Sonderstaffel Einhorn
 

I have this unit, commanded by Hptm Erwin Diekwisch, being formed Sep 44 and then reforming as 11/KG 200 at Bonn-Hangelar 23 Dec 44 and being subordinated to NSGr 20 Can anyone confirm this and any details on the following members:
Lt Bachner (St Fhr), Hptm Schramm (zbV), Lt Kerber, Ofw Hartebrod, Ofw Scheuten, Fw Albrecht, Fw Hahn, Uffz Hecke, Uffz Lothar Grelke (POW 11 Mar 45), Uffz Ulrich Goll (POW 8 Mar 45)

Re: Sonderstaffel Einhorn
 

Chris, I have found Diekwisch is a hard pilot to find info on, The book "Luftwaffe codes, markings and units" by Barry C. Rosch, ISBN0-88740-796-x, Has a photo of Hptm. Erwin-Peter Diekwisch in Fw. 190 F-8, Q9+AL of 3/SG 5, taken at Utissa, Finland in 1944, most likely after april 44 but not sure. Hope this helps some...If you have any further info on Diekwisch you could share I would appreciate it....
Kevin

Re: Sonderstaffel Einhorn
 

I contacted Diekwisch some years ago and have a number of photos of his I/SG 5 FW 190s taken at Pori, Finland in 1944. Lt Bachner was with him then

Re: Sonderstaffel Einhorn
 

I'll email you Chris, it's a long story!

Re: Sonderstaffel Einhorn
 

Hi All

I have great problems with 11./KG 200 being ex Sdr Staffel Einhorn at least at the date quoted by Chris. One of my sources states this, but then in Feb 1945 with a, to me, somewhat fuzzy explanation. On the other hand there are great problems with the exact nature of formation of III. and IV./KG 200 as well.

Mikael Holm on his home page lists
Stab III./KG 200 as ex Stab I./SG 5
9./KG 200 as ex 1./SG 5
10./KG 200 as ex 2./SG 5
11./KG 200 as ex 3./SG 5
12./KG 200 as ex 4./SG 5

B Rosch in his book states
Stab III./KG 200 ex Stab III./SG 5
9./KG 200 ex 1./SG 5
10./KG 200 ex 2./SG 5
11./KG 200 ex 3./SG 5
12./KG 200 ex 2./SG 5 (4./SG 5 according to him became new 1./SG 5)

Both sources state that Sonderstaffel Einhorn became 13./KG 200

Bringing in a third source, Thomas/Ketley's KG 200 book does not clarify things much, although they TOO state 13./KG 200 was ex Sonderverband Einhorn. However this book lists in a table on page 126 that 13./KG 200 was part of III./KG 200 and on page 127 it was part of IV./KG 200 (same date), but adding (page 127) it wan an earlier replacement staffel for III./KG 200
Next page lists Hptm Erwin Diekwisch as commander of 11./KG 200 in Nov 1944....
On page 150 it is explained in more details how Einhorn became various KG 200 units. There Einhorn sounds more like a type of mission than a name of a unit. It ALSO sounds like Einhorn (in spite of now being 13./KG 200) still retained its name and in FEBRUARY 1945, its PILOTS were incorporated into 11./KG 200. However 13./KG 200 was still in existance....

Incidentally the unit 12./KG 200 is NOT mentioned at all, which immediately brings up the question, did it exist at all???

So if anyone can clarify this mess I would very much appreciate this!!
To me it sounds like the Luftwaffe High Command hadn't a clue either :)

Cheers
Stig

Re: Sonderstaffel Einhorn
 

Oh God, what complications am I getting myself into? I'll persevere anyhow, since the bit in the Thomas/Ketley book about Einhorn was essentially written by me (see the acknowledgments page) and my account was based entirely on contemporary German and Allied sources.

On file in Freiburg are organisation tables for KG 200 (which was reorganised three times between February and November 1944) and a sucession of Führungsstab messages about the formation and redesignation of elements of KG 200. The picture is NOT simple.

Until 6 November 1944, there was no 13./KG 200. Einhorn was first listed in the tables on 1 November as 2./II./KG 200 (and, yes, that was the designation - KG 200 was not normal!).

The operational elements of Einhorn became 13./KG 200 as of 6 November (not that anyone ever called it anything but Einhorn, apparently) as part of IV./KG 200. At that time, there was no III./KG 200 but its formation from I./SG 5 was "foreseen." At this point, I./SG 5 was retraining on blind- and night-flying.

On 8 January 1945, I./SG 5 was redesignated Stab and 9., 10. & 11./KG 200 (= III./KG 200) and 13./KG 200 (Still called Einhorn in every other communication) was incorporated into the III. Gruppe. When 11./KG 200 became operational on the Western Front, it absorbed the remaining five or so pilots of Einhorn who had been operating alongside NSG 20 for about a month.

Diekwisch commanded 3./SG 5 and then 11./KG 200 when the former was renamed in January.

There was a 13./KG 200 in existence at the time of the surrender but apparently nothing to do with the operational Fw 190 Staffeln of III./Gruppe.

P.S. AFAIK there never was a 12./KG 200 (4./SG 5 had become 2./NSG 8 in June 1944).

Re: Sonderstaffel Einhorn + more
 

Thanks Nick

I have a much better understanding of the "dis-order" now. Still convinced OKL was just as confused as I was....:) The only item still fuzzy is, I guess, the true Einhorn relation with 13./KG 200. Somehow Einhorn seems to have been a unit within a unit. Oh well, no big deal.

However I need to bring up that Mikael Holm claims that 2./NSGr 8 was formed from 1./SG 5 and NOT 4./SG 5. The latter unit was re-designated 1./SG 5 instead. Rosch states the same thing.

What is your source for stating 4./SG 5 becoming 2./NSGr 8?

Cheers
Stig

Re: Sonderstaffel Einhorn + more
 

On the first point, the reorganisation table of 6 November says of 13./KG 200:

"(Hitherto 2. St. II./200) Einhornstaffel, Fw 190 (BT.), (Anti-shipping), Villafranca"

Later strength and serviceability data suggest that there was perhaps an operational element of Einhorn and a rear detachment.

My source for 4./SG 5's redesignation is a document in Bundesarchiv Freiburg RL2 III/59 and I should have given the effective date as 8 May 1944, not June.

This was just a note I took while I was there in 1989 - I was supposed to be concentrating on Italy, not Finland but that just struck me as interesting. I don't know what Mikael Holm's source was, or Barry Rosch's but maybe his bibliography gives a clue?

Re: Sonderstaffel Einhorn
 

Thanks Nick

With ref to Barry Rosch I am led to believe he has relied quite heavily on books published about the German Feld Post, how it worked and how its codes corresponded to various flying Luftwaffe units. Personally I have not a clue how it worked:) There is NO clue in Rosch's book if he has used ANY primary sources at all....
Also it would not surprise me one bit if Mikael Holm has glanced a bit in Rosch's book as well. Don't know this of course....

Cheers
Stig

Re: Sonderstaffel Einhorn
 

PS
Nick

Perhaps I should have added that
4./SG 5 post# was 49522 in July 1944
1./SG 5 post# was 49522 in July 1944

1./SG 5 post# was 53109 when formed
2./NSGr 8 post # was 53109 in June 1944

Cheers
Stig

Re: Sonderstaffel Einhorn
 

I have just returned from a rainy holiday in the Netherlands and found your thread about a most interesting unit "Sonderstaffel Einhorn'.
Chris has mentioned in his question two things. First, Sonderstaffel was subordinated to NSG 20 and secondly it was reformed as 11./KG 200 at December 23rd, 1944 at Bonn-Hangelar.
I have two question. First question: At what date was Sonderstaffel Einhorn subordinated to NSGr. 20 and secondly, does anyone know where NSGr. 20 was stationed, let's say between November 1st 1944 and March 1st, 1945.
I have some pieces of information from BA/MA RL 40/217 and higher(Aufmarschkarten)
At 2.11.1944 NSGr.20 and 3./NAGr. 1 and 11./SG200 at Twenthe.(RL 40/217.
Idem at 3.11.1944, 9.2.1945 till 27.2.1945 at Twenthe.(RL 40/219,229 -237)
See the difference in the Staffel code of 11./SG 200 and 11./KG 200.
Twenthe is an airfield in the Netherlands close to Enschede.

Jaap

Re: Sonderstaffel Einhorn
 

Hi Jaap

What on earth is SG 200? This is a unit I have never heard of. Any more details?

NSgr 20 was based at Bonn-Hangelar up to Jan 1945
Moved to Gemersheim untio March 45, when it moved to Twente, Zwolle
It finished the war at Delmenhorst
(See Michael Holm's home page)

Cheers
Stig

Re: Sonderstaffel Einhorn
 

Dear Stig and Jaap,

Einhorn is another case of “Stop the Myth” ...

A few responses to what you’ve posted (I’ve been working on Einhorn since 1989):

- NSG 20 was based at Bonn-Hangelar up to Jan 1945

They gradually moved out during January and were gone by the end of the month. There was a Restkommando of 8 (2) Fw 190s there on the evening 15 January for example - see ULTRA BT 2458.

- Moved to Gemersheim until March 45, when it moved to Twente, Zwolle. It finished the war at Delmenhorst

I don't think so (see below).

- First, Sonderstaffel was subordinated to NSG 20

It was only attached to NSG 20 on returning from Italy. It seems to have reached Hangelar on or about 23 December.

On 29 December it had 5 Fw 190s at Hangelar, none of them serviceable.

- and secondly it was reformed as 11./KG 200 at December 23rd, 1944 at Bonn-Hangelar.

It wasn’t reformed as 11./KG 200. The 11./KG 200 was formed from 3./SG 5 on 8 January 1945.

Einhorn 's seven pilots were not absorbed into 11./KG 200 until both units had moved to Twente. 11./KG 200 was subordinated to NSG 20 on 23 February 1945.

- does anyone know where NSGr. 20 was stationed, let's say between November 1st 1944 and March 1st, 1945.

NSG 20 didn’t exist until the third week of November 1944 (sources differ on the exact day): before then it was called III./KG 51. Elements of III./KG 51 were transferring from Le Culot to Bonn-Hangelar on 7 September 1944. It flew nine sorties from Hangelar on 6 October. NSG 20's aircraft are consistently included in evening occupation reports for Hangelar from then on. (I wouldn't exclude the possibility of short deployments elsewhere unless I'd seen every report). After the first week of January, NSG 20 and the remaining aircraft of Einhorn moved bit-by-bit to Twente. Apparently, all there by about 1 February. They left at the end of March, reportedly for Voerden. (Twente was ordered destroyed and evacuated on 4 April). They ended up at Schleswig.

The 11./KG 200 had joined NSG 20 at Twente but “very early” on 9 March, eight of the Staffel’s machines transferred to Rhein-Main and operated against Remagen that afternoon and stayed for two weeks. They may have returned briefly to Twente on or about 23 March (at least one aircraft made the trip). The Staffel joined up with the rest of III./KG 200 in late March, apparently at Drope. The Gruppe was at Lübeck-Blankensee by 17 April. By 6 May it was at Eggebek.

Re: Sonderstaffel Einhorn
 

Thanks Nick and Stig,

One remark. Zwolle has and never had an airfield. This must have been Steenwijk/Havelte. See also Bunderarchiv RL 42/4 situation January 1st, 1945.
This airfield is also called at some publications Nemwijk. See Kanapin, Mattiello and Holm. Maybe because of bad hand writing in the original document?
This airfield was demolished at March 24th, 1945 by the 8th US Army Air Force. The airfield was liberated at April 9th, 1945.

Jaap

Re: Sonderstaffel Einhorn
 

On 20 March 1945, an ULTRA mentions that Steenwijk is to be occupied by III./KG 200 and the Flak Korps VI should arrange protection. However, another ULTRA from the 23rd says that a Field Workshop unit is being sent to Drope for III./KG 200; a Vorkommando from III./KG 200 arrived on the 25th ; and the Gruppe was addressed there on the 28th.

As for the mention "11./SG 200", I suspect an error. On the Luftwaffe Aufmarsch maps that I saw in Freiburg, they did not use unit designations, just (e.g.) "II./1". You had to distinguish the unit type by the colour of ink it was written in. Not good if you got a photocopy!