Re: Death of Hptm. Joachim Kirschner IV./JG 27
 

Hello all,

The namentliche Verlustmeldung states: "Vom Feindflug nicht zurückgekehrt. Fallschirmabsprung u. anschl. Gefangennahme von Partisanen wurde beobachtet. Eingeleitete Rettungsaktion blieb erfolglos. Hptm Kirschner gilt seitdem als vermißt." Später dabei geschrieben: Lt LP v. 22.2.44: "Gefallen (von Partisanen ...... (not readable)).

In November 2003 the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge informed me that "nach unbestätigten Angaben wurde er (Joachim Kirschner) 9 km südwestlich von Stolac in Bjelovici begraben. Seine Grab wurde jedoch bisher nicht gefunden."

This might interest you all: Tagesmeldung an das V.SS.Geb.AK vom 23.12.43 Nachmeldung: "20.12.43 , beim Überfall auf das Suchkommando nach Hptm.Kirschner : 4 Tote ,29 Vermisste (davon 26 Vermisste der Lw.)"
Seems that a large operation was carried out in order to rescue Kirschner.

Also see thread http://www.luftarchiv.info/viewtopic...er=asc&start=0 at LBB.


BTW his "short name" was Achim and not Jochen.

Regards
Rob

Re: Death of Hptm. Joachim Kirschner IV./JG 27
 

Thanks, Rob (I was sure about your post here as well;-)

Re: Death of Hptm. Joachim Kirschner IV./JG 27
 

If he was executed, what was he charged with?

It sounds like a pretty formal affair, must have been more than just revenge or partisan tactics.

Being so formal and almost miltary, could this be considered a war crime?

Not looking for an argument, certainly not as a host, but this appears to be an interesting grey area between law, conventional and unconventional warfare.

Re: Death of Hptm. Joachim Kirschner IV./JG 27
 

To Yugoslav partisans ? Be a German was guilty enough, in WWII Yugoslav, after suffered so much, many partisans believed "only dead Germans were Good Germans", and applied this rule into action, although this is very political incorrect.

Re: Death of Hptm. Joachim Kirschner IV./JG 27
 

Just for your info- after failure of the rescue SS unit Germans were shoot 200 prisoners of war, members of NOVJ. Kirschner, regarding to some memories, was not kill in revenge but in panic and hurry. The are where he was held was under German attack.

Re: Death of Hptm. Joachim Kirschner IV./JG 27
 

Hello Pilot,

Thanks for your input - can you please provide more details on the circumstances from your sources - at this moment there is too much "fog" around the death of Kirschner. Even German sources contradict.

To all,

also see other sources at:
http://www.feldgrau.net/phpBB2/viewt...832341956b0bd3

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:...l&ct=clnk&cd=4

Regards,
Rob

Re: Death of Hptm. Joachim Kirschner IV./JG 27
 

Hi Rob,

I don't think there is any "fog" about it whatsoever. He was captured, interrogated and shot. The same would happend to any partisan caught by the Germans (and occassionally even happened to US and British airmen in Yugoslavia).

Re: Death of Hptm. Joachim Kirschner IV./JG 27
 

In most of case what you said was true, but a chance of captured Luftwaffe airmen got shot was low, they were considered by partisans too valuable and usually be used for exchanging those partisans captured by Germans, Kirschner was simply very unlucky

Re: Death of Hptm. Joachim Kirschner IV./JG 27
 

my archive is in the moment not in place but I remember the memories of ex partyisan that he remembered that in the fury of German attack Kirschner was simply tied to the plun three and shoot by short machine gun burst. Take this info with reserve as I wrote this by my memory. By the way Kirchner's godfather was Goring and there was unconfirmed info that once he visit Kirschner in Yugoslavia. But as I said- this write from memory so take attention about this data.

Re: Death of Hptm. Joachim Kirschner IV./JG 27
 

hi, I very doubt Kirchner's godfather was Goring, and I believe those Yugoslavia partisans knew who Kirchner was, Kirchner was "just another German" to those partisans