Lt Otto von Steinhart, 1./ErpGr 210

[Andre Stewart]

Hi all,

This is all I know --

Lt Otto von Steinhart, born 16.2.11 Wien
EM 53581/39
Pilot in 1./ErpGr 210 in Aug 1940

Can anyone provide further info on this pilot, wartime career, fate?
Perhaps Doug or Larry de Zeng has something?

rgds
andre

[Chris Goss]

Promoted Hptm 1 Apr 42 and still alive Jan 45. I have no Von for his name?

[Doug Stankey]

Here is what we have on this fellow:


STEINHART, Otto (von?).
(DOB: 16.02.11).
01.04.42 promo to Hptm.
03.43 in Frontflieger-Sammelgruppe with detached duty at Forschungsstelle für Segelflug (to 29.04.43).

19.06.43 Hptm. in Frontflieger-Sammelgruppe, trf to Stab/Jagdfliegerführer Holland-Ruhrgebiet (to 20.07.43).
1943 in II./ZG 26, then in 6./NJG 4, then trf to ZG 2.
1944 Hptm. in Stab/Jagdfliegerführer Rumänien.


I checked the Kracker Archive and he has nothing on this guy.


We hope that this helps.

HLdZ
DGS

[John Vasco]

Otto von Steinhart
Pilot in 1./Erpr. Gr. 210
His first Bordfunker was Edmund Ernst (Ernst later flew with Rüger and was shot down into captivity on 6/9/40)
Transferred to II./ZG 26, date not known.
Wounded in action with ZG 26 in 1941.

I met him at his home in Munich many years ago. Don't have any wartime photos, but do have one of me with him in the grounds of his home.

[Andre Stewart]

To Chris, Doug and John -- thanks for your replies.

From your leads I've been able to pull this out:

13 Aug 1941, 6./ZG26 Bf-110 E2 3U+FP W.Nr 4475 - crashed (no cause given).
Pilot - Oblt Otto von Steinhart, FSA-WIA. Bf - Gefr Wilhelm Wolfahrt, FSA-KIA.

To Doug, if von Steinhart served in II./ZG26 ~ 6./NJG4 ~ ZG2, then a more plausible movement would be II./ZG26 ~ ZG2 ~ 6./NJG4, but in 1942 instead of 1943. He probably returned to his unit upon recovery, then joined elements of II./ZG26 that were used to form I./ZG2 in Apr-May 1942, moving again to 6./NJG4 some time later.

To John, it is likely that von Steinhart transferred to II./ZG26 some time in Sep 1940, as I have a document dated 2 Sep 1940 that was signed by him as "Lt und stellv StKap". And lastly, do you know if von Steinhart joined 1./ErpGr210 directly, or was he one of the initial 1./ZG1 pilots?

rgds
andre

[John Vasco]

Andre,

Happy to be of some help.

As far as von Steinhart being with 1./ZG 1, I can't answer that, because all of my research papers are now lodged with a certain archive. There is a document in them which gives a full list of 'in the field' personnel for March 1940 for 1./ZG 1, and later for 1./Erpr. Gr. 210, including ground personnel.

Can I now ask you a question? That document signed by him as 'Lt. und stellv. StKap'. Was that while he was with Erpr. Gr. 210? The reason I ask is that on 2nd September 1940, von Boltenstern was in place as Gruppenkommandeur of Erpr. Gr. 210, and Martin Lutz would have been in place as Staka of 1./210.

Wolfgang Schenck had an interesting perspective on von Steinhart...

[Maximowitz]

Originally Posted by John Vasco

Wolfgang Schenck had an interesting perspective on von Steinhart...

Ok, I'm curious....

[Andre Stewart]

John, I've sent you a pm.

rgds
andre