Eschwege Airfield
Encyclopedia
Eschwege Airfield is a former military airfield located in Germany
in the northwest part of Eschwege
(Hessen); approximately 170 miles southwest of Berlin
.
Fliegerhorst Eschwege was used during World War II
by the German Luftwaffe
as a transport and support airfield. It was seized in early April 1945 by the United States Army
and used as a Ninth Air Force
combat airfield until the end of the war in Europe. It was closed in January 1946 and was used as a displaced persons camp until 1949.
The airfield/camp was subsequently dismantled and the facility redeveloped into a industrial area.
transport airfield, with Kampfgeschwader 25 (KG 25) being formed at the airfield in April 1937. The airfield was used as a transport and support airfield throughout World War II
, with numerous Luftwaffe ground units being formed there and then moved to combat assignments elsewhere.
The airfield was captured by United States Army
forces in early April 1945. The IX Engineering Command 825th Engineering Aviation Brigade moved in about 6 April and cleared mines and other wreckage from the field, declaring it operationally ready for Allied combat aircraft on 7 April. It was designated as Advanced Landing Ground
"R-11 Eschwege". The Ninth Air Force
67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group moved in on 10 April and remained until July, flying photo-reconnaissance missions from the airfield using a variety of aircraft.
After the end of the war, the airfield was turned over to Air Technical Service Command, and became a facility for the scrapping of captured Luftwaffe aircraft and other German military equipment. It was closed at the end of 1945.
It became a displaced persons (DP) camp in January 1946, housing approximately 1,770 Jews at the time of its opening. At its peak, on October 19, 1946, Eschwege housed roughly 3,355 Jews. The camp closed on April 26, 1949.
Today the site is an industrial area, with no trace of the former airfield.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in the northwest part of Eschwege
Eschwege
Eschwege , the district seat of the Werra-Meißner-Kreis, is a town in northeastern Hesse, Germany.- Location :The town lies on a broad plain tract of the river Werra at the foot of the Leuchtberg northwest of the Schlierbachswald and east of the Hoher Meißner...
(Hessen); approximately 170 miles southwest of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Fliegerhorst Eschwege was used during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
by the German Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
as a transport and support airfield. It was seized in early April 1945 by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and used as a Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
combat airfield until the end of the war in Europe. It was closed in January 1946 and was used as a displaced persons camp until 1949.
The airfield/camp was subsequently dismantled and the facility redeveloped into a industrial area.
History
Eschwege was opened as a Luftwaffe airfield in 1937 as a Junkers Ju 52Junkers Ju 52
The Junkers Ju 52 was a German transport aircraft manufactured from 1932 to 1945. It saw both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s. In a civilian role, it flew with over 12 air carriers including Swissair and Deutsche Luft Hansa as an airliner and freight hauler...
transport airfield, with Kampfgeschwader 25 (KG 25) being formed at the airfield in April 1937. The airfield was used as a transport and support airfield throughout World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, with numerous Luftwaffe ground units being formed there and then moved to combat assignments elsewhere.
The airfield was captured by United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
forces in early April 1945. The IX Engineering Command 825th Engineering Aviation Brigade moved in about 6 April and cleared mines and other wreckage from the field, declaring it operationally ready for Allied combat aircraft on 7 April. It was designated as Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground was the term given to the temporary advance airfields constructed by the Allies during World War II in support of the invasion of Europe...
"R-11 Eschwege". The Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group moved in on 10 April and remained until July, flying photo-reconnaissance missions from the airfield using a variety of aircraft.
After the end of the war, the airfield was turned over to Air Technical Service Command, and became a facility for the scrapping of captured Luftwaffe aircraft and other German military equipment. It was closed at the end of 1945.
It became a displaced persons (DP) camp in January 1946, housing approximately 1,770 Jews at the time of its opening. At its peak, on October 19, 1946, Eschwege housed roughly 3,355 Jews. The camp closed on April 26, 1949.
Today the site is an industrial area, with no trace of the former airfield.
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground