saerbeck. Two nights later he claimed another Whitley. On the night of 30/31 August 1940 he downed a Vickers Wellington and a Handley Page Hampden. Further successes followed on 30 September/1 October 1940 with two Wellingtons and another Hampden, bringing his total to eight victories, seven of them at night. On 6 October 1940, as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of 2./NJG 1, he became the first night fighter pilot to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and only the second member of the Nachtjagd to be so honoured. The following day he was promoted Hauptmann and appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I./NJG 1.

Throughout the autumn and winter of 1940-1941 Streib continued to score steadily within the Kammhuber Line, a radar-guided ground-controlled interception system consisting of Himmelbett sectors. On the night of 14/15 October 1940 he claimed a Hampden near Calbe. In March 1941 he downed a Hampden southwest of Venlo and a Wellington near Helenaveen. April brought two more Hampdens and a Wellington. By July 1941 his score stood at 16. He received the Luftwaffe Honour Goblet on 13 September 1940 and was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on several occasions in 1941 and 1942. On 26 February 1942 he was awarded the German Cross in Gold.

In 1942 Streib claimed pairs of Wellingtons on multiple nights, including 26/27 March, 10/11 April, and 30/31 May, as well as Whitleys and further Wellingtons. His last victory of the year came on 20/21 December against a Wellington southeast of 's-Hertogenbosch. On the night of 9/10 January 1943 he reached his 40th nocturnal victory with a Lancaster west of Venlo. Four nights later he claimed two more Lancasters. On 2/3 February 1943 two additional four-engined bombers brought his total to 45. On 26 February 1943, as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of I./NJG 1, he received the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross as the 197th recipient. He was presented the award personally by Adolf Hitler in Berlin on 11 May 1943. Additional claims in March and April 1943, including a Wellington from No. 166 Squadron RAF and three Halifax bombers during the Essen raid, continued his success.

Streib participated in the operational testing of the Heinkel He 219 Uhu night fighter. On 25 March 1943 he flew the prototype in mock combat against a Ju 188 at Rechlin, demonstrating the He 219's superior speed and manoeuvrability. On the night of 11/12 June 1943, flying the pre-production He 219 A-0/R2 G9+FB with radar operator Unteroffizier Helmut Fischer, Streib was vectored against a large RAF raid on Düsseldorf. In a single patrol he shot down five four-engined bombers: three Halifaxes and two Lancasters between 01:05 and 02:22 in the Roermond-Rheinberg-Nijmegen area. This ace-in-a-day performance raised his nocturnal total to 55. On landing at Venlo the aircraft crashed due to cockpit icing, retracted flaps, and excessive speed; both crew members escaped with only minor injuries.

On the night of 12/13 June 1943 Streib claimed a Lancaster south of Doetinchem. Further victories followed, including a Stirling on 22 June and a Halifax on 24/25 June. On 1 July 1943 he was promoted Oberstleutnant and appointed Geschwaderkommodore of NJG 1, succeeding Wolfgang Falck. On 25/26 July 1943 he claimed four bombers in one night, reaching his 60th nocturnal victory. By early 1944 his score stood at 65 or 66 nocturnal victories depending on confirmation sources. On 11 March 1944 he received the Swords to the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves as the 54th recipient of the award. Shortly afterwards he was withdrawn from operational flying and appointed Inspector of Night Fighters on the staff of General der Jagdflieger Adolf Galland, where he remained until the end of the war in the rank of Oberst. He contributed significantly to the evolution of tactics from the Kammhuber Line to the more flexible Zahme Sau methods.

At the end of the war Streib was taken into Western Allied captivity and released in 1946. He initially worked as managing director of a wholesale grocery company. On 16 March 1956 he joined the newly formed Bundeswehr with the rank of Oberst. He commanded Flugzeugführerschule A in Landsberg am Lech for three years, responsible for basic pilot training on the North American T-6 Texan. After six months at NATO headquarters in Paris he served as Flight Leader South and, from 1 January 1961, as commander of Fliegerdivision Süd in Karlsruhe. From October 1962 he commanded Training Brigade 2 in Fürstenfeldbruck, followed by a posting to the Luftwaffe leadership staff in Köln-Wahn from October 1963. He retired on 31 March 1966 as Brigadegeneral and Inspector of Flying Forces.

Werner Streib died on 15 June 1986 in Munich, two days after his 75th birthday. He was buried at the Ostfriedhof in Munich. Throughout his career he was known for his pioneering role in night fighting and his leadership in one of the most technically demanding branches of the Luftwaffe. His 68 confirmed victories, combined with his tactical innovations and high command positions, placed him among the most influential figures in the history of German night air defence.

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Streib,
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/,
https://www.tracesofwar.com/,
https://grokipedia.com/,
https://rk.balsi.de/index.php?action=list&cat=300,
https://www.unithistories.com/units_index/index.php?file=/officers/personsx.html,
https://web.archive.org/web/20091027052912fw_/http://geocities.com/orion47.geo/index2.html,
https://forum.axishistory.com/,
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/,
https://www.bundesarchiv.de/en/,
https://www.geni.com/,
https://books.google.com/,
https://www.ww2.dk/lwoffz.html,
https://aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?q=units
Aders, Gebhard. History of the German Night Fighter Force, 1917-1945.
Obermaier, Ernst. Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939-1945.
Boiten, Theo. Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies.
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945.
Scherzer, Veit. Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945.
Mathews, Andrew Johannes & Foreman, John. Luftwaffe Aces - Biographies and Victory Claims - Volume 4.

Bio of Major Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (1916-1944)

Full name: Heinrich Alexander Ludwig Peter Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn  
Nickname: Heini

Date of Birth: 14.08.1916 - Kopenhagen, Denmark  
Date of Death: 21.01.1944 - near Luebars by Stendal, Germany
Buried at: German War Cemetery Ysselsteyn, Netherlands (Plot TH, Row 1, Grave 2)

Battles and Operations: Battle of France, Battle of Britain, Operation Barbarossa, Defence of the Reich  
No party number (Luftwaffe officer)  
Religion: Protestant (family background)  
Parents: Prince Gustav Alexander zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn (diplomat) and Walburga Baroness von Friesen  
Siblings: two brothers (Ludwig and Alexander)  
Spouse: none (unmarried)  
Children: none  

Promotions:  
01.06.1938 Leutnant  
00.08.1942 Oberleutnant  
00.10.1942 Hauptmann  
01.01.1944 Major  

Career:  
00.00.1916-17.12.1935 various schools in Copenhagen, Switzerland (Lake Geneva, Davos, Montreux), Neubeuern and Freiburg im Breisgau (Abitur at Realgymnasium)  
12.04.1932 joined Hitler Youth (later Kameradschaftsfuehrer and Wehrsportleiter)  
04.1937 joined 17. Kavallerie-Regiment Bamberg after Reichsarbeitsdienst  
Summer 1937 transferred to Luftwaffe  
10.1937 flight training at Fliegerschule Braunschweig  
06.1938 officer commission  
Winter 1938-39 Kampfbeobachter with KG 54  
1940 observer and later pilot with KG 1 Hindenburg (He 111)  
03.1941 combat missions with KG 1 and KG 51 during Operation Barbarossa (150 missions total as bomber crew)  
08.1941 transferred to night fighter force  
01.11.1941 Staffelkapitaen 9./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2  
01.12.1942 Gruppenkommandeur IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 (later redesignated I./NJG 100)  
15.08.1943 Gruppenkommandeur II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 3  
01.12.1943 Gruppenkommandeur II./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2  
01.01.1944 Geschwaderkommodore Nachtjagdgeschwader 2  

Awards and Decorations:  
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (05.06.1940)  
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (26.06.1940)  
Luftwaffe Ehrenpokal (15.09.1941)  
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (21.08.1942) as Oberleutnant in 6./NJG 2  
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (02.10.1942) as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitaen 9./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2, after reaching 22 confirmed aerial victories, all at night. He transferred to night fighters in early 1942 after earlier bomber/observer service. His first nocturnal victory came on the night of 6/7 May 1942 (a Bristol Blenheim or similar). He rapidly built his score during operations over the Netherlands and later the Eastern Front, often flying the Junkers Ju 88. By October 1942 he had 22 kills, earning the Ritterkreuz. The award was presented by General Josef Kammhuber (head of the night fighter force). No single “decisive mission” is cited—it was the cumulative result of his early effectiveness in the Nachtjagd.
Front Flying Clasp for Night Fighters in Gold  
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #290 (31.08.1943) as Hauptmann and Kommandeur I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 100, after reaching 54 aerial victories (most sources; one lists 47 at confirmation).
By mid-1943 he was a proven Experte. Notable feats contributing to this total included: An “ace-in-a-day” performance on 20 July 1943 near Oryol (Eastern Front), where he shot down seven Soviet aircraft in one night (six of them within 47 minutes, taking his score to victories 36–41); Additional multi-kill nights in July–August 1943 (e.g., three victories on 1 August and three more on 3 August). The Eichenlaub recognized his leadership as a group commander and his rising score during the intense Eastern Front night fighting and early Defence of the Reich operations. The award was personally presented by Adolf Hitler at the Wolf’s Lair (Führerhauptquartier) in East Prussia on 22 September 1943, alongside other aces (Günther Rall and Walter Nowotny received Swords that day). He also received a congratulatory letter from the 4. Jagd-Division commander.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #44 (23.01.1944) posthumously as Major and Geschwaderkommodore Nachtjagdgeschwader 2, for overall record of 83 victories (including leadership of night fighter wings) and, crucially, his final extraordinary mission on 21 January 1944. On the night of 21 January 1944, flying a Ju 88 R-4 (R4+XM) in a “Zahme Sau” (Tame Boar) free-hunting mission near Berlin, Wittgenstein and his crew (Feldwebel Friedrich Ostheimer as radio operator and Unteroffizier Kurt Matzuleit as mechanic) engaged a large RAF bomber stream. Between approximately 22:00 and 22:40 he claimed five four-engined Lancasters in rapid succession: First at ~22:05 (observed exploding), Second at 22:10–22:15, Third at ~22:30 (exploded), Fourth at 22:40 (hit the ground), Fifth during a final attack (the bomber was already burning when Wittgenstein came under attack). During the fifth engagement, British escort fighters (possibly Mosquitos) hit his Ju 88; the left wing caught fire. He ordered his crew to bail out (they survived). Wittgenstein attempted to nurse the burning aircraft back or bail out himself, but his parachute was found unopened. His body was recovered the next day near the wreckage in a forest near Lübars (Stendal area), with the cause of death listed as a closed fracture of the skull and facial bones (likely from striking the aircraft’s tail fin during egress). At the time of his death he was the Luftwaffe’s leading night fighter ace. The Swords were awarded just two days later in recognition of his total score, command achievements, and this final act of aggression in which he downed five bombers before perishing. These awards reflect the Luftwaffe’s system of honoring night fighter aces for cumulative success in the brutal nocturnal air war over Europe. Wittgenstein remains one of the top three night fighter aces in history (behind only Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer and Helmut Lent). His remains were later reinterred at Ysselsteyn German war cemetery in the Netherlands.

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Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein was born into an aristocratic family in Copenhagen where his father served as a German diplomat. After a peripatetic education across Europe he completed his Abitur in Freiburg and joined the Wehrmacht via the cavalry before transferring to the Luftwaffe. He flew as observer and pilot in bomber units during the campaigns in France and Britain and then over 150 missions in the East with KG 1 and KG 51.  

In August 1941 he volunteered for the night fighter arm and quickly rose to Staffelkapitaen of 9./NJG 2. His first nocturnal victory came on the night of 6/7 May 1942 when he downed a Bristol Blenheim west of Walcheren. By early October 1942 he had reached 22 confirmed night victories, including multiple three-victory nights such as 31 July and 10 September 1942. These achievements, combined with his leadership of the Staffel, earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 2 October 1942. The award recognised not only his personal score but also his aggressive tactics and ability to locate and engage bombers in darkness using early Lichtenstein radar and visual contact.  

Transferred to the Eastern Front as Gruppenkommandeur of IV./NJG 5 (later I./NJG 100) in December 1942, he continued to excel. On the night of 20/21 July 1943 alone he claimed seven Soviet aircraft near Oryol, six of them within 47 minutes, demonstrating exceptional skill in target-rich night conditions. Additional triple victories followed on 1 August and 3 August. By 31 August 1943 his total stood at 54 victories and he received the Eichenlaub (290th award). The Oak Leaves were presented personally by Adolf Hitler at the Wolfsschanze on 22 September 1943 together with other aces. At that time he flew mainly the Ju 88, which he preferred over the Bf 110 for its range and firepower.  

On 1 January 1944 he was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of NJG 2. His score had reached 68 by then. On the night of 20/21 January 1944, during a Zahme Sau intercept mission near Berlin in a Ju 88 (Werknummer 750467), he claimed five four-engined RAF bombers (Lancasters and a Halifax) between 22:00 and 22:40. During the fifth attack his own aircraft was hit by defensive fire from a bomber or possibly a Mosquito escort, setting the wing ablaze. He ordered his radio operator Friedrich Ostheimer and mechanic Kurt Matzuleit to bale out; both survived. Wittgenstein attempted to nurse the burning aircraft back but crashed in a forest near Luebars. His body was found the next day with a fractured skull; the parachute had not opened. At the time of his death his total stood at 83 nocturnal victories (33 on the Eastern Front, 50 on the Western Front). He was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht and posthumously awarded the Schwerter (44th award) on 23 January 1944 in recognition of his outstanding record and command achievements. He was initially buried at Deelen airfield and re-interred in 1948 at Ysselsteyn German War Cemetery alongside fellow aristocratic night fighter pilot Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld.  

Unique and interesting facts include that Sayn-Wittgenstein came from one of Germany's oldest princely houses and was a descendant of a Russian field marshal. He possessed an almost intuitive sixth sense for locating enemy aircraft, described by comrades as a personal radar. He was known for strict discipline in the air, once confining a radio operator to quarters for losing contact, yet pardoning him after a successful mission. By 1943 he had grown disillusioned with the regime and reportedly contemplated actions against Hitler, though he continued fighting out of duty and ambition to surpass other aces. He flew over 320 combat missions in total.

Source:  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Prinz_zu_Sayn-Wittgenstein  
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/26218/Sayn-Wittgenstein-Prinz-zu--Heinrich.htm  
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/S/SaynWittgensteinHPv.htm  
https://grokipedia.com/page/Heinrich_Prinz_zu_Sayn-Wittgenstein  
https://ww2gravestone.com/people/sayn-wittgenstein-heinrich-alexander-ludwig-peter-prinz-zu/  
https://www.ww2.dk/lwoffz.html  
https://aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?q=units  
https://forum.axishistory.com/  
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/  
https://www.bundesarchiv.de/en/  
https://www.geni.com/  
https://books.google.com/ (searches on Luftwaffe night fighters)  
Scherzer, Veit. Die Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945. Jena 2007.  
Goss, Christopher. Princes of Darkness: The Lives of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Aces Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein and Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld. 2003.  
https://rk.balsi.de/index.php?action=list&cat=300  
https://www.unithistories.com/units_index/index.php?file=/officers/personsx.html  
https://web.archive.org/web/20091027052912fw_/http://geocities.com/orion47.geo/index2.html

Bio of Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (1922-1950)

Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer

Full name: Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer  
Date of Birth: 16.02.1922 - Calw, Free People's State of Württemberg (Weimar Republic)  
Date of Death: 15.07.1950 - Bordeaux, Gironde, France  

Battles and Operations: Defence of the Reich campaign 1942-1945, night fighter operations against RAF Bomber Command over Western Europe and the Low Countries  

Promotions:  
01.04.1940 Fahnenjunker  
01.09.1940 Fähnrich  
01.02.1941 Oberfähnrich  
01.04.1941 Leutnant  
01.07.1943 Oberleutnant  
01.05.1944 Hauptmann  
01.12.1944 Major  

Career:  
15.11.1939 joined Luftwaffe, basic military training with Fliegerausbildungsregiment 42 in Salzwedel  
01.04.1940-20.08.1940 flight training at Flugzeugführerschule A/B 3 in Guben, completion of A/B pilot license  
08.1940-05.1941 advanced training at Flugzeugführerschule C 3 in Alt Lönnewitz and Blindflugschule 2 in Neuburg an der Donau  
1941 destroyer training at Zerstörerschule in Wunstorf, teamed with radio operator Fritz Rumpelhardt on 03.07.1941  
1941 night fighter training at Nachtjagdschule 1 in Schleißheim  
11.1941 posted to 5. Staffel, II. Gruppe, Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 at Stade, later Sint-Truiden in Belgium  
10.04.1942 technical officer in Stab, II. Gruppe, Nachtjagdgeschwader 1  
13.08.1943 Staffelkapitän, 12. Staffel, IV. Gruppe, Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 at Leeuwarden, later Saint-Trond  
01.03.1944 Kommandeur, IV. Gruppe, Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 at Saint-Trond  
04.11.1944 Geschwaderkommodore, Nachtjagdgeschwader 4  
05.1945-1946 prisoner of war in British captivity  
1946 released, returned to Calw and took over family winery Schnaufer-Schlossbergkellerei, expanded into imports, sparkling wines and distillery  

Awards and Decorations:  
Flugzeugführerabzeichen  
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (02.06.1942)  
Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz (06.1942, wounded in leg during first victory)  
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (19.10.1942)  
Luftwaffe Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg (26.07.1943)  
Frontflugspange für Nah-Nachtjäger in Gold (1943)  
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (16.08.1943) as Oberleutnant in II. Gruppe, Nachtjagdgeschwader 1  
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (31.12.1943) as Oberleutnant and Staffelführer of 12. Staffel, IV. Gruppe, Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 for 42 aerial night victories, including multiple claims against Wellington, Halifax, Lancaster and Whitley bombers during intense RAF raids on German targets in 1943  
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub (507. Verleihung, 24.06.1944) as Hauptmann and Kommandeur of IV. Gruppe, Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 for 84 aerial night victories, the 84th reached after claiming four RAF bombers on the single night of 22 June 1944 during heavy raids over the Reich  
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern (84. Verleihung, 30.07.1944) as Hauptmann and Kommandeur of IV. Gruppe, Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 for 89 aerial night victories, achieved through continued leadership and personal claims in the escalating night battles over Belgium and western Germany  
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwerter und Brillanten (21. Verleihung, 16.10.1944) as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of IV. Gruppe, Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 for 100 aerial night victories, the 100th claimed on the night of 9/10 October 1944 against RAF heavy bombers, one of only 27 recipients of the Brillanten in the entire Wehrmacht  
Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht (10.10.1944) for the 100th victory  
Gemeinsames Flugzeugführer-Beobachter Abzeichen mit Brillianten (1944)  

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Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, nicknamed the Spook of St. Trond or Ghost of Sint-Truiden after the location of his unit's base in occupied Belgium, was a German Luftwaffe night fighter pilot and the highest-scoring night fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare with 121 confirmed victories, all achieved at night primarily against British four-engine bombers in 164 operational sorties. Born into a wine-making family in Calw, he showed early aptitude for flying as a glider pilot at the National Political Institute of Education in Backnang and Potsdam, graduating with distinction before joining the Luftwaffe in November 1939. After completing pilot training on various aircraft including the Bf 110, he was posted to Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 in late 1941 and flew his first combat sorties during the Channel Dash escort mission in February 1942. His first victory came on the night of 1/2 June 1942 when he shot down a Handley Page Halifax near Louvain, though he was wounded in the leg during the engagement. Schnaufer started relatively slowly due to limited RAF activity in his sector but accelerated dramatically from mid-1943 after transfer to IV. Gruppe and appointment as Staffelkapitän, then Gruppenkommandeur at age 22. He flew exclusively the Messerschmitt Bf 110 throughout his combat career despite later commanding a Ju 88-equipped Geschwader. Notable actions included claiming five RAF bombers in just 15 minutes in March 1944, reaching the 84-victory mark with four kills on 22 June 1944, and later destroying nine Lancasters in one night on 21 February 1945 with seven falling within 19 minutes. His long-time crew of radio operator Fritz Rumpelhardt and gunner Wilhelm Gänsler formed one of the most successful night fighter teams, each eventually awarded the Knight's Cross as well. Schnaufer was grounded from combat operations in early 1945 to test the experimental Dornier Do 335 night fighter prototype. Captured by British forces at the end of the war, he was released in 1946 and returned to manage the family winery in Calw, expanding the business successfully. On 13 July 1950, while on a wine-buying trip in France, he was involved in a car-train collision near Bordeaux, sustaining a fractured skull from which he died two days later at age 28 without regaining consciousness. He was buried in Calw. His tail rudder from one of his Bf 110 aircraft, marked with all 121 victory bars, is preserved in a museum as a testament to his record.



Source:
Peter Hinchliffe, Schnaufer: Ace of Diamonds, Tempus Publishing, 1999.  
Ernst Obermaier, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939-1945, Verlag Dieter Hoffmann, 1989.  
Ralf Schumann, Ritterkreuzträger Profile Nr. 1 Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer - der erfolgreichste Nachtjäger des zweiten Weltkrieges, UNITEC-Medienvertrieb, 2000.  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinz-Wolfgang_Schnaufer  
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/219/Schnaufer-Heinz-Wolfgang.htm  
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/  
https://rk.balsi.de/index.php?action=list&cat=300  
https://www.ww2.dk/lwoffz.html  
https://grokipedia.com/  
https://aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?q=units  
https://forum.axishistory.com/  
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/  
https://www.bundesarchiv.de/en/  
https://books.google.com/  
https://web.archive.org/web/20091027052912fw_/http://geocities.com/orion47.geo/index2.html  
https://www.unithistories.com/units_index/index.php?file=/officers/personsx.html