Erich Hartmann - several questions

[kennethklee]

I totally forgot I initiated this thread and have not been back until now--I'm amazed and gratified at the large number of responses and active discussion, and even more so with the new information about Hartmann and other Luftwaffe aces.

Johannes--I had no idea Hartmann had such a poor reputation among his comrades and that he is suspected of being a prominent overclaimer. You are right, The Blond Knight of Germany has long been my primary source of information about Hartmann and it certainly idealizes him. Interestingly, although I certainly can't explain, when I read the uncredited interview w/Hartmann 1-2 days before my initial post, which was motivated by the interview, I sensed for the 1st time that the real Hartmann was different from the character portrayed in Blond Knight, just not sure how at the time. My vague impression was Hartmann was a harder and less charitable and compassionate person than Blond Knight had led me to believe.

I am perhaps an "ugly American" who is not fluent in languages besides English--and perhaps some could dispute I am fluent in English! Hence, growing up in the late 1970's and early 1980's, the primary books about Luftwaffe fighter pilots accessible to me were the much-maligned and discredited Toliver/Constable Luftwaffe fighter aces book and the Hartmann biography Blond Knight of Germany. Only recently over the past 10 years have I become aware of more detailed and creditable information on Luftwaffe fighter pilots in general and Hartmann in particular. I know the hard-core enthusiast may scoff at and refute my comments by pointing out I could have taught myself sufficient rudimentary German to read the German-language references, or at least pored over them with a German-English dictionary in hand. I can't say such an enthusiast would be wrong, I can just say for various reasons, mainly a busy career with a heavy night/weekend call schedule and perhaps insufficient moral fiber and motivation, I did not do so.

I am happy Bernd Barbas is writing a Barkhorn biography. Not being critical, just making an observation--in a way, it's a shame that the Barkhorn and other biographies are being written well after most Luftwaffe veterans have passed away. Hindsight is 20/20, of course, and I also realize that writing about Luftwaffe and Axis personnel and histories was not looked upon favorably for many years after WWII. I know the Toliver/Constable tomes had little documentation or rigid research basis, but they served one valuable service--being the first substantial English-language books to cover Luftwaffe fighter pilots. These tomes further developed my burgeoning interest in the Luftwaffe. I recall Galland, in his foreword for the Blond Knight book, thanked the authors and acknowledged the role played by the authors' Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe in edifying much of the English-speaking world about and negating to an extent their negative images about Luftwaffe fighter pilots.

Reading the new information that provide glimpses about Hartmann's true and perhaps discredited reputation and character, I am very curious about one stat attributed to Hartmann--did he truly lose only one wingman (bomber pilot Capito, who parachuted to safety) in his 1400+ flight career, or is this another myth?

I apologize if my comment about contemporary biographies was construed as unjustly critical--that was not my intent at all, I was simply bemoaning the fact that few Luftwaffe veterans are alive and fewer still can/will contribute to these books. Thanks much to all who responded for a very lively and informative discussion containing much interesting new information and speculation.

Ken