Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber

Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber (10 August 1914 – 13 May 1996) was a German Luftwaffe pilot of World War II. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Eichel-Streiber participated both in the Spanish Civil War and World War II.

Diethelm von Eichel-Streiber
Born(1914-08-10)10 August 1914
Oppershausen, Kingdom of Prussia
Died13 May 1996(1996-05-13) (aged 81)
Bonn, Germany
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Luftwaffe
Years of service1936–45
RankMajor (Wehrmacht)
Oberst (Bundeswehr)
UnitCondor Legion, JG 52, JG 77, JG 1, JG 5, JG 51, JG 27, JV 44
Battles/wars
See battles
AwardsSpanish Cross in Gold with Swords
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Early life and career

Von Eichel-Streiber was born on 10 August 1914 in Oppershausen, at the time in the Province of Saxony within the German Empire, present-day in Thuringia.[1] In November 1937, he joined the Condor Legion and was posted to Kampfgruppe 88 as an air observer on a Heinkel He 111.[2] On 14 April 1939, he was awarded the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwertern), for his service in the Spanish Civil War.[3]

World War II

With Jagdgeschwader 51

In early October 1942, II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) was withdrawn from the Eastern Front and sent to Jesau, near present-day Bagrationovsk, to Heiligenbeil, present-day Mamonovo, to be reequipped with the Focke Wulf Fw 190 A. While undergoing training on this aircraft, the Gruppe received orders on 4 November to transfer to the Mediterranean theatre flying the Bf 109 again. 6. Staffel was exempt from this order, was detached from II. Gruppe, and continued its training on the Fw 190. In late November, 6. Staffel was renamed to Stabsstaffel (headquarters squadron) of JG 51 and placed under the command of von Eichel-Streiber on 30 November.[4]

Group commander

Von Eichel-Streiber was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of III. Gruppe of JG 51 on 1 May 1944. He succeeded Hauptmann Fritz Losigkeit in this capacity who was made Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 51 the day before.[5]

On 25 August 1944, von Eichel-Streiber was transferred and appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing).[6] Command of his former III. Gruppe of JG 51 was passed on to Hauptmann Joachim Brendel.[7]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, von Eichel-Streiber was credited with 96 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number combat missions. This figure includes 94 aerial victories on the Eastern Front, and further two victories over the Western Allies.[8] Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 91 aerial victory claims, plus three further unconfirmed claims. This figure includes 90 claims on the Eastern Front and one over the Western Allies.[9]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 36121". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 × 4 km in size.[10]

Awards

Notes
  1. The "m.H." refers to an Ilyushin Il-2 with rear gunner (mit Heckschütze).
  2. According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 11:08.[11]
  3. According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 13:01.[11]
  4. This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock.[19]
  5. According to Matthews and Foreman claimed at 17:29.[11]
  6. According to Matthews and Foreman his claim is unconfirmed.[20] Prien, Rodeike and Stemmer list this claim as his 96th aerial victory.[21]
  7. According to Obermaier on 10 January 1944.[1]
  8. According to Scherzer as Staffelkapitän of the Stabsstaffel/Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders".[25]

References

Citations
  1. Obermaier 1989, p. 107.
  2. Laureau 2010, p. 204.
  3. Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 271.
  4. Prien et al. 2006, pp. 247, 249.
  5. Aders & Held 1993, p. 250.
  6. Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, p. 535.
  7. Aders & Held 1993, pp. 164, 250.
  8. Spick 1996, p. 234.
  9. Matthews & Foreman 2014, pp. 271–273.
  10. Planquadrat.
  11. Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 272.
  12. Prien et al. 2003a, p. 293.
  13. Prien et al. 2003b, p. 362.
  14. Matthews & Foreman 2014, pp. 272–273.
  15. Prien et al. 2012, p. 424.
  16. Prien et al. 2012, p. 426.
  17. Prien et al. 2012, p. 425.
  18. Prien et al. 2012, p. 427.
  19. Prien et al. 2012, p. 428.
  20. Matthews & Foreman 2014, p. 273.
  21. Prien, Rodeike & Stemmer 1998, p. 575.
  22. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 99.
  23. Patzwall 2008, p. 71.
  24. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 170.
  25. Scherzer 2007, p. 290.

Bibliography
  • Aders, Gebhard; Held, Werner (1993). Jagdgeschwader 51 'Mölders' Eine Chronik – Berichte – Erlebnisse – Dokumente [Fighter Wing 51 'Mölders' A Chronicle - Reports - Experiences - Documents] (in German). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-613-01045-1.
  • Bergström, Christer. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (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.
  • Heaton, Colin (2012). The Me 262 Stormbird: From the Pilots Who Flew, Fought, and Survived It. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Zenith Imprint. ISBN 978-0-76034-263-3.
  • Laureau, Patrick (2010) [2000]. Condor: The Luftwaffe in Spain, 1936–39. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-0688-9.
  • Matthews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2014). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 1 A–F. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-18-9.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
  • Prien, Jochen; Rodeike, Peter; Stemmer, Gerhard (1998). Messerschmidt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei Stab und I./Jagdgeschwader 27 1939 – 1945 [Messerschmidt Bf 109 in Action with the Headquarters Unit and I./Jagdgeschwader 27 in 1939 – 1945] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-46-5.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003a). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 5—Heimatverteidigung—10. Mai 1940 bis 31 Dezember 1941—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—Oktober 1940 bis November 1941—Einsatz im Westen—22. Juni bis 31. Dezember 1941—Die Ergänzungsjagdgruppen—Einsatz 1941 bis zur Auflösung Anfang 1942 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 5—Defense of the Reich—10 May 1940 to 31 December 1941—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—October 1940 to November 1941—Action in the West—22 June to 31 December 1941—The Supplementary Fighter Groups—Action from 1941 until their Breakup in Early 1942] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-68-7.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003b). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/II—Unternehmen "BARBAROSSA"—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/II—Operation "BARBAROSSA"—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-70-0.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/II—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/II—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-77-9.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/I—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/I—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-02-4.
  • 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.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
  • Weal, John (1998). Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Russian Front. London, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-518-0.
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