[Larry deZeng]

Hi Andrey -

Different sources, different dates. To sort all of this out, you will need the Personalakten from BA-MA for all of the Kommandeure involved. And equipped with all of that, there will still be some confusion. It is so bad (confusing) for that area (Ost) in spring 1943 that I am not even sure the Germans knew what they were doing. This was just after the loss of Stalingrad and the German command structure was in a state of chaos. I tried my best to provide accurate information on Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries, but I had to move on because of time constraints.

I greatly fear that some will come along here and give you a list they have put together that they will claim is 100% accurate, but you should be very skeptical and cautious of these claims. Your best bet is to do it yourself and use only primary documents. It will cost you some money for the Personalakten and some time, but it is the only way to get to the bottom of this riddle. Don't forget: differences in dates are often caused by the original order from the Luftwaffenpersonalamt giving one date, and the Kommandeur not actually arriving and taking over because of leave (Urlaub) en-route, special training and/or briefings en-route, hospitals stays for vaccinations and checkups, long travel delays, etc. So the historians come along years later and some use the LPA date while others use the date the new guy arrives, sits down at his desk and takes over.

Good luck and best wishes,

Larry deZeng


Fliegerführer Krim
(FpN: none found)

also as: Luftwaffenstab Krim


Fliegerführer:
General d.Flieger Konrad Zander (15 Oct 42 - 15 Mar 43)
Oberst Dr. Ernst Bormann (1 Feb 43 - 30 Jun 43)


Formation and History. (Aug 42 - Jun 43)
Formed o/a 15 August 1942 (ex-Fliegerführer Süd?) or new on 15 October 1942 at Kerch/Crimea and assigned responsibility for air operations there after the front had moved forward into North Caucasia. KStN 320 (L) was assigned to Luftwaffenstab Krim (Fliegerführer Krim), giving it a special table of organization and equipment. Up to the date of his appointment, Konrad Zander had been General der Flieger z.V. des Luftflottenkommando 4, which suggests the line of authority and origin of Fliegerführer Krim. The location of the Stab is not known with certainty, but is believed to have been at Kerch and then possibly at Simferopol. By spring 1943, German forces had been pushed back into the narrow confines of the Kuban bridgehead across from Kerch/Crimea and Stab/I. Fliegerkorps had arrived in Crimea to take charge of air operations. Fliegerführer Krim, now redundant, was disbanded o/a 30 June 1943.

During its existence, Fliegerführer Krim exercised authority over Küstenfliegerstaffel Krim, a coastal patrol squadron of somewhat unclear lineage. This Staffel’s losses from August 1942 to September 1943 were charged to Fliegerführer Krim. Also see Einsatzstab Krim des I. Fliegerkorps (sometimes incorrectly called Fliegerführer Krim).1


© H.L. deZeng IV, 2006


Luftwaffenkommando Kuban
(FpN: L 19134)

Kommandierender General und Befehlshaber:
Gen.d.Flieger Otto Dessloch (7 Feb 43 - 8 Mar 43)

Formation and History. (Feb 43 - Mar 43)
Formed o/a 7 February 1943 in North Caucasia, possibly at Slavyanskaya (ex-Luftwaffenkdo. Kaukasus). This was a short-lived name change resulting from the German withdrawal from deep in North Caucasia into the Kuban Bridgehead in the Taman Peninsula. On or about 8 March 1943 it was re-designated Gen.Kdo./I. Flakkorps.1

© H.L. deZeng IV, 2004