Heinrich Ehrler
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Ehrler was a German
World War II
fighter ace
whose distinguished Luftwaffe
combat career ended in tragic controversy. Along with Theodor Weissenberger, Ehrler shared the honors of "top-ace" in Jagdgeschwader 5
, amassing 208 kills - including eight in the Messerschmitt
Me 262 jet fighter (while flying with Jagdgeschwader 7
). Scapegoated for the loss of the German battleship Tirpitz
, Ehrler - who had been nominated for the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
prior to the disaster - was court-marshalled, stripped of his command and sentenced to three years and two months Festungshaft. Ehrler's sentence was later commuted and his loss of rank rescinded, and in February 1945 he was transferred to JG 7. According to comrades, Ehrler flew thereafter without the purpose and dedication that had previously elevated him to the ranks of the Luftwaffe's most successful aces. Nevertheless, Ehrler ended his life on a high note on April 4, 1945, when he shot-down two Allied bombers for his final two victories, before allegedly ramming
a third after having run out of ammunition.
in early 1940, when he started his Pilot training after transferring from a Flak-artillery unit. Ehrler joined 4./Jagdgeschwader 77
(JG 77)For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organization
on his first operational posting and achieved his first victory in May 1940. JG 77 was based in Norway
and he spent most of the war on the Northfront. JG 77 was restructured as JG 5 Eismeer in January 1942. JG 5 operated from bases in northern Norway and Finland, and they mostly engaged Russian aircraft, but were also given the task of intercepting British raids on Norway.
Ehrler did not achieve his second victory until 19 February 1942. He was promoted to Leutnant and made Staffelkapitän
(Squadron Leader) in 6./Jagdgeschwader 5
(JG 5) after his 11th victory on 20 July.There is some doubt as to when this happen. http://www.luftwaffe.cz/ehrler.html says 22 August, http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/EhrlerH.htm says 20 July. The latter is more probable, as the former would mean Ehrler got 56 victories in 13 days. On 4 September, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz
(Knights Cross) for 64 aerial victories. By 1 June 1943 he was promoted to Hauptmann
and appointed Gruppenkommandeur
(Group Commander) for II./JG 5. During this period he was also awarded the Eichenlaub (Oak Leaves) to his Ritterkreuz. On 25 May 1944 he achieved nine victories in one day, bringing his tally up to 155. On 1 August he was appointed to Geschwaderkommodore
(Wing Commander) of JG 5 and at the same time was promoted to Major
.
launched its final raid against Tirpitz
. Avro Lancaster
bombers from 617
and 9 squadrons were sent to Håkøya a little west of Tromsø
where the Tirpitz was based.
Ehrler was at this time stationed at Fliegerhorst Bardufoss with 9./JG 5, and had 12 operational Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-3
s. The Staffel was at 10 minutes' readiness status due to the continuing pressure of British bombers in the Tromsø area. As Ehrler led his men into the air, he received conflicting messages as to where the enemy aircraft were. Some reports claimed Alta
was the target area, others said Bodø
. When it was finally clear that the target was the Tirpitz, it was too late, as the fighters were a long way from the target area and could do nothing to prevent the Allies from sinking her.
After this unsuccessful action, Ehrler faced a court martial hearing on the grounds of his not having understood the seriousness of the attack, and having been too preoccupied with reaching his 200th victory. He was relieved of his command but continued to fly.
Later investigations and testimonies exonerated Ehrler and concluded that the reason for the failure was poor communication, especially between the Kriegsmarine
and the Luftwaffe. Apparently the aircrews did not know that the Tirpitz had been moved to the new location at Håkøya a couple of weeks earlier, and Heinrich Ehrler was a convenient scapegoat for the failure to protect Tirpitz.
Ehrler had been recommended for the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
prior to the disaster, but the award was not approved.
Ehrler's sentence was commuted and his loss of rank rescinded, however, after one of his junior officers, Walter Schuck
, appealed to Reichskommissar for the occupied Norwegian territories
Josef Terboven
. Terboven hand-delivered Schuck's affidavit in support of Ehrler to Reichsmarschall
Hermann Göring, Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe
, on 12 January 1945. Shortly afterward, the Fürhrer HQ announced Ehrler's release and return to front-line service, where he would have the chance to "rehabilitate himself."
Me 262 Jet Fighter, and was given the task of Reichsverteidigung (Defense of the Reich
). During the next five weeks Ehrler scored a further 8 kills,For a list of Luftwaffe Jet aces see List of German World War II jet aces bringing his total tally to 208.
On the morning of 4 April 1945, Ehrler flew his last sortie and achieved the last two of his 208 recorded victories. Major Ehrler, flying out of the JG 7 Airfield at Brandenburg-Briest accompanied by his wingman, was in the skies 50 kilometers east of Hamburg when B-24 Liberators from the 448th BG began forming their bombing run of Parchim. Ehrler attacked the lead 714th squadron, downing two B-24 bombers—Lt. Shafter’s “Miss-B-Havin,” and Lt. Mains’ “Red Bow.” At the time of the attack, two P-51s were pursuing Ehrler, and he was being fired upon by squadron bombers, taking hits from the tail and waist gunners of B-24, “My Buddie” (piloted by Lt. Gordon Brock), who reported pieces of fuselage flying off the jet. The attack took place over Buchen at grid points 53°31N, 10°38E.
Minutes later, as the 448th Bomb Group circled back towards their Group RP at Stendal, Ehrler engaged a third B-24 Liberator, “Trouble in Mind,” piloted by Captain John Ray, over Kyritz, at 52°57N, 12°23E. A reference is made by surviving crew members to a cannon hit in the fuselage that destroyed the Liberator, but Ehrler had, only moments before, radioed Major Theodor Weissenberger that he was running out of ammunition and intended to ram the bomber. In any case, both planes were destroyed in the ensuing explosion. The B-24 crashed at Krullenkempe, near Havelberg, as Ehrler’s jet fell to earth in the woods of Scharlibbe, where he was killed. His body was recovered the following day at Scharlibbe, near Stendal, where he was buried. Ehrler’s grave at Stendal confirms the date of death as 4 April 1945.
.
Alternatively, Walter Schuck
- who followed the R/T exchange over the loudspeaker in the ops room - recalled Ehrler's last words as: "Theo, Heinrich here. Have just shot down two bombers. No more ammunition. I'm going to ram. Auf Wiedersehen, see you in Valhalla!"
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...
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...
fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
whose distinguished 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....
combat career ended in tragic controversy. Along with Theodor Weissenberger, Ehrler shared the honors of "top-ace" in Jagdgeschwader 5
Jagdgeschwader 5
Jagdgeschwader 5 Eismeer was a Luftwaffe fighter Wing that served during World War II. As the name Eismeer implies, it was created to operate in the far North of Europe, namely Norway, Scandinavia and northern parts of Finland, all nearest the Arctic Ocean...
, amassing 208 kills - including eight in the Messerschmitt
Messerschmitt
Messerschmitt AG was a famous German aircraft manufacturing corporation named for its chief designer, Willy Messerschmitt, and known primarily for its World War II fighter aircraft, notably the Bf 109 and Me 262...
Me 262 jet fighter (while flying with Jagdgeschwader 7
Jagdgeschwader 7
Jagdgeschwader 7 Nowotny was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II and the first operational jet fighter wing in the world.It was created late in 1944 and served until the end of the war in May 1945, and it operated the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter exclusively.JG 7 was formed under the...
). Scapegoated for the loss of the German battleship Tirpitz
German battleship Tirpitz
Tirpitz was the second of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of the Imperial Navy, the ship was laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven in November 1936 and launched two and a half years later in April...
, Ehrler - who had been nominated for the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
prior to the disaster - was court-marshalled, stripped of his command and sentenced to three years and two months Festungshaft. Ehrler's sentence was later commuted and his loss of rank rescinded, and in February 1945 he was transferred to JG 7. According to comrades, Ehrler flew thereafter without the purpose and dedication that had previously elevated him to the ranks of the Luftwaffe's most successful aces. Nevertheless, Ehrler ended his life on a high note on April 4, 1945, when he shot-down two Allied bombers for his final two victories, before allegedly ramming
Aerial ramming
Aerial ramming or air ramming is a last-ditch tactic in air combat, sometimes used when all else has failed. Long before the invention of aircraft, ramming tactics in naval warfare and ground warfare were common...
a third after having run out of ammunition.
World War II
Heinrich Ehrler started his career in the LuftwaffeLuftwaffe
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....
in early 1940, when he started his Pilot training after transferring from a Flak-artillery unit. Ehrler joined 4./Jagdgeschwader 77
Jagdgeschwader 77
Jagdgeschwader 77 Herz As was a Luftwaffe fighter Geschwader during World War II. It served in all the German theaters of war, from Western Europe to the Eastern Front, and from the high north in Norway to the Mediterranean.All three gruppen within the Geschwader operated variants of the...
(JG 77)For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Luftwaffe Organization
Luftwaffe Organization
Between 1933 and 1945, the organization of the Luftwaffe underwent several changes. Originally, the German military high command decided to use an organizational structure similar to the army and navy, treating the branch as a strategic weapon of war...
on his first operational posting and achieved his first victory in May 1940. JG 77 was based in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and he spent most of the war on the Northfront. JG 77 was restructured as JG 5 Eismeer in January 1942. JG 5 operated from bases in northern Norway and Finland, and they mostly engaged Russian aircraft, but were also given the task of intercepting British raids on Norway.
Ehrler did not achieve his second victory until 19 February 1942. He was promoted to Leutnant and made Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank....
(Squadron Leader) in 6./Jagdgeschwader 5
Jagdgeschwader 5
Jagdgeschwader 5 Eismeer was a Luftwaffe fighter Wing that served during World War II. As the name Eismeer implies, it was created to operate in the far North of Europe, namely Norway, Scandinavia and northern parts of Finland, all nearest the Arctic Ocean...
(JG 5) after his 11th victory on 20 July.There is some doubt as to when this happen. http://www.luftwaffe.cz/ehrler.html says 22 August, http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/EhrlerH.htm says 20 July. The latter is more probable, as the former would mean Ehrler got 56 victories in 13 days. On 4 September, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
(Knights Cross) for 64 aerial victories. By 1 June 1943 he was promoted to Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
and appointed Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur
Gruppenkommandeur is a Luftwaffe position , that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. Gruppenkommandeur usually has the rank of Hauptmann or Major, and commands a Gruppe, which is a sub-division of a Geschwader. A Gruppe usually consists of three or four...
(Group Commander) for II./JG 5. During this period he was also awarded the Eichenlaub (Oak Leaves) to his Ritterkreuz. On 25 May 1944 he achieved nine victories in one day, bringing his tally up to 155. On 1 August he was appointed to Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore is a Luftwaffe position , originating during World War II, that is the equivalent of a RAF Group Commander or USAF Wing Commander. A Geschwaderkommodore is usually of Oberstleutnant or Oberst rank...
(Wing Commander) of JG 5 and at the same time was promoted to Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
.
Sinking of the Tirpitz
On 12 November 1944 the RAFRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
launched its final raid against Tirpitz
German battleship Tirpitz
Tirpitz was the second of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of the Imperial Navy, the ship was laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven in November 1936 and launched two and a half years later in April...
. Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
bombers from 617
No. 617 Squadron RAF
No. 617 Squadron is a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. It currently operates the Tornado GR4 in the ground attack and reconnaissance role...
and 9 squadrons were sent to Håkøya a little west of Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
where the Tirpitz was based.
Ehrler was at this time stationed at Fliegerhorst Bardufoss with 9./JG 5, and had 12 operational Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-3
Focke-Wulf Fw 190
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger was a German Second World War single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. Powered by a radial engine, the 190 had ample power and was able to lift larger loads than its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109...
s. The Staffel was at 10 minutes' readiness status due to the continuing pressure of British bombers in the Tromsø area. As Ehrler led his men into the air, he received conflicting messages as to where the enemy aircraft were. Some reports claimed Alta
Alta, Norway
-Birdlife:For those interested in bird watching, the river outlet, known locally as Altaosen is well worth a visit. This tidal area is used as a stopover for many wetland species.-Transportation:...
was the target area, others said Bodø
Bodø
is a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
. When it was finally clear that the target was the Tirpitz, it was too late, as the fighters were a long way from the target area and could do nothing to prevent the Allies from sinking her.
After this unsuccessful action, Ehrler faced a court martial hearing on the grounds of his not having understood the seriousness of the attack, and having been too preoccupied with reaching his 200th victory. He was relieved of his command but continued to fly.
Later investigations and testimonies exonerated Ehrler and concluded that the reason for the failure was poor communication, especially between the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
and the Luftwaffe. Apparently the aircrews did not know that the Tirpitz had been moved to the new location at Håkøya a couple of weeks earlier, and Heinrich Ehrler was a convenient scapegoat for the failure to protect Tirpitz.
Ehrler had been recommended for the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
prior to the disaster, but the award was not approved.
Ehrler's sentence was commuted and his loss of rank rescinded, however, after one of his junior officers, Walter Schuck
Walter Schuck
Walter Schuck is a former German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1937 until the end of World War II on 8 May 1945. He was born in Frankenholz, Saarland...
, appealed to Reichskommissar for the occupied Norwegian territories
Reichskommissariat Norwegen
The Reichskommissariat Norwegen, literally "Reich Commissariat of Norway", was the civilian occupation regime set up by Nazi Germany in German-occupied Norway during World War II. Its full title in German was the Reichskommissariat für die besetzten norwegischen Gebiete...
Josef Terboven
Josef Terboven
Josef Antonius Heinrich Terboven was a Nazi leader, best known as the Reichskommissar during the German occupation of Norway.-Early life:...
. Terboven hand-delivered Schuck's affidavit in support of Ehrler to Reichsmarschall
Reichsmarschall
Reichsmarschall literally in ; was the highest rank in the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II after the position of Supreme Commander held by Adolf Hitler....
Hermann Göring, Commander-in-Chief of the 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....
, on 12 January 1945. Shortly afterward, the Fürhrer HQ announced Ehrler's release and return to front-line service, where he would have the chance to "rehabilitate himself."
Transfer to Germany
Ehrler was transferred to JG 7 on 27 February 1945. JG 7 was equipped with the MesserschmittMesserschmitt
Messerschmitt AG was a famous German aircraft manufacturing corporation named for its chief designer, Willy Messerschmitt, and known primarily for its World War II fighter aircraft, notably the Bf 109 and Me 262...
Me 262 Jet Fighter, and was given the task of Reichsverteidigung (Defense of the Reich
Defense of the Reich
The Defence of the Reich is the name given to the strategic defensive aerial campaign fought by the Luftwaffe over German occupied Europe and Germany itself during World War II. Its aim was to prevent the destruction of German military and civil industries by the Western Allies...
). During the next five weeks Ehrler scored a further 8 kills,For a list of Luftwaffe Jet aces see List of German World War II jet aces bringing his total tally to 208.
On the morning of 4 April 1945, Ehrler flew his last sortie and achieved the last two of his 208 recorded victories. Major Ehrler, flying out of the JG 7 Airfield at Brandenburg-Briest accompanied by his wingman, was in the skies 50 kilometers east of Hamburg when B-24 Liberators from the 448th BG began forming their bombing run of Parchim. Ehrler attacked the lead 714th squadron, downing two B-24 bombers—Lt. Shafter’s “Miss-B-Havin,” and Lt. Mains’ “Red Bow.” At the time of the attack, two P-51s were pursuing Ehrler, and he was being fired upon by squadron bombers, taking hits from the tail and waist gunners of B-24, “My Buddie” (piloted by Lt. Gordon Brock), who reported pieces of fuselage flying off the jet. The attack took place over Buchen at grid points 53°31N, 10°38E.
Minutes later, as the 448th Bomb Group circled back towards their Group RP at Stendal, Ehrler engaged a third B-24 Liberator, “Trouble in Mind,” piloted by Captain John Ray, over Kyritz, at 52°57N, 12°23E. A reference is made by surviving crew members to a cannon hit in the fuselage that destroyed the Liberator, but Ehrler had, only moments before, radioed Major Theodor Weissenberger that he was running out of ammunition and intended to ram the bomber. In any case, both planes were destroyed in the ensuing explosion. The B-24 crashed at Krullenkempe, near Havelberg, as Ehrler’s jet fell to earth in the woods of Scharlibbe, where he was killed. His body was recovered the following day at Scharlibbe, near Stendal, where he was buried. Ehrler’s grave at Stendal confirms the date of death as 4 April 1945.
Quotations
"Theo. I have run out of ammunition. I'm going to ram this one. Good bye. We'll see each other in Valhalla." - Heinrich Ehrler's last transmission over the Squadron Radio Network before he allegedly rammed a B-24 bomber, destroying both aircraft and killing himself. "Theo" refers to Theodor WeissenbergerTheodor Weissenberger
Major Theodor Weissenberger was a German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1936 until the end of World War II in 1945. He flew more than 500 combat missions claiming 208 enemy aircraft shot down...
.
Alternatively, Walter Schuck
Walter Schuck
Walter Schuck is a former German World War II fighter ace who served in the Luftwaffe from 1937 until the end of World War II on 8 May 1945. He was born in Frankenholz, Saarland...
- who followed the R/T exchange over the loudspeaker in the ops room - recalled Ehrler's last words as: "Theo, Heinrich here. Have just shot down two bombers. No more ammunition. I'm going to ram. Auf Wiedersehen, see you in Valhalla!"
Awards
- Ehrenpokal der LuftwaffeEhrenpokal der LuftwaffeThe Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe was a Luftwaffe award established on February 27, 1940 by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was officially known as the Ehrenpokal "für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg", or Honor Goblet "For...
(20 July 1942) - German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold on 18 March 1943 as Leutnant in the 6./JG 5 - Front Flying Clasp of the LuftwaffeFront Flying Clasp of the LuftwaffeThe Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe was awarded in Bronze, Silver, and Gold with upgrade possible to include diamonds. Pennants suspended from the clasp indicated the number of missions obtained in a given type of aircraft...
in Gold - Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939) 2nd and 1st class - Knight's Cross with Oak LeavesKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
- Knight's Cross on 4 September 1942 as Leutnant and pilot in the 6./JG 5
- 265th Oak Leaves on 2 August 1943 as HauptmannHauptmannHauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
and GruppenkommandeurGruppenkommandeurGruppenkommandeur is a Luftwaffe position , that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. Gruppenkommandeur usually has the rank of Hauptmann or Major, and commands a Gruppe, which is a sub-division of a Geschwader. A Gruppe usually consists of three or four...
of the III./JG 5