Robert Ritter von Greim
Robert Ritter von Greim | |
---|---|
Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe | |
In office 26 April 1945 – 8 May 1945 | |
Preceded by | Hermann Göring |
Succeeded by | Office abolished |
1st Inspector of Fighters | |
In office 1 August 1935 – 20 April 1936 | |
Preceded by | Office established |
Succeeded by | Bruno Loerzer |
Personal details | |
Born | Robert Greim 22 June 1892 Bayreuth, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire |
Died | 24 May 1945 Salzburg, Allied-occupied Austria | (aged 52)
Cause of death | Suicide |
Resting place | Salzburger Kommunalfriedhof |
Military service | |
Allegiance | German Empire (1911–1918) Nazi Germany (1934–1945) |
Branch/service |
Luftstreitkräfte Luftwaffe |
Years of service | 1911–1918 1934–1945 |
Rank | Generalfeldmarschall |
Battles/wars | World War I
|
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Pour le Mérite Military Order of Max Joseph |
Robert Ritter von Greim (born Robert Greim; 22 June 1892 – 24 May 1945) was a German
Early life and career
He was born as Robert Greim on 22 June 1892 in Bayreuth in the Kingdom of Bavaria, a state of the German Empire, the second son of police Hauptmann Ludwig Greim and his wife Marie. Greim had an older brother Ludwig, named after his father, born 5 October 1888, and a younger sister Marie Barbara born 11 January 1911.[1] From 18 September 1906 to 6 July 1911, Greim attended the Bavarian Cadet Corps (Bayerisches Kadettenkorps) on the Marsfeld in Munich and graduated with his Abitur (university entry qualification).[2]
Greim joined the Bavarian Army on 14 July 1911.[3] During his officer training, he was posted to the Royal Bavarian 8th Field Artillery Regiment "Prinz Heinrich von Preußen" (Königlich Bayerisches 8. Feldartillerie-Regiment „Prinz Heinrich von Preußen“), a field artillery regiment of the 6th Royal Bavarian Division on 25 February 1913.[4] Greim received his officer training at the War Academy (Bayerische Kriegsakademie) in Munich.[5] On 28 October 1913, Greim was commissioned as a Leutnant (second lieutenant).[6] In April 1914, he received the Bavarian Military Merit Order 4th Class (Militärverdienstorden des Königreichs Bayern 4. Klasse) for service with the ammunition column of 1st battalion of his 8th Field Artillery Regiment.[7]
World War I
When
With the German Air Service
On 10 October 1915, while flying as an aerial observer on a Albatros C.I, Greim shot down a Farman MF.11 from French Escadrille Spa.69. The Farman crashed near Deuxnouds, killing Sergeant Henri Mahien and Lieutenant Henri Mérillion.[12] On 16 October, Hauptmann Hermann Pohl, the commanding officer of FFA 3b, sent a telegram to the III Royal Bavarian Corps (III. Königlich Bayerisches Armee-Korps), requesting Greim's official transfer to the FFA 3b. The request was approved on 28 October and Greim became a member of the Luftstreitkräfte (German Air Service).[13]
On 22 June 1916, Greim's pilot Unteroffizier Alois Hosp died of wounds in a field hospital. He was shot down and wounded by Sous-Lieutenant Charles Nungesser.[14] On 3 August, Greim was transferred to the Artillerieflieger-Abteilung 204 (AFA 204—Artillery Flying Company 204) which was based at an airfield near Ruyaulcourt.[15]
He also served with AFA 204 over the Somme. After undergoing pilot training, Greim joined FA 46b on 22 February 1917.[16]
As a fighter pilot
He transferred to Jagdstaffel 34 (Jasta 34—34th Fighter Squadron) in April 1917. He scored an aerial victory on 25 May 1917, and on the same day he received the Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse). Greim was promoted to Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) on 17 January 1917.[17]
On 19 June, he was given command of Jasta 34. Greim became an ace on 16 August 1917, when he shot down a Sopwith 1½ Strutter. By 16 October, his victory tally totaled seven. There was a lull in his successes until February 1918. On the 11th, he had an unconfirmed victory and on the 18th he claimed aerial victory number eight.[16]
On 21 March 1918, the day of his ninth credited victory, Greim became Commanding Officer of
He returned to Jasta 34 in October 1918. The Jasta had been re-equipped with 'cast-offs' from Richthofen's Flying Circus, Jagdgeschwader I. The new equipment was warmly welcomed as being superior to the older Albatros and Pfalz fighters that they had been previously equipped with. Greim's final three victories came during this time, while he was flying Albatros D.Vs, Fokker Triplanes, and Fokker D.VIIs.[16] By the war's end he had scored 28 victories and had been awarded the Pour le Mérite on 8 October.[16] On 23 November 1920, Greim was also awarded the Bavarian Military Order of Max Joseph (Militär-Max Joseph-Orden), this award made him a knight (Ritter), and allowed him to add both this honorific title and the style 'von' to his name. Thus Robert Greim became Robert Ritter von Greim.[19]
Interwar period
By 1919, Greim had returned to Bavaria and rejoined his regiment (8th Bavarian Artillery) and was discharged from the
For 10 months, he ran the air postal station in Munich. This was the key turning point in his career, as in 1920 he flew the up-and-coming German army propaganda instructor Adolf Hitler to Berlin as an observer of the failed Kapp Putsch.[25] Many other people from Hitler's years in Bavaria immediately after World War I also rose to prominence in the Nazi era.
Upon his return to Germany, Greim took part in the
In China
In 1924, Greim, together with Richard Walter, Robert Heibert and Werner Charlottenburg, was recruited by the Chiang Kai-shek government to help build a Chinese air force in Canton initially led by Sun Yat-sen.[27] Traveling by ship on the SS Trier, the pilots arrived in Hong Kong on 13 September.[28] The Soviet Union had also sent military advisers to China, among them Vasily Blyukher and Konstantin Rokossovsky whom Greim befriended during his stay in China.[29] Around the turn of the year 1925/26, his wife Alice and son Hubert joined Greim in Canton, making the journey on the SS Coblenz.[30]
In early April 1927, Greim and his family left Canton, taking the
Nazism
In 1933, Hermann Göring invited Greim to help him to rebuild the German Air Force. He was appointed to command the first fighter pilot school, following the closure of the secret flying school established near the city of Lipetsk in the Soviet Union during the closing days of the Weimar Republic. Germany had been forbidden to have an air force under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles of 1919, so it trained its pilots in secret.[citation needed]
On 1 January 1934, Greim joined the Reichswehr and was promoted to Major (major) that day. Organizationally, he was assigned to both the 7th (Bavarian) Artillery Regiment (7. (Bayerisches) Artillerie-Regiment), which was subordinated to the 7th Division, and to the Flieger-Inspektion 3 (3rd Flyer Inspection) of the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM—Ministry of Aviation).[33] On 1 May, he was given command of I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 132 "Richthofen" (JG 132—132nd Fighter Wing), based in Döberitz, a fighter group named after Manfred von Richthofen. The unit was also known under its cover name Reklamestaffel Mitteldeutschland (Advertisement Squadron Middle Germany).[34] He held this position until 1 April 1935 when he was appointed Inspekteur der Jagdflieger (Inspector of Fighters). Command of I. Gruppe of JG 132 was then passed on to Major Kurt-Bertram von Döring.[35]
On 14 June 1935, Greim visited the
On 1 February 1938, Greim was promoted to Generalmajor (lit. 'major general'—brigadier general).[38] In 1938, Greim assumed command of the Luftwaffe research department.
World War II
After the end of the Polish campaign, von Greim became commander of the 5th Fliegerkorps (5th Air Corps) which participated in the Battle of Britain. Greim was promoted to Generalleutnant (lit. 'lieutenant general'—major general) on 1 January 1940 and to General der Flieger (general of the aviators) on 19 July.[38]
In 1941, on the Eastern Front, his corps split up and renamed Sonderstab Krim. In April 1942 he became commander of Luftwaffenkommando Ost in Smolensk, as his korps replaced the 8th Fliegerkorps in the front area there. In February 1943, von Greim was given command of Luftflotte 6, which continued to support Army Group Centre in its operations. As part of Operation Citadel, von Greim's Luftflotte provided 730 aircraft in July 1943. Due to high losses, by June 1944 only around 50 aircraft were operational.
On 30 December 1942, his son Hubert was taken prisoner of war. Hubert was a fighter pilot in Oberleutnant Julius Meimberg's 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" serving in North Africa. He made a forced landing in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-4 trop (Werknummer 16069—factory number) near Tabarka and Aïn Draham when his aircraft had been hit by anti-aircraft artillery.[39]
Berlin, April 1945
As late as January 1945,[citation needed] von Greim made a commitment to Hitler: "I who believed in the Führer – and damn it, still believe in him. I can not become a traitor. Not me!"[citation needed]
On 24 April 1945, Oberst Nicolaus von Below implemented Hitler's order and instructed Greim to immediately travel to the Führerbunker in Berlin. At 23:45 that day, Greim called General der Flieger Karl Koller, the Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff, requesting information about the situation in Berlin. Koller, who had additional information to share, did not want to talk over the phone.[40] At 11:00 on 25 April, Greim and Koller met in person and Greim was informed about the deteriorating situation around Hitler. Greim then picked up Hanna Reitsch from Schloss Leopoldskron before the two took a Junkers Ju 188 from Neubiberg Airfield to Rechlin.[41]
With Berlin encircled by Soviet forces during the
Having landed in Gatow, they changed planes to fly to the
They drove directly to the Führerbunker, where Greim's wound was dressed. Then Hitler promoted Greim from
On 28 April, Hitler ordered Ritter von Greim to leave Berlin and had Reitsch fly him to
Death
On 8 May, the same day as the surrender of Germany, Greim was captured by American troops in Austria. His initial statement to his captors was reportedly "I am the head of the Luftwaffe, but I have no Luftwaffe".[47] Greim committed suicide in prison in Salzburg on 24 May.[48]
Awards
- Iron Cross (1914)
- Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Max Joseph awarded on 23 November 1920 and backdated to 23 October 1918[19][49]
- Pour le Mérite (14 October 1918)[49]
- Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
- Pilot/Observer Badge in Gold with Diamonds (17 April 1945)[40]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Knight's Cross on 24 June 1940 as Generalleutnant and commander of V. Flieger-Korps[50][51]
- 216th Oak Leaves on 2 April 1943 as Generaloberst and commander of Luftflottenkommando Ost (Luftflotte 6)[50][52]
- 92nd Swords on 28 August 1944 as Generaloberst and commander of Luftflotte 6[50][Note 1]
- NSDAP (30 January 1945)[53]
Notes
References
Notes
- ^ Braatz 2016, p. 17.
- ^ Braatz 2016, pp. 17, 274.
- ^ Braatz 2016, p. 22.
- ^ Braatz 2016, p. 23.
- ^ Stockert 2012, p. 50.
- ^ Braatz 2016, p. 26.
- ^ Braatz 2016, p. 36, 38.
- ^ Braatz 2016, p. 35.
- ^ Braatz 2016, p. 36.
- ^ Braatz 2016, pp. 38, 274.
- ^ Braatz 2016, pp. 38–39.
- ^ Braatz 2016, pp. 51–53, 276.
- ^ Braatz 2016, p. 43.
- ^ Braatz 2016, p. 67.
- ^ Braatz 2016, pp. 74, 274.
- ^ a b c d e f Franks, Bailey & Guest 1993, pp. 119–120.
- ^ Braatz 2016, p. 87.
- ^ "More than would be...page 3 – over the Front".
- ^ a b Braatz 2016, p. 234.
- ^ Braatz 2018, p. 10.
- ^ Braatz 2018, pp. 11, 82.
- ^ Braatz 2016, p. 267.
- ^ Braatz 2016, pp. 10–11.
- ^ Braatz 2018, p. 48.
- ^ "The Stepping Stone". 17 June 2018.
- ^ Kershaw 2011, p. 205.
- ^ Braatz 2018, p. 17.
- ^ Braatz 2018, p. 21.
- ^ Braatz 2018, p. 24.
- ^ Braatz 2018, p. 27.
- ^ Braatz 2018, p. 33.
- ^ Braatz 2018, pp. 32–33, 226.
- ^ Braatz 2018, p. 67.
- ^ Prien et al. 2000, p. 111.
- ^ Prien et al. 2000, p. 122.
- ^ Braatz 2018, pp. 82–83.
- ^ Braatz 2018, pp. 86–87.
- ^ a b c d Stockert 2012, p. 51.
- ^ Prien et al. 2004, pp. 56–58.
- ^ a b Braatz 2018, p. 243.
- ^ Braatz 2018, pp. 244–245.
- ^ Trevor-Roper 1947, p. 132.
- ^ Caldwell 1991, pp. 367–368.
- ^ Dollinger & Jacobsen 1968, p. 228.
- ^ Joachimstahaler 1999, pp. 116–117.
- ^ Dollinger & Jacobsen 1968, p. 234.
- Air War College. Archived from the original on 16 February 2006. Retrieved 14 August 2021. Reproduces documents originally published by the office of the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff in 1945.)
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: postscript (link - ^ Wistrich 2001, p. 84.
- ^ a b c d Thomas 1997, p. 219.
- ^ a b c d Scherzer 2007, p. 347.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 202.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 67.
- ^ Patzwall 2004, p. 69.
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- Wistrich, Robert S. (2001) [1982]. "Greim, Robert Ritter von". Who's Who in Nazi Germany (3rd ed.). Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-26038-1. Retrieved 24 June 2009.