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Joachim Brendel
Joachim Brendel
Born	(1921-04-27)27 April 1921 Ulrichshalben, Germany
Died	7 July 1974(1974-07-07) (aged 53) Cologne, West Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1939–1945
Rank	Hauptmann (captain)
Unit	JG 51
Commands	1./JG 51, III./JG 51
Battles / wars	See battles World War II Eastern Front Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kursk Courland Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Joachim Brendel (27 April 1921 – 7 July 1974) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. Brendel was credited with 189 aerial victories—that is, 189 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft. All but six of his victories were claimed over the Soviet Air Forces on the Eastern Front in more than 950 combat missions, including 162 ground support missions.

Born in Ulrichshalben, Brendel joined the military service in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany in 1939. Following flight training, he was posted to 2. Staffel (squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). He flew his first combat missions in Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, and claimed his first aerial victory on 29 June 1941. There, after 101 aerial victories, he was presented with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 22 November 1943. In July 1944, he was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of the III. Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 51 "Mölders". Following his 153rd aerial victory, Brendel was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 14 January 1945. He continued flying operationally until the end of World War II. He died on 7 July 1974 in Cologne, West Germany.

Early life and career

Brendel, the son of a police Hauptmann (captain), was born on 27 April 1921 in Ulrichshalben, present-day a borough of Ilmtal-Weinstraße, at the time in Thuringia of the Weimar Republic. After attending a Gymnasium, a secondary school, and graduating with his Abitur (diploma), he joined the military service of the Luftwaffe as a Fahnenjunker (cadet) on 15 November 1939. Following fighter pilot training, he was posted to 2. Staffel (squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) in early 1941.

World War II

World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. JG 51, under the command of Oberst Werner Mölders, was preparing for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union which was launched on 22 June 1941. On 29 June, Brendel claimed his first aerial victory. On 1 July, he was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) and two days later he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz zweiter Klasse).

Brendel then flew a number of ground support missions, was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse) on 21 April 1942. On 8 December, he claimed his 10th victory on his 225th combat mission. He claimed his 20th victory on 24 February 1943 and received the Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 15 March 1943. On 25 May, Brendel was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of JG 51s 1. Staffel (1st squadron), replacing Oberleuntant (First Lieutenant) Hans Boos who had been killed in a mid-air collision on 21 April. His number of aerial victories claimed increased to 30 on 5 May, and on 17 May he was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold). On 10 June, Brendel claimed his 40th opponent shot down and was promoted to Oberleuntant on 1 July.

On the first day of the Battle of Kursk, 5 July 1943, Brendel claimed two Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft shot down on the northern flank of the attack. His wingman, Unteroffizier Oskar Romm was credited with the destruction of a third Il-2. The next day, Brendel led his 1. Staffel in an attack against 15 Douglas A-20 Havoc bombers from the 221 Bomber Aviation Division. Brendel claimed one bomber destroyed but the fighter escort from 282 Fighter Aviation Division successfully engaged the German fighters.

Brendel became an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time on 12 July 1943, claiming aerial victories 53 to 57. On 28 July, Brendel was shot down and wounded in his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-6 (Werknummer' 470002—factory number) by Soviet anti artillery behind enemy lines. He managed to return to German held territory. On 1 October 1943, he was promoted to Hauptman with a rank age dated to 1 April 1944. On 22 November, Brendel claimed six aircraft shot down on his 551st combat mission, taking his total to 101 aerial victories. For this achievement he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) that day. He was the 60th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.

Group commander

On 29 July 1944, Brendel claimed a Yakovlev Yak-9 fighter shot down in the vicinity of Białystok. His opponent may have been Kapitan Vladimir Shchegolev from the 162nd Fighter Aviation Regiment, a fighter ace credited with 14 individual and three shared victories who was killed in action that day. On 1 September 1944, Brendel was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III. Gruppe of JG 51. He succeeded Hauptmann Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber in this function who was transferred. Command of 1. Staffel was briefly passed to Leutnant Gerhard Mai before Leutnant Kurt Dombacher was given command of the Staffel on 10 September.

Flying with III. Gruppe on 16 October 1944, Brendel achieved his 150th victory on his 792nd combat mission. Following his 153rd victory, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 14 January 1945, the 697th officer or soldier of the Wehrmacht so honored. He continued flying on the Eastern Front, claiming his 174th and 175th victory on 4 March 1945. End of March, he was ordered to Berlin where the presentation of the Oak Leaves was made at the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM— Ministry of Aviation) in Berlin by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring.

On 18 February 1945, III. Gruppe claimed six aerial victories during the battle of the Courland Pocket, including four by Brendel. Two days later, he claimed three further victories. He claimed his last victory on the 25 April 1945, finishing the war with 189 victories and emerged as JG 51 highest claiming fighter pilot on the Eastern Front, including over 90 heavily armored Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft.

Later life

He died on 7 July 1974 in Cologne, West Germany and was buried in Salzburg, Austria.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Brendel was credited with 189 aerial victories. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 178 aerial victory claims, plus 13 further unconfirmed claims. This number includes one claim over a United States Army Air Forces flown B-17 Flying Fortress, and 177 Soviet Air Forces piloted aircraft on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 07813". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (3 July 1941)
  • 1st Class (21 April 1942)
• Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 15 March 1943 as Leutnant and pilot
• German Cross in Gold on 17 May 1943 as Leutnant in the 2./Jagdgeschwader 51
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 22 November 1943 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 1./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"
  • 697th Oak Leaves on 14 January 1945 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders"

Notes

1. Flight training in the Luftwaffe progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings, and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations.
2. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed on 2 July 1942.
3. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 12:32.
4. ^ The "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
5. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 10:36.
6. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3.
7. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as an Ilyushin Il-2.
8. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 05:45.
9. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 11:43.
10. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 19:08.
11. This claim is listed by Mathews and Foreman as his 64th aerial victory, but not by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock.
12. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 13:48.
13. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a Ilyushin Il-2.
14. According to Mathews and Foreman, this claim was confirmed and is listed as his 111th aerial victory.
15. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 17:08.
16. According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 07:05.
17. ^ According to Mathews and Foreman claimed on 28 August 1944 as a Lavochkin La-5.
18. This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.

References

Citations

1. ^ Obermaier 1989, p. 71.
2. Spick 1996, p. 228.
3. Bergström, Antipov & Sundin 2003, p. 17.
4. ^ Stockert 2011, p. 266.
5. Prien et al. 2012, pp. 486, 502.
6. Bergström 2007, p. 39.
7. Bergström 2007, p. 44.
8. Prien et al. 2012, p. 504.
9. Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
10. Bergström 2008, p. 79.
11. Aders & Held 1993, pp. 164, 250.
12. Prien et al. 2022, p. 319.
13. Bergström 2008, p. 103.
14. Aders & Held 1993, p. 172.
15. Weal 2001, p. 45.
16. Stockert 2011, p. 267.
17. Zabecki 2019, p. 329.
18. Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 147–151.
19. Planquadrat.
20. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 147.
21. Prien et al. 2003, p. 334.
22. ^ Prien et al. 2005, p. 72.
23. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 147–148.
24. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 269.
25. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 273.
26. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 270.
27. ^ Prien et al. 2006, p. 272.
28. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 148.
29. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 489.
30. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 490.
31. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 491.
32. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 492.
33. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 495.
34. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 149.
35. Prien et al. 2012, p. 499.
36. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 493.
37. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 500.
38. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 494.
39. ^ Prien et al. 2012, p. 501.
40. Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 149–150.
41. ^ Prien et al. 2022, p. 323.
42. ^ Prien et al. 2022, p. 324.
43. ^ Prien et al. 2022, p. 325.
44. ^ Mathews & Foreman 2014, p. 150.
45. Mathews & Foreman 2014, pp. 150–151.
46. ^ Prien et al. 2022, p. 410.
47. ^ Prien et al. 2022, p. 411.
48. ^ Thomas 1997, p. 81.
49. Patzwall 2008, p. 58.
50. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 59.
51. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 242.
52. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 144.
53. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 94.

Bibliography

• Aders, Gebhard; Held, Werner (1993). Jagdgeschwader 51 'Mölders' Eine Chronik – Berichte – Erlebnisse – Dokumente [Fighter Wing 51 'Mölders' A Chronicle - Reports - Experiences - Documents] (in German). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-613-01045-1.
• Bergström, Christer . "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
• Bergström, Christer (2007). Kursk—The Air Battle: July 1943. Hersham, Surrey: Classic Publications. ISBN 978-1-903223-88-8.
• Bergström, Christer (2008). Bagration to Berlin—The Final Air Battles in the East: 1944–1945. Burgess Hill: Classic Publications. ISBN 978-1-903223-91-8.
• Bergström, Christer ; Antipov, Vlad; Sundin, Claes (2003). Graf & Grislawski – A Pair of Aces. Hamilton MT: Eagle Editions. ISBN 978-0-9721060-4-7.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) . Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2014). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-18-9.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/I—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/I—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-69-4.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2005). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/I—Winterkampf im Osten—6.12.1941 bis 30.4.1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/I—Winter War in the East—6 December 1941 to 30 April 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-76-2.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/II—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/II—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-77-9.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/I—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/I—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-02-4.
• Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Balke, Ulf; Bock, Winfried (2022). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 15/I—Einsatz im Osten—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 15/I—Action in the East—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-26-0.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
• Stockert, Peter (2011). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 7 [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 7] (in German). Vol. 7 (2nd ed.). Bad Friedrichshall, Germany: Friedrichshaller Rundblick. OCLC 76072662.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
• Weal, John (2001). Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front. Aircraft of the Aces. Vol. 37. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-084-1.
• Zabecki, David T., ed. (2019). The German War Machine in World War II. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-44-086918-1.

v t e German World War II flying aces with 100+ aerial victories
300+	Erich Hartmann (352) Gerhard Barkhorn (301)
250–299	Günther Rall (275) Otto Kittel (267) Walter Nowotny (258)
200–249	Wilhelm Batz (237) Erich Rudorffer (222) Heinrich Bär (220) Hermann Graf (212) Heinrich Ehrler (208) Theodor Weissenberger (208) Hans Philipp (206) Walter Schuck (206) Anton Hafner (204) Helmut Lipfert (203)
150–199	Walter Krupinski (197) Anton Hackl (192) Joachim Brendel (189) Max Stotz (189) Joachim Kirschner (188) Kurt Brändle (180) Günther Josten (178) Johannes Steinhoff (176) Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert (174) Günther Schack (174) Emil Lang (173) Heinz Schmidt (173) Horst Ademeit (166) Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke (162) Hans-Joachim Marseille (158) Heinrich Sturm (158) Gerhard Thyben (157) Hans Beißwenger (152) Peter Düttmann (152) Gordon Gollob (150)
100–149	Fritz Tegtmeier (146) Albin Wolf (144) Kurt Tanzer (143) Friedrich-Karl Müller (140) Friedrich Wachowiak (140)? Karl Gratz (138) Heinrich Setz (138) Rudolf Trenkel (138) Franz Schall (137) Walter Wolfrum (137) Horst-Günther von Fassong (136)? Otto Fönnekold (136) Karl-Heinz Weber (136) Joachim Müncheberg (135) Hans Waldmann (134) Alfred Grislawski (133) Johannes Wiese (133) Adolf Borchers (132) Erwin Clausen (132) Adolf Dickfeld (132) Wilhelm Lemke (131) Gerhard Hoffmann (130) Heinrich Sterr (130) Walther Dahl (129) Franz Eisenach (129) Franz Dörr (128) Rudolf Rademacher (126)? Josef Zwernemann (126) Dietrich Hrabak (125) Wolf-Udo Ettel (124) Herbert Ihlefeld (123) Wolfgang Tonne (122) Heinz Marquardt (121) Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (121) Robert Weiß (121) Friedrich Obleser (120) Erich Leie (118) Franz-Josef Beerenbrock (117) Hans-Joachim Birkner (117) Jakob Norz (117) Walter Oesau (117) Heinz Wernicke (117) August Lambert (116) Wilhelm Crinius (114) Werner Schröer (114) Hans Dammers (113) Berthold Korts (113) Helmut Lent (113) Kurt Bühligen (112) Kurt Ubben (111) Franz Woidich (110) Emil Bitsch (108) Hans Hahn (108) Bernhard Vechtel (108) Viktor Bauer (106) Werner Lucas (106) Günther Lützow (105) Eberhard von Boremski (104) Adolf Galland (104) Heinz Sachsenberg (104) Hartmann Grasser (103) Siegfried Freytag (102) Friedrich Geißhardt (102) Egon Mayer (102) Max-Hellmuth Ostermann (102) Herbert Rollwage (102)? Josef Wurmheller (102) Rudolf Miethig (101) Werner Mölders (101) Josef Priller (101) Ulrich Wernitz (101) Paul-Heinrich Dähne (100) Reinhard Seiler (100)
List of German World War II aces List of top World War II aces   This along with the ? (question mark) indicates doubt regarding the veracity and formal correctness of the listing.

v t e Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Moelders"
Heinrich Bär (Oak Leaves & Swords) Friedrich Beckh Franz-Josef Beerenbrock (Oak Leaves) Wolfgang Böwing-Treuding Adolf Borchers Joachim Brendel (Oak Leaves) Kurt Dombacher Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber Erwin Fleig Josef Fözö Herbert Friebel Otto Gaiser Bernd Gallowitsch Hartmann Grasser (Oak Leaves) Anton Hafner (Oak Leaves) Heinrich Höfemeier Heinrich Hoffmann (Oak Leaves) Erich Hohagen Wilhelm Hübner Herbert Huppertz (Oak Leaves) Josef Jennewein Hermann-Friedrich Joppien (Oak Leaves) Günther Josten (Oak Leaves) Peter Kalden Heinrich Klöpper Kurt Knappe Hans Kolbow Heinrich Krafft Heinz Lange Heinz Leber Richard Leppla Anton Lindner Fritz Losigkeit Max-Hermann Lücke Fritz Lüddecke Heinz Marquardt Maximilian Mayerl Wilhelm Mink Werner Mölders (Oak Leaves, Swords & Diamonds) Joachim Müncheberg (Oak Leaves & Swords) Karl-Gottfried Nordmann (Oak Leaves) Walter Oesau (Oak Leaves & Swords) Josef Priller (Oak Leaves & Swords) Herbert Puschmann Karl Rammelt Alfred Rauch Oskar Romm Günther Rübell Günther Schack (Oak Leaves) Karl-Heinz Schnell Helmut Schönfelder Otto Schultz Georg Seelmann Hermann Staiger Hubert Straßl Hans Strelow (Oak Leaves) Otto Tange Kurt Tanzer Edwin Thiel Horst Tietzen Bernhard Vechtel Edmund Wagner Rudolf Wagner Karl-Heinz Weber (Oak Leaves) Ernst Weismann Walther Wever Otto Würfel
Oak Leaves with JG 2. Knight's Cross with JG 53. Knight's Cross and Oak Leaves with JG 26. Oak Leaves and Swords with JG 3. Oak Leaves and Swords with JG 26.

• Aviation
• Biography

• 1921 births
• 1974 deaths
• People from Weimarer Land
• Luftwaffe pilots
• German World War II flying aces
• Recipients of the Gold German Cross
• Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
• Military personnel from Thuringia