Stab./KG26

[Stig Jarlevik]

Junker

Now I see what you mean. You have copied Doug's details in your e-mail.
Sorry about my confusion...

Cheers
STig

[ju55dk]

Junker

[Doug Stankey]

The following is a summary of commanders in KG 1 according to our current database. Comparison with those listed in our “Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe” show only a few minor differences.


If my review of KG 2 commanders shows a similar trend of little or no change I will stop further reviewing of the other units.


Stab/KG 1 (05.39 – 08.44)
Gen.Major Ulrich Otto Eduard Kessler (1 May 1939 – December 1939).
Oberst Ernst Exss (RkHS) (18 December 1939 – 15 July 1940).
Oberst Josef Kammhuber (12 July 1940 – July 1940)
Oberst Karl Angerstein (RkHS, RK) (1 August 1940 - ?)
Major Herbert Lorch (DKG) (2 March 1942 – 30 June 1942) – acting?
Obstlt. Paul Schemmel (30 June 1942 (18 July 1942?) – 13 August 1942) MIA
Major Hans Keppler (DKG, RK) (20 August 1942 – 3 September 1942) KIA
Major Heinrich Lau (DKG) (12 September 1942 – December 1942) – provisional
Major Heinrich Lau (DKG) (9 December 1942 – 18 March 1943) - permanent
Major Horst von Riesen (19 March 1943 – 31 August 1943) - provisional
Major Horst von Riesen (1 September 1943 – 31 August 1944) – permanent

I./KG 1 (1. formation 05.39 – 04.41)
Obstlt. Robert Krauss (1 May 1939 – October 1939).
Hptm. Hermann Crone (13 September 1940 – 19 December 1940) –acting?
Hptm. Walther Herbold (20 December 1940 – 23 March 1941)
Major Wather Herbold (? – 24 March 1942 - ?) ?

I./KG 1 (2. formation 06.42 – 08.44)
Obstlt. Hellmuth Schalke (8 June 1942 – 8 July 1942)
Major Werner Dahlke (DKG) (9 July 1942 – 26 June 1943)

II./KG 1 ( 09.39 – 09.44)
Major Benno Kosch ( September 1939 – 7 September 1940) WIA
Hptm. Otto Stamms (7 September 1940 – January 1941) – acting?
Major Otto Stamms (January 1941 – 27 June 1941) WIA
Hptm. Emil Enderle (July 1941 – 3 November 1941) MIA
Major Werner Dahlke (November 1941 – January 1942) – acting?
Major Herbert Lorch (DKG) (January 1942 – August 1942)
Hptm. Heinz Laube (DKG) (August 1942 – 8 December 1942) KIA
Major Horst von Riesen (21 January 1943 – 17 March 1943) - provisional
Major Günther Dörffel (1 April 1943 – 1 July 1943) – KIA 6 July 1943
Oblt. Klaus Mohr (DKG) (July 1943 – 12 August 1943) MIA –acting?
Hptm. Martin Rohrdantz (24 September 1943 – 25 August 1944)

III./KG 1 (1. formation, 12.39 – 05.44)
Major Otto Schnelle (15 December 1939 – 10 May 1940) KIA
Major Hans Steinweg (10 May 1940 – 22 June 1940) – acting?
Major Willibald Fanelsa (22 June 1940 – 27 August 1940) POW
Hptm. Hans Fischer (10 September 1940 – 11 April 1941) MIA
Major Walter Lehwess-Litzmann (April 1941 – October 1941)
Hptm.Major Hans Keppler (November 1941 – 19 August 1942)
Hptm. Manfred von Cossart (DKG) (August 1942 – September 1942) – acting
Major Werner Kanther (DKG) (October 1942 – 1 April 1944)

III./KG 1 (2. formation, 05.44 – 08.44)
Hptm. Hans-Gotthelf von Kalckreuth (DKG) (31 May 1944 – 25 August 1944)

IV.(Erg)/KG 1 (08.40 – 08.44).
Hptm. Herbert Lorch (10 April 1941 – 5 May 1941)
Major Werner Dahlke (6 May 1941 – 20 July 1942)
Hptm. Günter Hoffmann-Loerzer (1 August 1942 – 23 November 1942)
Major Manfred von Cossart (DKG) (24 November 1942 – 4 February 1944)
Hptm. Siegfried Freiherr von Cramm (DKG) (5 February 1944 – 31 August 1944).

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi Doug

Thanks for the lists. My intention was not that you should re-write the book, but just add any changes discovered. In your KG 26 list you had changed the first name of one individual for instance, which, to at least me, is pretty important.

Cheers
Stig

[Doug Stankey]

Regarding holding multiple appointments, not only was this possible, it was very common. Those holding acting positions frequently held another “permanent” position as well. Another common situation was where a Geschwader Stab would, out of expediency, concurrently be a regional command staff and the Kommodore would concurrently be a Fliegerführer or Kommodore of a Gefechtsverband.

The KG 2 commanders list is so similar to that published in our book that it seems unnecessary to continue regenerating those for the other units.

Larry estimates that it will take about 5 more years to deal with the remaining accessible microfilms. The effect of this could be to about double the mass of information on career histories. When that day arrives, it may be worthwhile to review the unit commanders issue again.

As I have done the work to re-generate the KG 2 data, here it is:


Stab KG 2
Oberst Dipl.Ing. Johannes Fink (01.05.39 – 1940)
Oberst Herbert Rieckhoff (21.10.40 – 1941?)
Oberst Karl Mehnert (16.10.41 – 31.12.41)
Obstlt. Paul Weitkus (RK) (12.41) – acting?
Obstlt. Dr. Georg Pasewaldt (01.01.42 – 30.04.42)
Obstlt. Hans von Koppelow (01.05.42 – 21.01.43)
Major Walter Bradel (RK) (23.01.43 – 05.05.43 )KIA
Major Karl Kessel (DKG, RK) (06.05.43 – 15.02.44)
Major Hanns Heise (DKG, RK) (25.02.44 – 11.04.44)
Major Wilhelm Rath (DKG) (12.04.44 – 22/23.05.44) MIA
Major Franz Schönberger (23.05.44 – 27.07.44)
Obstlt. Rudolf Hallensleben (DKG, RK) (07.06.44 – ?) - acting
Obstlt. Rudolf Hallensleben (DKG, RK) (14.06.44 (or 28.07.44?) - 19.09.44) – permanent

I./KG 2
Major Werner Krahl (01.05.39 – 25.11.39)
Major Martin Gutzmann (26.11.39 – 26.08.40) POW
Major Waldemar Lerche (27.08.40 – 25.08.41)
Hptm. Ketterer (03.42 – 15.06.42)
Hptm. Karl Kessel (DKG) (16.06.42 – 05.05.43)
Hptm. Franz Schönberger (06.05.43 – 06.08.44)
Hptm. Philipp von Alemann (06.08.44 – 03.10.44)


II./KG 2
Major Paul Weitkus (01.05.39 – 1940?)
Major Kurt Rohde (16.12.40 – 31.05.41)
Major Johannes Hübner (11.06.41 – 30.11.41)
Major Walter Bradel (RK) (01.12.41 – 22.01.43)
Major Heinz Engel (DKG) (01.02.43 – 25.06.44)
Hptm. Hermann Schröter (DKG) ( 26.06.44 – 03.10.44)


III./KG 2
Major Werner Kreipe (01.03.40 - 1940)
Major Adolf Fuchs (25.06.40 – 31.08.40) WIA
Major Klaus Uebe (01.09.40 – 20.03.41)
Major Friedrich Dreyer (21.03.41 - 07.04.41) KIA
Obstlt. Heinrich Conrady (09.06.41 – 20.09.41)
Hptm. Gerhard Klostermann (21.09.41 – 12.41) –provisional
Hptm. Gerhard Klostermann (22.12.41 – 15.02.42) MIA
Obstlt. Hans von Koppelow (16.02.42 – 30.04.42)
Oberst Kurt Leythaeuser (01.05.42 – 13.08.43)
Hptm. Albert Schreiweiss (DKG) (14.08.43 – 30.11.44)

IV. (Erg/KG 2
Major Johannes Hübner (22.03.41(17.04.41?) – 10.06.41)
Hptm. Martin Kästner (11.06.41 – 26.06.42)
Hptm. Helmut Powolny (27.06.42 – 31.01.43)
Major Gottfried Buchholz (DKG) (01.02.43 – 03.10.44) – provisional

V./ KG 2
Hptm. Friedrich-Wilhelm Methner (DKG) (20.06.43 – 16.07.43) MIA
Major Wolf-Dietrich Meister (17.07.43 – 10.10.43)
Hptm. Kurt Heintz (DKG, RK) (31.07.43 – 10.43) – provisional
Hptm.? Kurt Heintz (DKG, RK) (11.10.43 – 21/22.01.44) KIA
Hptm. Karl-Egon von Dalwigk zu Lichtenfels (22.01.44 – 06.02.44).

[ju55dk]

[
IV.(Erg)/KG 1 (08.40 – 08.44).
Hptm. Herbert Lorch (10 April 1941 – 5 May 1941)
Major Werner Dahlke (6 May 1941 – 20 July 1942)
Hptm. Günter Hoffmann-Loerzer (1 August 1942 – 23 November 1942)
Major Manfred von Cossart (DKG) (24 November 1942 – 4 February 1944)
Hptm. Siegfried Freiherr von Cramm (DKG) (5 February 1944 – 31 August 1944).[/quote]

For those who are interested attached a picture of officers from Gruppenstab IV/KG 1. In the middle Major von Cossard at Schaulen airfield.

Junker
Source: Own archive