Erich Hohagen (9 January 1915 – 8 March 1990) was a German general in the
Bundeswehr
The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...
. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, he served as a fighter pilot in the
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 ...
. A
fighter ace
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
, Hohagen was credited with 56 aerial victories and was a 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' ...
, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
during World War II.
Career
Hohagen claimed his first aerial victory, a
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
(RAF)
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...
over Southern England, on 5 July 1940. On 20 February 1941, Hohagen 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) of 4. ''Staffel'' of
''Jagdgeschwader'' 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). He succeeded ''Oberleutnant''
Josef Fözö
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded ...
who was promoted to command II. ''Gruppe'' of JG 51.
Operation Barbarossa
II. ''Gruppe'' of JG 51 was withdrawn from the
English Channel
The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...
in early June 1941 and ordered to
Dortmund
Dortmund (; Westphalian nds, Düörpm ; la, Tremonia) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the eighth-largest city of Germany, with a population of 588,250 inhabitants as of 2021. It is the la ...
where the unit was reequipped with 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 ...
F series. On 10 June, II. ''Gruppe'' began transferring east and was located at
Siedlce
Siedlce [] ( yi, שעדליץ ) is a city in eastern Poland with 77,354 inhabitants (). Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship (since 1999), previously the city was the capital of a separate Siedlce Voivodeship (1975–1998). The city is situated b ...
. On 22 June, German forces launched
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named after ...
, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. JG 51, under the command of ''
Oberstleutnant
() is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedis ...
''
Werner Mölders
Werner Mölders (18 March 1913 – 22 November 1941) was a World War II German Luftwaffe pilot, wing commander, and the leading German fighter ace in the Spanish Civil War. He became the first pilot in aviation history to shoot down 100 ...
, was subordinated to
II. ''Fliegerkorps'' (2nd Air Corps), which as part of
''Luftflotte'' 2 (Air Fleet 2). JG 51 area of operation during Operation Barbarossa was over the right flank of
Army Group Center
Army Group Centre (german: Heeresgruppe Mitte) was the name of two distinct strategic German Army Groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The first Army Group Centre was created on 22 June 1941, as one of three German Army for ...
in the combat area of the
2nd Panzer Group as well as the
4th Army.
On the first day of the invasion, Hohagen shot down three Soviet SB-2 bombers in the space of five minutes. In August, he was given command of II. ''Gruppe'' after its former acting commander ''Hauptmann''
Hubertus von Bonin
Hubertus von Bonin (3 August 1911 – 15 December 1943) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during the Spanish Civil War and World War II, a fighter ace listed with 77 enemy aircraft shot down. He claimed four victories in the Spanish Civil ...
was wounded on 8 August. On 4 September, Hohagen was shot down in his
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 ...
F-2 (''Werknummer'' 9211—factory number) by Soviet fighters near
Bryansk
Bryansk ( rus, Брянск, p=brʲansk) is a city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, situated on the River Desna, southwest of Moscow. Population:
Geography Urban layout
The location of the settlement was originally ass ...
. Wounded, he transferred command of II. ''Gruppe'' to ''Oberleutnant''
Hartmann Grasser. Hohagen received 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' ...
() on 5 October 1941, after 30 victories.
In January 1943, Hohagen was posted to
''Jagdgeschwader'' 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing), taking command of its 2. ''Staffel''. The ''Staffel'' was subordinated to III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 2 headed by ''Hauptmann''
Egon Mayer. On 7 April, Hohagen was transferred to
''Jagdgeschwader'' 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing) where he was appointed ''
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 I. ''Gruppe''. He succeeded ''Hauptmann'' Hans-Joachim Heinecke who temporarily led the ''Gruppe'' after ''Hauptmann''
Heinrich Setz had been
killed in action on 13 March. On 1 June, Hohagen became a victim of
friendly fire
In military terminology, friendly fire or fratricide is an attack by belligerent or neutral forces on friendly troops while attempting to attack enemy/hostile targets. Examples include misidentifying the target as hostile, cross-fire while eng ...
when he was shot down in his Bf 109 G-6 (''Werknummer'' 16391) north of Marquise, a village approximately north-northeast of
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Boulogne-sur-Mer (; pcd, Boulonne-su-Mér; nl, Bonen; la, Gesoriacum or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department of Pas-de-Calais. Boulogne lies on the ...
. He successfully bailed out, taking to his
parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, who ...
, but was injured in the incident. The pilot that shot him down was ''Hauptmann''
Wilhelm Steinmann
Wilhelm may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* William Charles John Pitcher, costume designer known professionally as "Wilhelm"
* Wilhelm (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname
Other uses
* Moun ...
, also from JG 27, who misidentified Hohagen's Bf 109 for a Spitfire fighter.
Hohagen was appointed ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of I. ''Gruppe'' of JG 2 in August 1943. He replaced ''Major'' Helmut-Felix Bolz who was transferred. On 16 September 1943, Hohagen, was piloting an
Focke Wulf Fw 190
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190, nicknamed ''Würger'' ("Shrike") is a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its well-known counterpart, th ...
A-6 fighter (''Werknummer'' 550532) when his aircraft was hit by the defensive fire of a
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...
bomber. Hohagen was again wounded and made a
forced landing
A forced landing is a landing by an aircraft made under factors outside the pilot's control, such as the failure of engines, systems, components, or weather which makes continued flight impossible. For a full description of these, see article on ' ...
near
Rennes
Rennes (; br, Roazhon ; Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France at the confluence of the Ille and the Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department ...
, France. On 28 September 1944, Hohagen was severely injured, sustaining a skull fracture, when the engine of his Fw 190 A-8 (''Werknummer'' 171559) failed, resulting in another forced landing. He was succeeded by ''Major''
Walter Matoni
Walter Matoni (27 June 1917 – 26 June 1988) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest awar ...
as commander of I. ''Gruppe''.
Flying the Messerschmitt Me 262
In late 1944, Hohagen was posted to III. ''Gruppe'' of
''Ergänzungs-Jagdgeschwader'' 2 (EJG 2—2nd Supplementary Training Wing), a training unit based at
Lechfeld Airfiled. There, he learned to fly the new
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262, nicknamed ''Schwalbe'' (German: "Swallow") in fighter versions, or ''Sturmvogel'' (German: "Storm Bird") in fighter-bomber versions, is a fighter aircraft and fighter-bomber that was designed and produced by the Germa ...
jet aircraft
A jet aircraft (or simply jet) is an aircraft (nearly always a fixed-wing aircraft) propelled by jet engines.
Whereas the engines in propeller-powered aircraft generally achieve their maximum efficiency at much lower speeds and altitudes, je ...
. He was then posted to
''Jagdgeschwader'' 7 "Nowotny" (JG 7—7th Fighter Wing) "Nowotny", the first operational jet fighter
wing
A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expres ...
which was named after
Walter Nowotny
Walter Nowotny (7 December 1920 – 8 November 1944) was an Austrian-born fighter ace of the Luftwaffe in World War II. He is credited with 258 aerial victories—that is, 258 aerial combat encounters resulting in ...
.
''Kommando'' Nowotny had been assessing the Me 262 under operational conditions. Nowotny himself was killed in action while flying the Me 262 on 8 November. On 12 November, the ''
Oberkommando der Luftwaffe
The (; abbreviated OKL) was the high command of the air force () of Nazi Germany.
History
The was organized in a large and diverse structure led by Reich minister and supreme commander of the Air force (german: Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaf ...
'' (OKL—Air Force High Command) ordered JG 7 to be equipped with the Me 262 and ''Oberst''
Johannes Steinhoff
Johannes "Macky" Steinhoff (15 September 1913 – 21 February 1994) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II, German general, and NATO official. He was one of very few Luftwaffe pilots who survived to fly operationally through the whole ...
became its first ''
Geschwaderkommodore'' (wing commander). On 19 November, the remnants of ''Kommando'' Nowotny became the nucleus of III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 7. Placed under the command of Hohagen, III. ''Gruppe'' began assembling aircraft and personnel at
Lechfeld Air Field. In the latter months of 1944 Hohagen helped to convert pilots to the new jets. On 21 January, Steinhoff was replaced by ''Major''
Theodor Weissenberger as ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of JG 7, while Hohagen was replaced by ''Major'' Rudolf Sinner as ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of III. ''Gruppe''.
![Bundesarchiv Bild 141-2497, Flugzeug Me 262A auf Flugplatz](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Bundesarchiv_Bild_141-2497%2C_Flugzeug_Me_262A_auf_Flugplatz.jpg)
On 24 February 1945, ''Generalleutnant''
Adolf Galland and Steinhoff recruited Hohagen and ''Major''
Karl-Heinz Schnell
Karl-Heinz Schnell (10 January 1915 – 13 March 2013) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. For the fighter pilots, it was a quantifiable measure of skill and success. Schnell was ...
from hospital to join the new
''Jagdverband'' 44 (JV 44—44th Fighter Detachment) forming at
Brandenburg-Briest. Galland had received permission to create and staff the unorthodox fighter group from Luftwaffe Chief, ''Reichsmarschall''
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German politician, military leader and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1 ...
. JV 44 received its first Me 262 aircraft by 14 March. On 31 March, JV 44 moved to
Munich-Riem Airfield.
Hohagen became the Technical Officer for JV 44 and assisted with the conversion of newly arriving pilots to the Me 262. The unit transferred to
München-Riem on 31 March 1945.
He served as JV 44's Technical Officer until the crash of Steinhoff on 18 April 1945, and Hohagen replaced the injured Steinhoff as the unit's ''Einsatzchef'' (Operations Chief).
On 28 April, moved to JV 44
Maxglan Airfiel, near
Salzburg
Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian) is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872.
The town is on the site of the ...
. There they surrendered to U.S. forces on 4 May. Hohagen and other pilots were taken to a makeshift prisoner of war camp near
Bad Aibling
Bad Aibling () is a spa town and former district seat in Bavaria on the river Mangfall, located some southeast of Munich. It features a luxury health resort with a peat pulp bath and mineral spa.
History
Bad Aibling and its surroundings ...
. Five days later, a U.S. officer was looking for JV 44 pilots and Hohagen, Schnell,
Gerhard Barkhorn
Gerhard "Gerd" Barkhorn (20 March 1919 – 11 January 1983) was a German military aviator and wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was the second most successful fighter pilot of all time after fellow p ...
,
Walter Krupinski
Walter Krupinski (11 November 1920 – 7 October 2000) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace in World War II and a senior West German Air Force officer during the Cold War. He was one of the highest-scoring pilots in the war, credited with 197 ...
, and
Waldemar Wübke
This is a list of fighter aces in World War II from Germany. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. It is relatively certain that 2,500 German fighter pilot ...
stepped up.
Later life and service
Following World War II, Hohagen joined the newly created
German Air Force
The German Air Force (german: Luftwaffe, lit=air weapon or air arm, ) is the aerial warfare branch of the , the armed forces of Germany. The German Air Force (as part of the ''Bundeswehr'') was founded in 1956 during the era of the Cold War a ...
, at the time referred to as the ''Bundesluftwaffe''. On 30 March 1957, he was given command of 2. (2nd training squadron) of (FFS S—Pilot Training School "S") at
Memmingen Air Field. He led this training unit until 31 March 1958. From November 1959 to October 1961, he commanded ''Jagdgeschwader'' 72 as ''Geschwaderkommodore'', a unit which in October 1964 became
''Jagdbombergeschwader'' 43 (JaboG 43—43rd Fighter Bomber Wing). He was succeeded by ''Oberstleutnant''
Friedrich Obleser
Friedrich-Erich Obleser (21 February 1923 – 5 June 2004) was a German general in the Bundeswehr. During World War II, he served as a fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe. A fighter ace, Obleser was credited with 120 aerial victories and was a recipi ...
in this capacity. On 16 February 1963, Hohagen replaced ''Oberst'' Herbert Wehnelt as commander of the (WaSLw 10—Air Force Weapons School 10). He served in the role until 15 August 1967 when he was succeeded by ''Oberst'' Ulrich Pieper. In April 1968, Hohagen was promoted to ''
Brigadegeneral
Brigadier general ( da, Brigadegeneral; german: Brigadegeneral) is the Germanic variant of Brigadier general.
Belgium
The rank of ( nl-BE, Brigadegeneraal; french: Général de Brigade) is used by the Belgian Land Component, Air Component and ...
'' (brigadier general). Until 30 September 1971, he served as department chief of (Armaments and Weapon Systems) in the (German Air Staff ). He died on 8 March 1990 in
Jever
Jever () is the capital of the district of Friesland in Lower Saxony, Germany. The name Jever is usually associated with a major brand of beer, Jever Pilsener, which is produced there. The city is also a popular holiday resort. Jever was granted c ...
.
Summary of career
Aerial victory claims
According to US historian
David T. Zabecki, Hohagen was credited with 56 aerial victories. Obermaier also lists him with 56 aerial victories claimed in over 500 combat missions. This figure includes 20 claims on the Eastern Front, and 36 on the Western Front, 13 of them being four-engined bombers and one while flying the Me 262 jet fighter. 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 state that he claimed at least 49 aerial victories, plus two further unconfirmed claims. This number includes 20 on the Eastern Front and more than 29 on the Western Front, including at least eight four-engined bombers.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = ''Planquadrat''), for example "PQ 14 West 3884". The Luftwaffe grid map () covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15
minutes
Minutes, also known as minutes of meeting (abbreviation MoM), protocols or, informally, notes, are the instant written record of a meeting or hearing. They typically describe the events of the meeting and may include a list of attendees, a state ...
of
latitude
In geography, latitude is a coordinate that specifies the north– south position of a point on the surface of the Earth or another celestial body. Latitude is given as an angle that ranges from –90° at the south pole to 90° at the north pol ...
by 30 minutes of
longitude
Longitude (, ) is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east–west position of a point on the surface of the Earth, or another celestial body. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees and denoted by the Greek letter l ...
, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 × 4 km in size.
Awards
*
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 and 1st Class
*
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 5 October 1941 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 ''
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 ...
'' of the 4./''Jagdgeschwader'' 51
*
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 25 December 1943 as ''
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 ...
'' in the II./''Jagdgeschwader'' 51.
Notes
References
Citations
Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hohagen, Erich
1915 births
1990 deaths
Luftwaffe pilots
German World War II flying aces
People from the Rhine Province
Recipients of the Gold German Cross
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Bundeswehr generals
Brigadier generals of the German Air Force
Military personnel from North Rhine-Westphalia