Werner Kreipe
Encyclopedia
Werner Kreipe was a German World War II
Luftwaffe
General der Flieger
.
(Bomber Wing 2) and commanded its III. Gruppe during the Battle of France
and the Battle of Belgium
. In June 1940 he returned to various staff positions. In December 1941 his promoted as Chief of Staff, 1st Air Corps
(I. Fliegerkorps). In August 1942 he was promoted as the Luftwaffe's General Chief of Staff. In July 1943 he was appointed General der Flieger
(General of Flying).
Dissatisfied with Hermann Göring
's leadership of the Luftwaffe, Adolf Hitler
wanted to replace him with Robert Ritter von Greim
. Unable to convince Greim to accept the role, Hitler forced Göring to sack Kreipe, and provisionally replace him on September 19, 1944 with the stolid Karl Koller
, who was officially assigned the position on November 12. However, Koller was unable to reform the Luftwaffe, which had been mismanaged by Göring and had lost air superiority over the skies of Europe.
In January 1945, he organised the logistical effort and preparation for the Luftwaffe's last major offensive, Unternehmen Bodenplatte (Operation Baseplate) on 1 January 1945. Kreipe continued in staff positions until surrendering to the Western Allies
in May 1945.
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...
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....
General der Flieger
General der Flieger
General der Flieger was a General’s rank of the German Luftwaffe.The rank was equivalent to the long established General der Kavallerie, General der Artillerie and General der Infanterie...
.
Luftwaffe career
Kreipe joined the Luftwaffe in 1934. Kreipe held various staff positions until the winter 1939/40, when he was selected or applied for a field role. He joined Kampfgeschwader 2Kampfgeschwader 2
Kampfgeschwader 2 " Holzhammer " was a Luftwaffe bomber unit during the Second World War. The unit was formed in May 1939. The unit operated the Dornier Do 17 light bomber, Dornier Do 217 and Junkers Ju 188 heavy bombers....
(Bomber Wing 2) and commanded its III. Gruppe during the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
and the Battle of Belgium
Battle of Belgium
The Battle of Belgium or Belgian Campaign formed part of the greater Battle of France, an offensive campaign by Germany during the Second World War...
. In June 1940 he returned to various staff positions. In December 1941 his promoted as Chief of Staff, 1st Air Corps
1st Air Corps (Germany)
I. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 11 October 1939 in Cologne from the 1. Flieger-Division. The Corps was also known as Luftwaffenkommando Don between 26 August 1942 until 17 February 1943. It was transformed to the 18...
(I. Fliegerkorps). In August 1942 he was promoted as the Luftwaffe's General Chief of Staff. In July 1943 he was appointed General der Flieger
General der Flieger
General der Flieger was a General’s rank of the German Luftwaffe.The rank was equivalent to the long established General der Kavallerie, General der Artillerie and General der Infanterie...
(General of Flying).
Dissatisfied with Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
's leadership of the Luftwaffe, Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
wanted to replace him with Robert Ritter von Greim
Robert Ritter von Greim
Robert Ritter von Greim was a German Field Marshal, pilot, army officer, and the last commander of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War.-Early years:...
. Unable to convince Greim to accept the role, Hitler forced Göring to sack Kreipe, and provisionally replace him on September 19, 1944 with the stolid Karl Koller
Karl Koller
Karl Koller may refer to:*Karl Koller *Karl Koller *Karl Koller...
, who was officially assigned the position on November 12. However, Koller was unable to reform the Luftwaffe, which had been mismanaged by Göring and had lost air superiority over the skies of Europe.
In January 1945, he organised the logistical effort and preparation for the Luftwaffe's last major offensive, Unternehmen Bodenplatte (Operation Baseplate) on 1 January 1945. Kreipe continued in staff positions until surrendering to the Western Allies
Western Allies
The Western Allies were a political and geographic grouping among the Allied Powers of the Second World War. It generally includes the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth, the United States, France and various other European and Latin American countries, but excludes China, the Soviet Union,...
in May 1945.
Post war
In 1956 Kreipe wrote a book about the war, and the Luftwaffe's role titled, The Fatal Decision:Six Decisive Battles of the Second world war from the Viewpoint of the Vanquished.Awards
- 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....
2nd and 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 on 22 June 1942 as OberstOberstOberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
in the general staff of the 1. Flieger-Korps1st Air Corps (Germany)I. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was formed 11 October 1939 in Cologne from the 1. Flieger-Division. The Corps was also known as Luftwaffenkommando Don between 26 August 1942 until 17 February 1943. It was transformed to the 18...