Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld

Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld
Prince Zur Lippe-Weißenfeld is casually sitting and smiling. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, German Cross in Gold and Pilots Badge can be seen on his uniform.
Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld
Nickname(s) Egi
Born (1918-07-14)14 July 1918
Salzburg, Austria
Died 12 March 1944(1944-03-12) (aged 25)
St. Hubert, Belgium
Buried Ysselsteyn German war cemetery, Netherlands
Allegiance  Federal State of Austria
 Nazi Germany
Service/branch  Luftwaffe
Years of service 1936–44
Rank Major
Unit ZG 76, NJG 1, NJG 2
Commands held 5./NJG 2, I./NJG 3, III./NJG 1, NJG 5
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld[Note 1] (14 July 1918 – 12 March 1944) was a Luftwaffe night fighter flying ace of royal descent during World War II. A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat.[1]:3–4 Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld was credited with 51 aerial victories, all of them claimed in nocturnal combat missions.[Note 2]

Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld was born on 14 July 1918 in Salzburg, Austria and joined the infantry of the Austrian Bundesheer in 1936. He transferred to the emerging Luftwaffe, initially serving as a reconnaissance pilot in the Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76), before he transferred to the night fighter force. He claimed his first aerial victory on the night of 16 to 17 November 1940. By the end of March, he had accumulated 21 aerial victories for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 16 April 1942. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 2 August 1943, for 45 aerial victories. He was promoted to Major and tasked with leading Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 (NJG 5) in January 1944, before he and his crew were killed in a flight accident on 12 March 1944.

Personal life

Egmont Prinz[Note 3] zur Lippe-Weißenfeld was born on 14 July 1918 in Salzburg, Austria as a member of a cadet branch of the ruling House of Lippe. His father was Prince Alfred of Lippe-Weißenfeld and his mother was born Countess Anna von Goëß. Egmont was the only son of four children. His sisters Carola, Sophie and Dora were all younger than Egmont. The family lived in an old castle in Upper Austria called Alt Wartenburg.[2]:129, 199 At birth he had a remote chance of succeeding to the throne of the Principality of Lippe, a small state within the German Empire. However, only months after his birth, Germany became a republic and all the German royal houses were forced to abdicate.

Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld in his younger years was very enthusiastic about the mountains and wildlife. From his fourteenth year he participated in hunting. At the same time he was also very much interested in music and sports and discovered his love for flying at the Gaisberg near Salzburg. Here he attended the glider flying school of the Austrian Aëro Club. He attended a basic flying course with the second air regiment in Graz and Wiener Neustadt even before he joined the military service.[2]:133

Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld never married or had children. In January 1941 he became acquainted with Hannelore Ide, nicknamed Idelein. She was a secretary for a Luftgau. The two shared a close relationship and spent as much time together as the war permitted, listening to music and sailing on the IJsselmeer until his death in 1944.[2]:169

Military service

Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld joined the Austrian Bundesheer in 1936 at the age of 18, initially serving in the infantry. In the aftermaths of the 1938 Anschluss, the incorporation of Austria into Greater Germany by Nazi Germany, he transferred to the German Luftwaffe and was promoted to Leutnant in 1939. He had earned his Luftwaffe Pilots Badge on 5 October 1938 and underwent further training at Fürstenfeldbruck, Schleißheim and Vienna-Aspern.[2]:134, 149 His Luftwaffe career started with the II. Gruppe (2nd group) of the Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76) before he was transferred to the night fighter wing Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1) on 4 August 1940.[Note 4] The unit was based at Gütersloh where he familiarised himself with the methods of the night fighters.[3]:265

Nightly briefing at the group headquarter

By the summer of 1940, the first night fighters were transferred to Leeuwarden in the Netherlands. Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld was one of the pilots included in this small detachment. As early as 20 October 1940, he had taken over command of an independent night fighter commando at Schiphol and later at Bergen. On his first encounter with the Royal Air Force (RAF) bomber, in the night of 16 to 17 November 1940, he claimed a Vickers Wellington bomber from No. 115 Squadron RAF shot down at 02:05 hours.[2]:149 His second victory was claimed on the night of 15 January 1941, when he shot down an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley N1521 of the Linton-on-Ouse based No. 58 Squadron RAF over the northern Netherlands, near the Dutch coast in the Zwanenwater at a nature reserve at Callantsoog.[2]:149, 152 He was wounded in action on 13 March 1941, while flying Bf 110 D-2 (Werknummer 3376 – factory number) of the 4./NJG 1 with his radio operator Josef Renette when he made an emergency landing at Bergen after their aircraft was hit by the defence fire, wounding them both.[2]:163 Shortly after midnight on 10 April 1941, Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld claimed a No. 12 Squadron RAF Wellington over the IJsselmeer, raising NJG 1's victory score to 100. This achievement was celebrated at the Amstel Hotel in Amsterdam with General Josef Kammhuber, Wolfgang Falck, Werner Streib, Helmut Lent and others attending.[2]:152 On 30 June 1941 while flying Bf 110 C-4 (Werknummer 3273) on a practice intercept mission over Noord Holland, he collided with Bf 110 C-7 (Werknummer 2075) piloted by Leutnant Rudolf Schoenert of the 4./NJG 1 and crashed near Bergen aan Zee.[2]:155, 163 On 19 June 1941 he earned his first of four references in the daily Wehrmachtbericht, a daily bulletin from the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (High Command of the Armed Forces). By July 1941 his number of aerial victory claims stood at 10. Promoted to Oberleutnant he became Staffelkapitän of the 5th Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 (NJG 2) on 15 November 1941. By the end of 1941 he had claimed a total of 15 aerial victories.[3]:266

He was awarded the German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) on 25 January 1942 and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 16 April 1942 after he had shot down 4 RAF bombers in the night of 26 to 27 March 1942, his score standing at 21 aerial victories. This feat earned him his third reference in the Wehrmachtbericht on 27 March 1942. In July 1942, he was one of the leading German night fighter aces with 34 aerial victories.[3]:266

Promoted to Hauptmann, Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld was made Gruppenkommandeur of the I. Gruppe (1st group) of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 on 1 October 1942, where he claimed two further aerial victories. He was transferred again, taking command of the III. Gruppe (3rd group) of NJG 1 on 31 May 1943.[3]:266 One month later he claimed his 45th aerial victory for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 2 August 1943.[3]:267 The presentation was made by Adolf Hitler at the Wolf's Lair, Hitler's headquarters in Rastenburg, present-day Kętrzyn in Poland. Five other Luftwaffe officers were presented with awards that day by Hitler, Hauptmann Heinrich Ehrler, Oberleutnant Joachim Kirschner, Hauptmann Manfred Meurer, Hauptmann Werner Schröer, Oberleutnant Theodor Weissenberger were also awarded the Oak Leaves, and Major Helmut Lent received the Swords to his Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves.[3]:280

After a one-month hospital stay, Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld was promoted to Major and made Geschwaderkommodore of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 (NJG 5) on 20 February 1944. He and his crew, Oberfeldwebel Josef Renette and Unteroffizier Kurt Röber, were killed in a flying accident on 12 March 1944 on a routine flight from Parchim to Athies-sous-Laon. Above Belgium, they seem to have encountered a bad weather zone with low clouds and a dense snowstorm and it was assumed that the aircraft hit the high Ardennes ground after being forced to fly lower because of ice forming on the wings.[2]:195 The exact circumstances of this flight may never be known, the Bf 110 G-4 C9+CD (Werknummer 720 010—factory number) crashed into the Ardennes mountains near St. Hubert where the completely burned-out wreck was found the following day.[4]:57 The funeral service was held in the city church of Linz on 15 March 1944.[2]:201 Prinz Egmont zur Lippe-Weißenfeld and Prinz Heinrich zu Sayn-Wittgenstein are buried side by side at Ysselsteyn in the Netherlands.[2]:206

Aerial victory claims

According to Obermaier, Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld was credited with 51 nocturnal aerial victories.[4]:57 Foreman, Matthews and Parry, authors of Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939 – 1945, list 50 nocturnal victory claims, numerically ranging from 1 to 50. His 49th claim is numerically labeled as his 59th victory.[5]:12–132

Chronicle of aerial victories
Victory Date Time Type Location Serial No./Squadron No.
– 4./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –
1 17 November 1940 02:05 Wellington[5]:12 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Medemblik
2 15 January 1941 22:46 Whitley[5]:16 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Petten N1521/No. 58 Squadron
3 10 April 1941 00:59 Wellington[5]:18 south of Den Helder
4 9 May 1941 02:48 Wellington[5]:20 Anna Paulowna
5 11 May 1941 00:20 Stirling[5]:20 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Medemblik
6 13 June 1941 01:10 Whitley[5]:21 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Medemblik
7 19 June 1941 00:53 Wellington[5]:22 west of Enkhuizen
8 23 June 1941 00:15 Wellington[5]:22 Insinghuizen T2990 KX-T/No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF
9 14 July 1941 00:28 Wellington[5]:25 south Medemblik
10 25 July 1941 02:23 Wellington[5]:26 3 km (1.9 mi) southwest of Medemblik
11 26 July 1941 03:20 Whitley[5]:26 11 km (6.8 mi) west of De Kooy
– 5./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 –
12 8 November 1941 00:41 Whitley[5]:32 east of Medemblik
13 8 November 1941 01:20 Wellington[5]:32 west of Alkmaar
14 8 November 1941 23:03 Whitley[5]:32 18 km (11 mi) north of Alkmaar
15 27 December 1941 23:03 Whitley[5]:33 1.5 km (0.93 mi) southwest of Petten
16 24 February 1942 21:45 Hampden[5]:34 north of Terschelling
17 24 February 1942 22:02 Hampden[5]:34 north of Terschelling
18 26 March 1942 22:27 Wellington[5]:36 near De Kooy
19 26 March 1942 22:40 Manchester[5]:36
20 26 March 1942 22:55 Wellington[5]:36 north of IJmuiden
21 26 March 1942 23:16 Wellington[5]:36 near Edam
22 4 June 1942 00:50 Wellington[5]:43 southeast of Vlieland
23 7 June 1942 01:47 Stirling[5]:44 west of Terschelling
24 12 June 1942 03:08 Lancaster[5]:45 north of Ameland
25 21 June 1942 01:43 Halifax[5]:46 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Groningen
26 21 June 1942 01:45 Wellington[5]:46 20 km (12 mi) northwest of Groningen
27 21 June 1942 01:56 Wellington[5]:46 north of Ameland
28 26 June 1942 01:05 Wellington[5]:47 Terschelling T2723/20 OTU[6]:252[7]:86
29 26 June 1942 01:52 Wellington[5]:47 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Vlieland
30 30 June 1942 03:08 Wellington[5]:49 south of Ameland
31 3 July 1942 00:54 Hampden[5]:49 south of Koudum
32 3 July 1942 01:09 Wellington[5]:49 north of Urk
33 3 July 1942 03:05 Stirling[5]:49
34 20 July 1942 02:52 Halifax[5]:50 north of Terschelling
35 28 August 1942 01:50 Wellington[5]:56
36 5 September 1942 03:39 Halifax[5]:57 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of Leeuwarden
37 23 September 1942 23:36 Wellington[5]:60 60 km (37 mi) northwest of Vlieland
– Stab I./Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 –
38 17 January 1943 22:13 Halifax[5]:65 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Leer
39 14 May 1943 01:11 Halifax[5]:80 10 km (6.2 mi) north-northwest of Hengelo
– III./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 –
40 13 June 1943 01:22 Lancaster[5]:85 3 km (1.9 mi) northwest of Burgsteinfurt
41 13 June 1943 01:34 Lancaster[5]:85 6 km (3.7 mi) north of Nienberg
42 23 June 1943 02:47 Stirling[5]:89 2 km (1.2 mi) south of Markelo
43 23 June 1943 02:55 Stirling[5]:89
44 30 July 1943 01:40 Lancaster[5]:99 Hägbluer Holz
45 3 August 1943 02:26 Halifax[5]:100 20 km (12 mi) south of Stade
46 6 September 1943 00:36 Stirling[5]:111 7 km (4.3 mi) southeast of Hassloch
47 29 September 1943 21:44 Halifax[5]:118 7 km (4.3 mi) south of Hengelo
48 29 September 1943 21:55 Halifax[5]:118 2 km (1.2 mi) northwest of Legden
49 16 December 1943 18:50 Lancaster[5]:132 north of Ahlhorn
50 16 December 1943 19:00 Lancaster[5]:132 northwest of Nordhorn

Awards

Notes

  1. ↑ Regarding personal names: Prinz was a title before 1919, but now is regarded as part of the surname. It is translated as Prince. Before the August 1919 abolition of nobility as a legal class, titles preceded the full name when given (Graf Helmuth James von Moltke). Since 1919, these titles, along with any nobiliary prefix (von, zu, etc.), can be used, but are regarded as a dependent part of the surname, and thus come after any given names (Helmuth James Graf von Moltke). Titles and all dependent parts of surnames are ignored in alphabetical sorting. The feminine form is Prinzessin.
  2. ↑ For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces
  3. ↑ since all royal and noble titles were abolished after the establishment of the First Austrian Republic his official name there became Egmont zur Lippe-Weißenfeld instead of Prince of Lippe-Weißenfeld
  4. ↑ For an explanation of the meaning of Luftwaffe unit designation see Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II.

References

Citations

Bibliography

  • Bowman, Martin (2012). Bomber Command: Reflections of War — Live to Die Another Day June 1942 – Summer 1943. Bransley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword Aviation. ISBN 978-1-84884-493-3.
  • Bowman, Martin (2016). Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940–1943. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword Aviation. ISBN 978-1-4738-4984-6.
  • 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.
  • Foreman, John; Matthews, Johannes; Parry, Simon W. (2004). Luftwaffe Night Fighter Combat Claims, 1939–1945. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-0-9538061-4-0.
  • Hinchliffe, Peter (1998). Luftkrieg bei Nacht 1939–1945 [Air War at Night 1939–1945] (in German). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-613-01861-7.
  • Knott, Claire Rose (2008). Princes of Darkness – The lives of Luftwaffe night fighter aces Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein and Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weissenfeld. Hersham, Surrey: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-903223-95-6.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Scutts, Jerry (1998). German Night Fighter Aces of World War 2. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-696-5.
  • Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
  • Stockert, Peter (2012) [1997]. Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 3 [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 3] (in German) (3rd ed.). Bad Friedrichshall, Germany: Friedrichshaller Rundblick. ISBN 978-3-932915-01-7.
  • Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.
Military offices
Preceded by
Oberst Günther Radusch		 Commander of Nachtjagdgeschwader 5
20 February 1944 – 12 March 1944		 Succeeded by
Oberstleutnant Walter Borchers

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