"Mischlinge" Jadgflieger

[kaki3152]

While reading "Hitler's Jewish Soldiers" by Rigg, it mentioned that three pilots were partly Jewish and won the Ritterkreuz. The pilots were Oblt Oskar Romm (JG-52,JG-3), Hptm Siegfried Simsch (JG-52,JG-11) and Fw Rudolf Schmidt(JG-77). The source for this identification was no less than Ob. J. Steinhoff.
Also reported as half Jewish was the female test pilot, Melitta Grafin Schenk von Stauffenberg.
Of particular interest to me is the case of Obergefreiter Horst Rippert who scored 19 victories,including nine Viermots and seven twin-engined planes, with
JGr. Sud and JGr-200. Heinz Bar cited his flying ability as first rate and told him that if they asked for his papers, he could use Hptm Bar's!Acording to IV/JG-27 (Prien),when Ernst WIlhelm Reinert was awarded the Swords, he asked that Horst Rippert be made a Fw. and awarded the Deutches Kreuz!Goering did so.

How many Mischlinge were in the Jadgwaffe? Were there any more other famous cases?

[Jan Bobek]

I do not think that there is some known number of persons with Jewish descent in Jagdwaffe or Luftwaffe. The study that Rigg ordered indicated that German armed forced could use around 160.000 men of Jewish descent (if I remember well). Some of them were able to hide their descent. I know it from example of one Schlachtflieger instructor who was KIFA later in the war (info from his sister). Rigg also talked to one similar guy who served in SS due to ability to hide his descent.

At least Simsch´s personal file in BA/Aachen doesn´t indicate his Mischlinge status, but there is no guarantee that file is complete. I could also miss the indication.

To those who are not keen researchers on this topic I would like to say that people we are talking about were mostly loyal German citizens with Jewish descent and almost always of Christian Church. Practically all had to leave armed forces in late 1944.

So please don´t imagine that members of Jewish communities were serving in German armed forces. This happened only in some rare cases, where German armed forces needed such soldier desperately.

However there were some families where part died in concentration camps while some men of same family served (and often KIA) in German armed forces.

[Jan Bobek]

And for further reading I also reccomend book "Deutsche Jüdische Soldaten" that starts in 19th century and was created with support of German jewish organizations and German Ministry of defence.

ISBN 3-8132-0525-8
There was also recently exhibition in Hamburg about same topic, but I do not know where is it now.

[Primoz]

Originally Posted by Jan Bobek

And for further reading I also reccomend book "Deutsche Jüdische Soldaten" that starts in 19th century and was created with support of German jewish organizations and German Ministry of defence.

ISBN 3-8132-0525-8
There was also recently exhibition in Hamburg about same topic, but I do not know where is it now.

If I'm not mistaken, this book only covers German soldiers of Jewish religion (because only these were discriminated against in the 19. century, as Jewish descent - and "race" - was not an issue before 1933). But it's interesting all the same.

[Jan Bobek]

Well,

this book covers also WW II and seems to be put together by several authors. Except of WW II scope, I agree with you.

Jan

[Primoz]

Well, Jan, if it also covers WW II I guess it's not the book of the same title I had in mind (but it could be a newer, extended edition).