Egon Albrecht-Lemke
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Egon Albrecht-Lemke (19 May 1918 – 25 August 1944) was a German-Brazilian
Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
fighter pilot and recipient of the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight' ...
during World War II. Albrecht claimed 25 aerial victories, 10 over the Western Front and 15 over the Eastern Front.


Career

Albrecht-Lemke was born on 19 May 1918 in
Curitiba Curitiba () is the capital and largest city in the state of Paraná (state), Paraná in Brazil. The city's population was 1,948,626 , making it the List of cities in Brazil by population, eighth most populous city in Brazil and the largest in ...
, Brazil. He was the son of Frederico Albrecht and Hedwig Elditt Albrecht. By 1940, Albrecht-Lemke was serving with 6. ''Staffel'' of ''Zerstörergeschwader'' 1 (ZG 1—1st Destroyer Wing) operating
Messerschmitt Bf 110 The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110,Because it was built before ''Bayerische Flugzeugwerke'' became Messerschmitt AG in July 1938, the Bf 110 was never officially given the designation Me 110. is a twin-engine (Des ...
''Zerstörer'' (destroyer)
heavy fighter A heavy fighter is a historic category of fighter aircraft produced in the 1930s and 1940s, designed to carry heavier weapons, and/or operate at longer ranges than light fighter aircraft. To achieve performance, most heavy fighters were twin-eng ...
. After redesignation as 9./
Zerstörergeschwader 76 ''Zerstörergeschwader 76'' (ZG 76) was a ''Zerstörer'' (heavy fighter; lit. "destroyer") ''geschwader'' (Wing (air force unit), wing) of the German ''Luftwaffe'' during World War II. The wing operated the Messerschmitt Bf 109 in the early phas ...
(ZG 76) in June 1940, and then 6. ''Staffel'' of ''Schnellkampfgeschwader'' 210 (SKG 210—210th Fast Bomber Wing) in April 1941, Albrecht flew combat operation over the Eastern Front. In January 1942 6./SKG 210 became 6./ZG 1. Albrecht-Lemke was appointed ''
Staffelkapitän ''Staffelkapitän'' is a position (not a rank) in flying units ( ''Staffel'') of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a ''Staffelkapitän'' is of '' Oberstleutnant'' or ''Major'' rank. In the ...
'' (squadron leader), 1./ZG 1 in June 1942. Now an ''
Oberleutnant () is the highest lieutenant officer rank in the German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. Austria Germany In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Trans ...
'', Albrecht-Lemke was awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight' ...
() in May 1943 for 15 aerial victories, along with 11 aircraft, 162 motor vehicles, 254 covered vehicles, 3 locomotives, 8 Flak positions, 12 anti-tank gun positions and 8 infantry positions destroyed on the ground. In October 1943, Albrecht succeeded ''
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 in contemporary German means 'main', it also has and originally had the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literally ...
'' Karl-Heinrich Matern who was killed in action on 8 October as ''
Gruppenkommandeur ''Gruppenkommandeur'' is a Luftwaffe position (not rank), that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. A ''Gruppenkommandeur'' usually has the rank of Major or ''Oberstleutnant'' (Lieutenant Colonel), and commands ...
'' (group commander) of II. ''Gruppe'' of ZG 1. The unit was relocated to the Western Front, based on the Atlantic coast of France, flying missions over the
Bay of Biscay The Bay of Biscay (), known in Spain as the Gulf of Biscay ( es, Golfo de Vizcaya, eu, Bizkaiko Golkoa), and in France and some border regions as the Gulf of Gascony (french: Golfe de Gascogne, oc, Golf de Gasconha, br, Pleg-mor Gwaskogn), ...
. Later in 1943, the Gruppe was transferred to Austria to combat the incursions from the Italian-based
United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
(USAAF)
15th Air Force The Fifteenth Air Force (15 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base. It was reactivated on 20 August 2020, merging the previous units of the Ninth Air Force ...
. After heavy losses in July 1944, II./ZG 1 converted to the
Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was, along with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force. The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War an ...
 G fighter and were redesignated as III./ ''Jagdgeschwader'' 76. Albrecht-Lemke then led the unit in operations over the Invasion front in western France. On 25 August 1944 Albrecht was intercepted by USAAF
P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...
fighters and shot down in his Bf 109 G-14 near
Creil Creil is a commune in the Oise department in northern France. The Creil station is an important railway junction. History Archaeological remains in the area include a Neolithic site as well as a late Iron Age necropolis, perhaps belonging to ...
. Albrecht-Lemke bailed out of his stricken aircraft but was dead when found on the ground. Albrecht-Lemke was credited with 25 victories, with 15 victories claimed over the Eastern Front and 10 over the Western Front. This total included at least six B-24 four-engine USAAF bombers. In addition he claimed 11 aircraft destroyed on the ground on the Eastern Front.


Summary of career


Aerial victory claims

Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the
German Federal Archives The German Federal Archives or Bundesarchiv (BArch) (german: Bundesarchiv) are the National Archives of Germany. They were established at the current location in Koblenz in 1952. They are subordinated to the Federal Commissioner for Culture and t ...
and found records for more than 18 aerial victory claims. This figure includes at least eleven aerial victories on the Eastern Front and seven four-engined bombers on the Western Front.


Awards

*
Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe The Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe (german: Frontflugspange) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to aircrew and certain other Luftwaffe personnel in recognition of the number of operational flights flown. It was instituted by ...
*
Wound Badge The Wound Badge (german: Verwundetenabzeichen) was a German military decoration first promulgated by Wilhelm II, German Emperor on 3 March 1918, which was first awarded to soldiers of the German Army who were wounded during World War I. Between th ...
(1939) ** in Black or Silver *
Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...
(1939) ** 2nd Class ** 1st Class *
Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe The ''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'' (Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe) was a Luftwaffe award established on 27 February 1940 by Hermann Göring, ''Reichsmarschall'' Hermann Göring, the ''Reich'' Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Luft ...
on 21 September 1942 as ''
Leutnant () is the lowest Junior officer rank in the armed forces the German (language), German-speaking of Germany (Bundeswehr), Austrian Armed Forces, and military of Switzerland. History The German noun (with the meaning "" (in English "deputy") fro ...
'' and pilot *
German Cross The War Order of the German Cross (german: Der Kriegsorden Deutsches Kreuz), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or ''Deutsches Kreuz'', was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repe ...
in Gold on 3 December 1942 as ''Leutnant'' in the II./''Zerstörergeschwader'' 1 *
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight' ...
on 22 May 1943 as ''
Oberleutnant () is the highest lieutenant officer rank in the German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. Austria Germany In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Trans ...
'' and ''
Staffelführer ''Staffelführer'' was one of the first paramilitary ranks used by the German ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) in the early years of that group's existence. The later SS rank of ''Staffelführer'' traces its origins to the First World War, where the tit ...
'' of the 9./''Zerstörergeschwader'' 76


Notes


References


Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * Weal, John (1999). ''Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstörer aces of World War 2''. Osprey Publishing. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Albrecht, Egon 1918 births 1944 deaths People from Curitiba Luftwaffe pilots German World War II flying aces Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross German military personnel killed in World War II Aviators killed by being shot down Brazilian people of German descent Brazilian emigrants to Germany