[Bookman]

He was a civilian flight instructor. Never did he have a military rank, nor wanted one. After the militarization of powered flight as an entry into the forces, he resisted, and actually remained a civilian flight instructor for gliders and sailplanes. He was a master of this, and was internationally recognized. In seventy four from flights he was shot down three times.
Very few wartime airmen were accepted in the DDR Air Force, and those that were remained for a relatively short time. One of our JG27 veterans (can't remember name) did fly mug 15 and 17, but shortly after was relegated to ground duties. He said it was because he, and similarly ex POWs of western allies were deemed undependable. On the other hand, a former pow from Soviet captivity(lewiss-Lehman) rose to high rank. He was a KG group commander if I remember, a colonel.