Uffz. Ludwig Girrbach
General der Flieger |
Knauss joined the Infantry Regiment "Kaiser Friedrich, König von Preußen" (7th Württemberg) No. 125 of the Württemberg Army in his hometown as a cadet on July 1, 1910. He was appointed ensign on February 25, 1911, and promoted to lieutenant on November 18, 1911. When the First World War broke out, Knauss served as a platoon leader on the Western Front with his regiment. In May 1915, he transferred to the field aviators, serving as an observer, and was promoted to first lieutenant on September 18, 1915. On June 1, 1918, he joined the staff of the 52nd Reserve Division and was promoted to captain in October of the same year. Knauss was awarded both classes of the Iron Cross for his military achievements. After the war, he remained with the division staff until January 1919 and then worked at the Reichswehr Ministry until his departure from military service on January 20, 1920. He subsequently studied economics and constitutional law at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-University in Berlin and earned his doctorate. In the following years, he worked for the Deutsche Lufthansa AG (DLH) and eventually became a member of the board. In 1932, under the pseudonym Major Helders, he published the narrative "Luftkrieg 1936," depicting a fictional war between England and France. The story portrayed England conducting a successful strategic bombing campaign against French airfields, causing panic, chaos, looting, Bolshevik uprisings, and domestic turmoil. Knauss advocated the ideal of a perfect union between humans and technology, where aviators and their planes inspired each other, reminiscent of Ernst Jünger's technistic heroism and the reconciliation between humans and machines. He conceptualized the Risk Air Force, aiming to facilitate the rearmament of the Wehrmacht. On April 1, 1935, he entered the Luftwaffe as a major. Knauss took command of the Lehrgeschwader Greifswald on October 1, 1937, which later became Lehrgeschwader 1 on November 1, 1938. He led this unit during the Invasion of Poland at the beginning of World War II. |
Feldwebel Heinrich Tessmer
Heinrich was born on the 24th of June 1918 in Gotteswalde near Danzig in the German Reich. He would join the German Army and serve with 11./ Infanterie Regiment 243. He would somehow end up in the Stab II company of Luft-Lande Sturm Regiment 1 so he would participate with them throughout the war. On November 2, 1939, the "Versuchsabteilung Friedrichshafen" was established in Hildesheim under Hauptmann Koch, using the 1st Company of the Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 and the Pioneer Platoon of the 2nd Battalion of the Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1, along with the Lastensegler-Kommando, as its core. The unit, renamed Sturm-Abteilung Koch shortly after formation, had approximately 500 personnel. Its primary mission was to conduct airborne operations using DFS 230 transport gliders. During the onset of the Western Campaign, the Sturm-Abteilung Koch was deployed separately in Belgium and Holland. The most renowned mission for them would be "Operation Mercury" the aerial assault on Crete. The regiment attacked Crete with the mission to capture the Maleme airfield and town, securing it for the 5th Mountain Division's paratrooper landing. Despite heavy losses during the initial assault on May 20, they eventually gained control of key positions, with significant reinforcements arriving later. The battles continued, leading to the capture of Chania by May 27, 1941, concluding the conflict in the western part of the island. The regiment suffered over 700 casualties during the intense fighting on Crete before returning to Germany in June 1941. The rest of the war they would spend on the eastern front in a basic Infantry role, his infant son would die shortly after being born at the age of 3 months while he was on the eastern front in 1943. But Heinrich himself would survive the war and return home. |
Friedrich Voigt
Friedrich was born on the 22nd of November 1925 in Lauterbach, he would first serve in the 1./ Flieger Regiment 71 and join the Paratroopers later, he would be assigned to the 2nd Company of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 8. Lexikon der Wehrmacht - Fallschirm-Jäger-Regiment 8 (lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de) |
Uffz. Hubert Köster
Hubert was born on the 22nd of November 1920 in Menden / Westfalen, he served as a radio operator at first in the 18./ Luftgau Nachrichten Regiment 1, and was then transferred to the K.G. z.b.V. Frankfurt in late 1942 at the rank of Unteroffizier. The formation was formed in response to the Allied landings in Morocco and Algeria. Set up at short notice to quickly transfer troop reinforcements and supplies to Africa. Under the command of Oberstl. Richard Kupschus for the short time when Heinrich served in the unit. The KGr. z.b.V. Frankfurt only existed for about 6 months; their machines were also not specifically marked as it was just a provisional unit. The machines, all Ju 52 transport airplanes, came from the KGr.z.b.V. 9, 50, 172 and 700 which also built the bulk of the Staff. On the 7th of February 1943 Unteroffizier Heinrich Köster was killed in action over Sicily when their Ju-52 was shot down killing all onboard. He is buried on the German Military Cemetary Motta St. Anastasia near Catania, Sicily. |
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