Johannes Seifert
Encyclopedia
Johannes "Hannes" Seifert (6 October 1915 – 25 November 1943) was a German
Luftwaffe
ace
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
during World War II
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
, Holstein
. After service flying the Bf 110 diring the Polish campaign Seifert was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 26
as Staffelkapitän of 3 staffel in March 1940. His first claim was a Dutch Air Force Fokker D.XXI
on 10 May 1940 over Rotterdam. After participation in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain, he had made eight claims for aircraft destroyed. In July 1941, Seiffert was made Gruppenkommandeur, I./JG 26. He had raised his total to 24 by the start of 1942. In June 1942, Hauptmann Seifert was awarded the Ritterkreuz for 36 victories.
Over the Dieppe landings in August 1942 Seifert shot down a Spitfire for his 41st victory. In January 1943, Major Seifert oversaw the transfer of I./JG 26 onto the Eastern Front, the only gruppe of JG 26 to serve in this theatre. From February to mid March I./JG 26 claimed 75 Soviet aircraft, losing three fighters in combat during fighting around Demyansk
. Seifert personnally claimed 11 victories during the Eastern Front tour of duty.
In June 1943, Seifert left I./JG 26 for a staff position in Bulgaria. Unknown to Seifert his mother had invoked the 'last surviving son' ruling as his younger brother, Gerhard, had been killed in action, and was thus allowed to be removed from active combat duties. However after appeal Seifert returned as Gruppenkommandeur II./JG 26 in September 1943.
On 25 November 1943, Seifert led 6. and 8./JG 26 against the USAAF P-38s of the 55th Fighter Group over Lille. During combat Seifert’s Fw 190A-6 collided with a P-38, crashing and killing Seifert.
He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Oberstleutnant.
Johannes Seifert flew some 439 combat missions, claiming 57 victories, with 46 victories over the Western Front, including 3 four-engine heavy bombers and 32 Spitfires, and 10 victories over the Eastern front.
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...
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....
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...
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
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...
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...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Career
Seifert was born on 6 October 1915 at PinnebergPinneberg
Pinneberg is a town in Schleswig-Holstein, capital of the district Pinneberg in Germany. The town has 42,301 inhabitants. Pinneberg is located 18 km northwest of Hamburg....
, Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
. After service flying the Bf 110 diring the Polish campaign Seifert was transferred to Jagdgeschwader 26
Jagdgeschwader 26
Jagdgeschwader 26 Schlageter was a Luftwaffe fighter-wing of World War II. It operated mainly in Western Europe against Great Britain, France the United States but also saw service against Russia. It was named after Albert Leo Schlageter, a World War I veteran and Freikorps member arrested and...
as Staffelkapitän of 3 staffel in March 1940. His first claim was a Dutch Air Force Fokker D.XXI
Fokker D.XXI
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* De Jong, Peter. Le Fokker D.21 . Outreau, France: Éditions Lela Presse, 2005. ISBN 2-914017-26-X....
on 10 May 1940 over Rotterdam. After participation in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain, he had made eight claims for aircraft destroyed. In July 1941, Seiffert was made Gruppenkommandeur, I./JG 26. He had raised his total to 24 by the start of 1942. In June 1942, Hauptmann Seifert was awarded the Ritterkreuz for 36 victories.
Over the Dieppe landings in August 1942 Seifert shot down a Spitfire for his 41st victory. In January 1943, Major Seifert oversaw the transfer of I./JG 26 onto the Eastern Front, the only gruppe of JG 26 to serve in this theatre. From February to mid March I./JG 26 claimed 75 Soviet aircraft, losing three fighters in combat during fighting around Demyansk
Demyansk
Demyansk is an urban locality and the administrative center of Demyansky District of Novgorod Oblast, Russia, located along the Yavon River. Population:...
. Seifert personnally claimed 11 victories during the Eastern Front tour of duty.
In June 1943, Seifert left I./JG 26 for a staff position in Bulgaria. Unknown to Seifert his mother had invoked the 'last surviving son' ruling as his younger brother, Gerhard, had been killed in action, and was thus allowed to be removed from active combat duties. However after appeal Seifert returned as Gruppenkommandeur II./JG 26 in September 1943.
On 25 November 1943, Seifert led 6. and 8./JG 26 against the USAAF P-38s of the 55th Fighter Group over Lille. During combat Seifert’s Fw 190A-6 collided with a P-38, crashing and killing Seifert.
He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Oberstleutnant.
Johannes Seifert flew some 439 combat missions, claiming 57 victories, with 46 victories over the Western Front, including 3 four-engine heavy bombers and 32 Spitfires, and 10 victories over the Eastern front.
Awards
- FlugzeugführerabzeichenAviator BadgeAn Aviator Badge is an insignia used in most of the world’s militaries to designate those who have received training and qualification in military aviation...
- 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...
- 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...
(30 December 1940) - 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 Class
- 1st Class
- 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 (25 February 1942) - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight'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 7 June 1942 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 Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter"
- Knight's Cross on 7 June 1942 as Hauptmann