Günther Freiherr Von Maltzahn

Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn (20 October 1910 – 24 June 1953) was a German military aviator and wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 68 enemy aircraft shot down in 497 combat missions. He claimed 34 aerial victories over the Eastern Front and 34 aerial victories over the Western Front, including one four-engine bomber. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, which was Germany's highest military decoration at the time of its presentation to Maltzahn.

Early life and career

Maltzahn was born on 20 October 1910 in Wodarg, present-day a borough of Werder in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at the time a Province of Pomerania as part of the German Empire. According to Bryan Mark Rigg, Maltzahn was a quarter-Jew by the Nuremberg Laws. He was the third of six sons and twelve children in total of Gerhard von Maltzahn-Wodarg and his mother Helene von Borcke auf Demnitz und Millnitz. His father was the youngest child of Helmuth von Maltzahn, a German finance minister and a representative in the ''Reichstag''. Aged eleven, Maltzahn attended the , a secondary school, where he graduated with his ''Abitur'' (diploma).

On 1 April 1931, he was accepted for military in the ''Reichswehr''. However, Maltzahn did not join the cavalry regiment in Pasewalk, for one year, he trained as a pilot disguised as a civilian. In October 1932, Maltzahn attended the Military School Dresden. Among his classmates were Werner Mölders, Hubertus von Bonin, Joachim Pötter, Hans-Henning Freiherr von Beust, Arved Crüger, Gerhard Kollewe and Wolfgang Schellmann.

On 1 March 1934, Maltzahn was promoted to ''Leutnant'' (second lieutenant) and began his service with the 4. and 2. ''Schwadron'' of 6. (''Preußisch'') ''Reiter-Regiment'' (4th and 2nd squadron of the 6th Prussian Cavalry Regiment) based in Pasewalk. On 1 October, he was transferred to the cavalry regiment in Schwedt, which was later renamed ''Kavallerie-Regiment'' 6 and was subordinated to the 1st Cavalry Division. Maltzahn transferred to the newly formed Luftwaffe on 1 April 1935. There, he was promoted to ''Oberleutnant'' (first lieutenant) on 1 October and until 1 April 1936 received further flight training at the flight schools at Kitzingen and Würzburg. On 15 March 1937, Maltzahn was posted to the II. '' Gruppe'' (2nd group) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 334 (JG 334—334th Fighter Wing). There, Maltzahn was appointed ''Staffelkapitän'' (squadron leader) of the newly created 6.(''leichte Jäger'') '' Staffel'' (6th light fighter squadron) of JG 334. On 1 November 1938, JG 334 was renamed and became ''Jagdgeschwader'' 133 (JG 133—133rd Fighter Wing). In consequence, Maltzahn then commanded the 6. ''Staffel'' of JG 133. On 1 April 1939, the unit was again renamed and from then on was referred to as ''Jagdgeschwader'' 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing). The ''Gruppe'' was based at Mannheim-Sandhofen Airfield and initially equipped with the Arado Ar 68 E and later with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 B and Bf 109 D-1 variant. On 19 August, Maltzahn was appointed ''Gruppenkommandeur'' (group commander) of II. ''Gruppe'' of JG 53. He succeeded ''Major'' Hubert Merhart von Bernegg who was transferred. In consequence, command of 6. ''Staffel'' was passed on to ''Oberleutnant'' Heinz Bretnütz.

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. At the time, JG 53 was tasked with patrolling Germany's western border between Trier and Saarbrücken in what would be dubbed the "Phoney War" period of World War II. On 30 September, flying his 16th combat mission of the war, Maltzahn claimed his first aerial victory when he shot down a French Potez 630 bomber. For this, he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class () on 7 October 1939. Aerial combat with French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 fighters on 31 March 1940 near Saargemünd resulted in his second victory claim. On 4 May, Maltzahn made a forced landing in his Bf 109 E-1 east of Glauberg. He then walked to Düdelsheim, present-day part of Büdingen, where he was taken to Count Karl-Friedrich of Isenburg where he spent the night.

On 10 May, German forces launched the invasion of France and the Low Countries (''Fall Gelb''). During the campaign, JG 53 was subordinated to ''Luftflotte'' 3 (Air Fleet 3) commanded by ''General der Flieger'' Hugo Sperrle. That day, Maltzahn was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class (). On 15 May, his Bf 109 E-3 (''Werknummer'' 1347—factory number) suffered undercarriage failure during landing at Dockendorf, nearly destroying the aircraft. Following the German advance into France, II. ''Gruppe'' moved to an airfield at Vraux on 15 June. On 22 June, the ''Gruppe'' moved to Dinan, located approximately northwest of Rennes. Following the Armistice of 22 June 1940, hostilities stopped on 25 June.

Battle of Britain

In July 1940, the Luftwaffe began a series of air operations dubbed ''Kanalkampf'' (Channel Battle) over the English Channel against the RAF, which marked the beginning of the Battle of Britain. On 8 August 1940, during an attack on Convoy Peewit, Maltzahn claimed an aerial victory over a Supermarine Spitfire fighter. On 16 August, the Luftwaffe flew 399 bomber and 1,314 fighter missions over Britain. That day, Maltzahn claimed another Spitfire fighter, his fourth aerial victory in total. Flying a bomber escorting mission on 1 September, Maltzahn claimed his fifth aerial victory. On 5 September, he claimed a Spitfire fighter in the afternoon. The following day, Maltzahn shot down a Hawker Hurricane fighter while escorting Luftwaffe bombers returning from an attack on London.

On 7 September, the Luftwaffe shifted their attacks towards London, systematically bombing the city in what was dubbed The Blitz. On 24 September, Maltzahn claimed a Spitfire fighter near Southampton for his eighth aerial victory. On two separate missions flown on 27 September, he claimed two further Spitfire fighters shot down, taking his total to ten aerial victories.

Wing commander

On 9 October, Maltzahn was appointed ''Geschwaderkommodore'' (wing commander) of JG 53. He replaced ''Major'' Hans-Jürgen von Cramon-Taubadel who was transferred to the ''Reichsluftfahrtministerium'' (RLM—Ministry of Aviation). Then ''Hauptmann'' Bretnütz replaced him as commander of II. ''Gruppe''. Maltzahn left II. ''Gruppe'' on 10 October and headed to Étaples where the ''Geschwaderstab'' (headquarters unit) was based. On 15 November, JG 53 claimed their 501st aerial victory in total. This earned Maltzahn a named reference in the ''Wehrmachtbericht'' on 18 November.

The ''Geschwaderstab'' of JG 53 was withdrawn from the Channel Front on 21 December 1940 and transferred to Köln-Butzweilerhof Airfield for a period of rest and replenishment. During this period, Maltzahn was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () on 30 December. In early February 1941, training on the Bf 109 E series commenced again. The ''Stab'' received the first Bf 109 F-2 aircraft on 18 February. On 15 March, the ''Geschwaderstab'' returned to the English Channel where they were based at Saint-Omer-Wizernes.

On 31 March, Maltzahn claimed his 13th aerial victory when he shot down a Spitfire fighter. When on 16 February, six Bristol Blenheim bombers and their escorting fighters attacked the Luftwaffe airfield at Berck-sur-Mer, Maltzahn claimed a Spitfire fighter shot down. JG 53 was finally withdrawn from the Channel Front on 8 June 1941 and ordered to Mannheim-Sandhofen Airfield in preparation of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union.

Maltzahn was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves () on 24 July 1941. By this date, he had accumulated 42 aerial victories and was the 29th member of the German armed forces to be so honored. The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler at the ''Führer'' Headquarter ''Wolfsschanze'' (Wolf's Lair), Hitler's headquarters in Rastenburg, now Kętrzyn in Poland. Two other Luftwaffe officers were presented with awards that day by Hitler, ''Major'' Günther Lützow and ''Major'' Josef Priller were also awarded the Oak Leaves.

Malta and North Africa

The ground personnel of JG 53 began their relocation to Sicily in late November 1941. The ''Geschwaderstab'' followed on 13 December via Mannheim-Sandhofen, Munich-Riem, Naples, finally arriving at Comiso Airfield on 15 December. On 19 December 1941, the ''Geschwaderstab'' of JG 53 flew its first combat mission during the Siege of Malta. On this mission, Maltzahn claimed his 50th aerial victory when he shot down a Hawker Hurricane fighter.

In 1942, Maltzahn was diagnosed with lymphoma. He received radiation therapy at the Charité in Berlin and remained free of further symptoms until the end of World War II. In 1943, Maltzahn became part of the inner circle of Enno von Rintelen, the German military attaché in Italy. Maltzahn was introduced by with whom he had served in the infantry.

Luftwaffe staff positions

On 4 October 1943, Maltzahn was relieved of his position as ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of JG 53 and posted to the staff of ''Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte'' under the command of ''Generaloberst'' Hubert Weise, a predecessor of ''Luftflotte Reich''. He was briefly replaced by ''Major'' Friedrich-Karl Müller and ''Major'' Kurt Ubben as commander of JG 53 before the position was given to ''Oberstleutnant'' Helmut Bennemann on 9 November. The commander of ''Luftflotte'' 2 (Air Fleet 2), ''Generalfeldmarschall'' Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen, had unsuccessfully tried to retain Maltzahn in Italy. On 4 December, he was appointed ''Jagdfliegerführer Oberitalien''.

On 11 November 1944, ''Reichsmarschall'' (Marshal of the Realm) Hermann Göring, in his role as commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe, organized a meeting of high-ranking Luftwaffe officers, including Maltzahn. The meeting, also referred to as the "Areopag" was held at the ''Luftkriegsakademie'' (air war academy) at Berlin-Gatow. This Luftwaffe version of the Greek Areopagus—a court of justice—aimed at finding solutions to the deteriorating air was situation over Germany.

In February 1945, he was detached to 9. ''Fliegerdivision'' (J) where he assisted in the conversion training of bomber pilots to fighter pilots.

Later life

After the war Maltzahn worked in agriculture and later took over a winery in the Moselle Valley from a brother-in-law. Maltzahn had a relapse of his 1942 cancer symptoms in 1950, which impaired his ability to speak. Following surgery in 1951, he lived in Bonn and worked for the "Amt Blank", a forerunner of the Ministry of Defence, on the reconstruction of the German Air Force, at the time referred to as the ''Bundesluftwaffe''. He was a candidate for the position of ''Inspector of the Air Force''. By 1953 the Hodgkin's lymphoma had deteriorated his health further, and breathing was very difficult for him. Following further radiation treatment, he required surgery of his infected lung. Maltzahn died on 24 June 1953 in Düsseldorf during the anesthesia prior to the operation. The street "Günther-von-Maltzahn-Straße" in Fürstenfeldbruck was named after him.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Maltzahn was credited with 68 aerial victories. Obermaier also lists him with 68 aerial victories claimed in 497 combat missions, 34 on the Eastern Front and further 34 over the Western Allies, including one four-engined heavy bomber. Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 67 confirmed aerial victory claims, plus three further unconfirmed claims. This figure of confirmed claims includes 33 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 34 on the Western Front, including one four-engined bomber.

Awards

* Iron Cross (1939)
** 2nd Class (7 October 1939)
** 1st Class (10 May 1940)
* German Cross in Gold on 23 December 1942 as ''Oberstleutnant'' in ''Jagdgeschwader'' 53
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
** Knight's Cross on 30 December 1940 as ''Major'' and ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./''Jagdgeschwader'' 53
** 29th Oak Leaves on 24 July 1941 as ''Major'' and ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 53

Promotions

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Maltzahn, Gunther Freiherr Von
1910 births
1953 deaths
Gunther
Pomeranian nobility
Luftwaffe pilots
German World War II flying aces
People from the Province of Pomerania
Recipients of the Gold German Cross
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Barons of Germany
Military personnel from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
People from Mecklenburgische Seenplatte (district)