Horst Tietzen
Horst Tietzen (19 July 1912 – 18 August 1940) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II.
Horst Tietzen | |
|---|---|
| Born | 19 July 1912 Arnswalde (today Poland) |
| Died | 18 August 1940 (aged 28) over the Thames Estuary, England |
| Buried | German War Cemetery Bourdon (Cimetière militaire allemand de Bourdon) |
| Allegiance | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Nazi Germany |
| Service/ |  Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | ?–1940 |
| Rank | Hauptmann (Posthumously) |
| Unit | Condor Legion JG 51 |
| Battles/wars | Spanish Civil War World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Career
Tietzen was born 19 July 1912 at Arnswalde (today Choszczno in Poland). As a Leutnant, Tietzen served with 3. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88 of the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War. He claimed his first air victory on 19 July 1938, downing a Republican I-16. He claimed a further six victories and was awarded the Spanienkreuz in Gold. In August 1939 Tietzen was appointed Staffelkapitän of 5./Jagdgeschwader 51.
He shot down a French Bloch MB.174 bomber for his first victory of World War II on 20 April 1940. He recorded his 17th victory on 25 July 1940, a Spitfire near Dover. On 15 August Tietzen shot down three Hurricanes. He became the fourth German fighter pilot to record 20 victories on 18 August. However, on the same day he was shot down in aerial combat with Royal Air Force Hurricane fighters over the Thames Estuary. His body later washed ashore at Calais in France. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross on 20 August 1940 and was also promoted to Hauptmann. He was credited with 27 victories, 7 during the Spanish Civil War and 20 during World War II.
Awards
- Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwerten
- Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 August 1940 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän 5./Jagdgeschwader 51[1][2]
References
Citations
- Scherzer 2007, p. 746.
- Fellgiebel 2000, p. 423.
Bibliography
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 1, 1. September 1939 bis 31. Dezember 1941 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.