Clemens Graf von Schönborn-Wiesentheid (3 April 1905 – 30 August 1944) was a German Air Force officer who commanded Air Command Arad and Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 (StG 77—77th Dive Bomber Wing) during the Axis-led invasion of Yugoslavia during World War II.[1] He was killed in a flying accident at Sofia, Bulgaria on 30 August 1944. He was planning to attend a General Staff meeting when his aircraft crashed for unknown reasons.[2]
Clemens Graf von Schönborn-Wiesentheid | |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 April 1905 Munich, Germany |
| Died | 30 August 1944 (aged 39) Sofia, Bulgaria |
| Buried | German war cemetery section of the Central Sofia Cemetery |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service | Luftwaffe |
| Rank | Oberst (colonel) |
| Commands | 4./JG 132, StG 77 |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Career
editIn 1934, Schönborn-Wiesentheid volunteered for service in the Heer (German Army) in 1934 and transferred to the Luftwaffe a year later.[3] In March 1936, Schönborn-Wiesentheid was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 4. Staffel (4th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 132 "Richthofen" (JG 132—132nd Fighter Wing), succeeding Major Theo Osterkamp who was transferred. On 28 August 1937, he transferred command of 4. Staffel to Oberleutnant Günther Reinecke.[4] Schönborn-Wiesentheid was then appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of II. Gruppe of Sturzkampfgeschwader 165 (StG 165—165th Dive Bomber Wing).[3]
On 16 April 1940, Schönborn-Wiesentheid succeeded Hauptmann Ernst Ott as Gruppenkommandeur of III. Gruppe of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 (StG 2—2nd Dive Bomber Wing). He held this position until 20 June 1942 when he transferred command of the Gruppe to Hauptmann Heinrich Brücker.[5] Schönborn-Wiesentheid was killed in a flying accident when his Fieseler Fi 156 Storch liaison aircraft crashed east of Sofia, Bulgaria on 30 August 1944. He was buried in the German war cemetery section of the Central Sofia Cemetery.[3]
Awards
edit- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 July 1940 as Major and Geschwaderkommodore of Sturzkampfgeschwader 77[6][7]
References
editCitations
edit- ^ Weal 1998, p. 88.
- ^ Obermaier 1976, p. 189.
- ^ a b c Goss 2018, p. 39.
- ^ Prien et al. 2000, p. 137.
- ^ de Zeng, Stankey & Creek 2009, p. 95.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 386.
- ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 679.
Bibliography
edit- Brütting, Georg (1992) [1976]. Das waren die deutschen Stuka-Asse 1939 – 1945 [These were the German Stuka Aces 1939 – 1945] (in German) (7th ed.). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch. ISBN 978-3-87943-433-6.
- de Zeng, H.L.; Stankey, D.G.; Creek, E.J. (2009). Dive-Bomber and Ground-Attack Units of the Luftwaffe, 1933–1945: A Reference Source, Vol. 1. Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-9065-3708-1.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Goss, Chris (2018). Knights of the Battle of Britain — Luftwaffe Aircrew Awarded the Knight's Cross in 1940. Yorkshire, UK: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-52672-651-3.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Band II Stuka- und Schlachtflieger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Volume II Dive Bomber and Attack Aircraft] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-021-3.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2000). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 1—Vorkriegszeit und Einsatz über Polen—1934 bis 1939 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 1—Pre-War Period and Action over Poland—1934 to 1939] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-54-0.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Weal, John A. (1998). Junkers Ju 87: Stukageschwader of North Africa and the Mediterranean. London: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-722-1.
