Military Tribunal against Colonel Heymer - North Africa 1941

[Larry deZeng]

Hi Andreas -

The 11 Nov 41 date would have been very flexible and dependent on whether or not his successor was already there or en-route, or whether an acting or deputy Koluft (Kommandeur der Luftwaffe Libyen) was available to take over until the new guy arrived, etc. There are a thousand things that could arise to alter the actual takeover date by a day, a week, a month or even more. But transportation difficulties was usually the main reason.

As you can see below, there probably was a successor. v.Osterhausen was an experienced and highly esteemed reconnaissance guy who was already in Libya. Since the function of a Koluft is mainly reconnaissance and frontline Flak support, it makes sense.

[P.S. - I made a mistake in Heymer's career blurb - he was Koluft and not Koflug. There is a huge difference between the two. My apologies.]


Koluft Afrika
(FpN: L 44019)

also as: Koluft Libyen

Kommandeur:
Obstlt. Otto Heymer (15 Aug 41 - 10 Nov 41)
Maj. Hans von Osterhausen? ( ? - Feb 42?)

Formation and History. (Sep 41 - Feb 42)
Formed 15 August 1941 to provide tactical reconnaissance support for the Deutsches Afrikakorps and Panzergruppenkommando “Afrika” (later Panzerarmee Afrika). No further details are available. Renamed Stab/Aufklärungsgruppe Afrika around February 1942.[1]


[1] G.Tessin-Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945, Teil 14: Die Luftstreitkräfte (Osnabrück, 1980); AFHRA Maxwell: decimal 512 Air Ministry Weekly Intelligence Summary file, AMWIS #181 dated 20 February 1943.