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Gotthard Handrick (25 October 1908 – 30 May 1978) was a German Olympic athlete and German
fighter pilot A fighter pilot or combat pilot is a Military aviation, military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, Air-to-ground weaponry, air-to-ground combat and sometimes Electronic-warfare aircraft, electronic warfare while in the cockpit of ...
during the
Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...
and
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.


Career

Handrick was born on 25 October 1908 in Zittau, at the time in the
Kingdom of Saxony The Kingdom of Saxony () was a German monarchy in Central Europe between 1806 and 1918, the successor of the Electorate of Saxony. It joined the Confederation of the Rhine after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, later joining the German ...
as part of the
German Empire The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...
. He won the
gold medal A gold medal is a medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture. Since the eighteenth century, gold medals have b ...
in the
modern pentathlon The modern pentathlon is an Summer Olympics, Olympic multisport that consists of five events: fencing (one-touch épée followed by direct elimination), freestyle swimming, obstacle course racing, Laser pistol (sport), laser pistol shooting, and ...
at the
1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officially branded as Berlin 1936, were an international multi-sport event held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin, then capital of Nazi Germany. Berlin won the bid to ...
in
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
. In July 1937, Handrick was appointed '' Gruppenkommandeur'' (group commander) of ''Jagdgruppe'' 88 (18 July 1937 – 10 September 1938). This unit fought in the
Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...
where he claimed five aerial victories while flying for the Legion Condor, including a Polikarpov I-15 fighter on 9 September 1937 and an Polikarpov I-16 fighter on 18 May 1938. He was later awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords () on 14 April 1939 for his service in the Spanish Civil War. Handrick was then given command of I. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 132 "Schlageter" on 11 September 1938 after his return from Spain. This unit then became I. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 "Schlageter" on 1 May 1939 which he led until 23 June 1940. On 24 June 1940 command of JG 26 was handed over to ''Major'' Handrick, who passed command of I./JG 26 to ''Hauptmann'' Kurt Fischer. After he left JG 26, Handrick served with the ''Luftwaffenmission Rumänien'' (Luftwaffe Mission Romania) under the command of ''
Generalleutnant () is the German-language variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries. Austria Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer''), roughly equivalent to the NATO ...
'' (equivalent to major general) Wilhelm Speidel. On 7 October, Handrick took over command of III. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) from ''Hauptmann'' Alexander von Winterfeld who was transferred. He led this ''Gruppe'' until 23 June 1941. Command of the ''Gruppe'' was then given to ''Major'' Albert Blumensaat.


Wing commander

In June 1941, Handrick was transferred and became the ''
Geschwaderkommodore ''Geschwaderkommodore'' (short also ''Kommodore'') is a ''Luftwaffe'' position or appointment (not rank), originating during World War II. A ''Geschwaderkommodore'' is usually an OF5-rank of ''Oberst'' (colonel) or Kapitän zur See (naval captain ...
'' (wing commander) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 77 (JG 77—77th Fighter Wing). While serving on the Eastern Front he claimed a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 fighter on 29 September and a
Petlyakov Pe-2 The Petlyakov Pe-2 ( — nickname «Пешка» (Pawn); NATO reporting name: Buck) was a Soviet Union, Soviet twin-engine dive bomber used during World War II. One of the outstanding tactical attack aircraft of the war,Ethell 1996, p. 152. it ...
bomber on 22 October 1941. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
he was a recipient of the
German Cross The War Order of the German Cross (), 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 repeated acts of bravery or military leade ...
in Gold () on 17 October 1943. In March 1942, ''Oberstleutnant'' Handrick transferred to command ''Jagdgeschwader'' 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing) in Norway and Northern Russia. From June 1943 to June 1944 he was ''Jagdfliegerführer Ostmark''. Then as an ''Oberst'', he became the commanding officer of '' 8. Jagd-Division'' in Austria, a position he held until the end of the war. After the war he worked in Hamburg as a representative of
Daimler-Benz Mercedes-Benz Group AG (formerly Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler, and Daimler) is a Germany, German Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive company headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is o ...
.


Awards

* Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (14 April 1939) *
Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...
2nd and 1st Class *
German Cross The War Order of the German Cross (), 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 repeated acts of bravery or military leade ...
in Gold on 17 October 1943 as ''Oberst'' in ''Jagdgeschwader'' 5


References


Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Handrick, Gotthard 1908 births 1978 deaths Modern pentathletes at the 1936 Summer Olympics German male modern pentathletes Olympic modern pentathletes for Germany Olympic gold medalists for Germany Olympic medalists in modern pentathlon People from Zeitz Spanish Civil War flying aces German World War II flying aces Luftwaffe pilots Recipients of the Gold German Cross Military personnel from the Province of Saxony Condor Legion personnel Medalists at the 1936 Summer Olympics Athletes from Saxony-Anhalt 20th-century German sportsmen