Major Heinz "Pritzl" Bär - What happened exactly?

[Broncazonk]

Major Heinz "Pritzl" Bär is one of my favorite German Aces: 221 Aerial Victories: 60 Western Front - 96 Eastern Front - 65 Mediterranean Front - 1000+ Combat Sorties in the Bf 109E/F/G - Fw 190A-7/A-8 - Me 262A-1a - Awards: Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Hauptmann Bär transferred to the Mediterranean and became the Gruppenkommandeur of I/JG 77 "Herzas" on May 1, 1942. Then something caused Bär to be relieved of command and sent home. (Later he becomes a top Me-262 jet ace.)

I've read several different vague accounts of happened to Bar in North Africa, but never the specifics. What, exactly happened to Heinz?? This inquiry is made with all due respect. (I asked this question on another forum and I got a "Wife No. 3 is Still Grieving" response from some guy who claimed to be a distantly-related family member, kinda like we are all related to Atilla the Hun, but this guy is still acting all busted up over the event.)


The various accounts:


1) From Warbirds Resource Group: www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org - Luftwaffe Resource Center - Luftwaffe Aces

"Hauptmann Bär transferred to the Mediterranean Front to become the Gruppenkommandeur of I/JG 77 "Herzas" on May 1, 1942. He flew the Bf 109F and later the Bf 109G models. The strain of constant battle and knowledge of inevitable defeat of Axis forces in the Mediterranean later caused the stressed-out Bär to be relieved from command back to Germany in disgrace."

2) From Wikipedia: Heinrich Bär - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Over North Africa and the Mediterranean theatre, Bär had increased his tally to 179, but, fighting a losing battle against ever-increasing Allied air superiority, Bär lost his fighting spirit, and suffered severe mental and physical exhaustion. After several arguments with JG 77's new Commander Colonel Johannes Steinhoff and Hermann Göring, in the summer of 1943 Bär was transferred to France "for cowardice before the enemy" and demoted to Squadron Leader. He took over command of an operational training unit, Jagdgruppe Süd.[26][27]"

3) The book Luftwaffe Aces describes Bar's great relationship with (and devestation over) Major Joachim Muncheberg's death. And when Major Steinhoff arrived, things changed....

4) From: WW II ACE STORIES

"Soon after this exciting point in the irrivalry, in June of 1942, Bär's JG 77 was moved to MTO area. While leading I./JG 77, 'Pritzl' downed several British fighters over Malta . On 13 October 1942 his victims were three "Spitfires" (two of 185 Sgn and one of 1435 Sqn RAF). Another "Spitfire" was shot down four days later (17 October 1942) near La Valetta. Then Heinz Bär took part in combat missions in the hot African sky. In Tunisia, he scored his next 61 Allied aircraft victories (Nos 118-179). But the density of air activity from the start of the war combined with the hard battle conditions in Africa to seriously undermine Bär's fighting spirit, and exhaust him both physically and mentally. In effect, this famous ace was removed from command and sent back to Germany for 'rehabilitation'."

5) Luftwaffe Fighter Aces has Bar going down to malaria and a stomach ulcer...

I do not believe that this was a "mental breakdown" or "combat fatigue" issue. Major Muncheberg's death and the arrival of Major Steinhoff are central here, something changed, but I don't know what.

But does anyone have specifics on what exactly what was said or exactly what happened?

Thanks!

Bronc

[Erich]

you're a funny guy Bronc

[Dan O'Connell]

How about he was just tired of the war? Could you do it as long as he did, and survive?

[Don Pearson]

Obermaier notes that he was shot down or crash landed at least 18 times. I recall photos of one of his aircraft in North Africa overturned and mauled (not certain if he was pilot at time). But as previously mentioned, the strain of combat, loss of friends, and the personal danger is sure to make anyone crack.

Don

[kaki3152]

He was "burnt-out" and was almost shot down by two Spitfires in Tunisia (Prein JG-77). After this, he said he would fly no more.

[JägerMarty]

Originally Posted by Broncazonk

I do not believe that this was a "mental breakdown" or "combat fatigue" issue. Major Muncheberg's death and the arrival of Major Steinhoff are central here, something changed, but I don't know what.

But does anyone have specifics on what exactly what was said or exactly what happened?

Thanks!

Bronc

Bronc, you havn't a clue if you don't think Bär went through enough to cause a breakdown. Re-read the facts and the posts above

[Broncazonk]

I'm sure that Major Bar went through an incredible ordeal. His exploits are amazing.

So just to be clear: I'm not trying to smear or diminish the man. (Quite the opposite.)

I would just like to know the details, or a reference to a source with the details, (or perhaps the primary source) of what happened.

It's for a research project that I'm writing.

Thank you.

Anyone?

Bronc

[Nokose]

If you read German there might be something in Jochen Priens books of the history of JG77. Franz Kurowski has a book out on him but some of the guys here wonder about the sources for his books.

[kaki3152]

The best way to understand (as best we can 52 years after his death) is to read multiple Luftwaffe books that mention him.

I will say I think he was optimistic in his claims. Some I can substantiate, but I think many others were just damaged. In cases were I have tried to compare his claims against known Allied losses, I have been successful in about 50% of the time.

He was ,undoubtedly, an amazing fighter pilot. Many fighter pilots had given up the cause by war's end, and found safer endeavors,but he kept flying, always with a lot of gallows humor.

Carlos

[Larry deZeng]

May 1943: ordered to report to Göring at Karinhall. The Reichsmarschall tore a strip a yard wide off his butt and Bär mouthed back at Göring who then charged him with insubordination, relieved him of his command and ordered him shipped off to the Ergänzungseinheiten.

You will only find the truth in his personnel file at BA-MA. Since he has been dead since April 1957, you should be able to get copies. Details and supporting commentary on how to obtain copies of these records can be found in numerous threads on this web site, on AHF and on WAF. All you have to do is SEARCH.

L.