Sonderstaffel Einhorn

[Chris Goss]

I have this unit, commanded by Hptm Erwin Diekwisch, being formed Sep 44 and then reforming as 11/KG 200 at Bonn-Hangelar 23 Dec 44 and being subordinated to NSGr 20 Can anyone confirm this and any details on the following members:
Lt Bachner (St Fhr), Hptm Schramm (zbV), Lt Kerber, Ofw Hartebrod, Ofw Scheuten, Fw Albrecht, Fw Hahn, Uffz Hecke, Uffz Lothar Grelke (POW 11 Mar 45), Uffz Ulrich Goll (POW 8 Mar 45)

[WEISNER]

Chris, I have found Diekwisch is a hard pilot to find info on, The book "Luftwaffe codes, markings and units" by Barry C. Rosch, ISBN0-88740-796-x, Has a photo of Hptm. Erwin-Peter Diekwisch in Fw. 190 F-8, Q9+AL of 3/SG 5, taken at Utissa, Finland in 1944, most likely after april 44 but not sure. Hope this helps some...If you have any further info on Diekwisch you could share I would appreciate it....
Kevin

[Chris Goss]

I contacted Diekwisch some years ago and have a number of photos of his I/SG 5 FW 190s taken at Pori, Finland in 1944. Lt Bachner was with him then

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Chris Goss

I have this unit, commanded by Hptm Erwin Diekwisch, being formed Sep 44 and then reforming as 11/KG 200 at Bonn-Hangelar 23 Dec 44 and being subordinated to NSGr 20 Can anyone confirm this and any details on the following members:
Lt Bachner (St Fhr), Hptm Schramm (zbV), Lt Kerber, Ofw Hartebrod, Ofw Scheuten, Fw Albrecht, Fw Hahn, Uffz Hecke, Uffz Lothar Grelke (POW 11 Mar 45), Uffz Ulrich Goll (POW 8 Mar 45)

I'll email you Chris, it's a long story!

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi All

I have great problems with 11./KG 200 being ex Sdr Staffel Einhorn at least at the date quoted by Chris. One of my sources states this, but then in Feb 1945 with a, to me, somewhat fuzzy explanation. On the other hand there are great problems with the exact nature of formation of III. and IV./KG 200 as well.

Mikael Holm on his home page lists
Stab III./KG 200 as ex Stab I./SG 5
9./KG 200 as ex 1./SG 5
10./KG 200 as ex 2./SG 5
11./KG 200 as ex 3./SG 5
12./KG 200 as ex 4./SG 5

B Rosch in his book states
Stab III./KG 200 ex Stab III./SG 5
9./KG 200 ex 1./SG 5
10./KG 200 ex 2./SG 5
11./KG 200 ex 3./SG 5
12./KG 200 ex 2./SG 5 (4./SG 5 according to him became new 1./SG 5)

Both sources state that Sonderstaffel Einhorn became 13./KG 200

Bringing in a third source, Thomas/Ketley's KG 200 book does not clarify things much, although they TOO state 13./KG 200 was ex Sonderverband Einhorn. However this book lists in a table on page 126 that 13./KG 200 was part of III./KG 200 and on page 127 it was part of IV./KG 200 (same date), but adding (page 127) it wan an earlier replacement staffel for III./KG 200
Next page lists Hptm Erwin Diekwisch as commander of 11./KG 200 in Nov 1944....
On page 150 it is explained in more details how Einhorn became various KG 200 units. There Einhorn sounds more like a type of mission than a name of a unit. It ALSO sounds like Einhorn (in spite of now being 13./KG 200) still retained its name and in FEBRUARY 1945, its PILOTS were incorporated into 11./KG 200. However 13./KG 200 was still in existance....

Incidentally the unit 12./KG 200 is NOT mentioned at all, which immediately brings up the question, did it exist at all???

So if anyone can clarify this mess I would very much appreciate this!!
To me it sounds like the Luftwaffe High Command hadn't a clue either

Cheers
Stig

[Nick Beale]

Oh God, what complications am I getting myself into? I'll persevere anyhow, since the bit in the Thomas/Ketley book about Einhorn was essentially written by me (see the acknowledgments page) and my account was based entirely on contemporary German and Allied sources.

On file in Freiburg are organisation tables for KG 200 (which was reorganised three times between February and November 1944) and a sucession of Führungsstab messages about the formation and redesignation of elements of KG 200. The picture is NOT simple.

Until 6 November 1944, there was no 13./KG 200. Einhorn was first listed in the tables on 1 November as 2./II./KG 200 (and, yes, that was the designation - KG 200 was not normal!).

The operational elements of Einhorn became 13./KG 200 as of 6 November (not that anyone ever called it anything but Einhorn, apparently) as part of IV./KG 200. At that time, there was no III./KG 200 but its formation from I./SG 5 was "foreseen." At this point, I./SG 5 was retraining on blind- and night-flying.

On 8 January 1945, I./SG 5 was redesignated Stab and 9., 10. & 11./KG 200 (= III./KG 200) and 13./KG 200 (Still called Einhorn in every other communication) was incorporated into the III. Gruppe. When 11./KG 200 became operational on the Western Front, it absorbed the remaining five or so pilots of Einhorn who had been operating alongside NSG 20 for about a month.

Diekwisch commanded 3./SG 5 and then 11./KG 200 when the former was renamed in January.

There was a 13./KG 200 in existence at the time of the surrender but apparently nothing to do with the operational Fw 190 Staffeln of III./Gruppe.

P.S. AFAIK there never was a 12./KG 200 (4./SG 5 had become 2./NSG 8 in June 1944).

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Nick

I have a much better understanding of the "dis-order" now. Still convinced OKL was just as confused as I was.... The only item still fuzzy is, I guess, the true Einhorn relation with 13./KG 200. Somehow Einhorn seems to have been a unit within a unit. Oh well, no big deal.

However I need to bring up that Mikael Holm claims that 2./NSGr 8 was formed from 1./SG 5 and NOT 4./SG 5. The latter unit was re-designated 1./SG 5 instead. Rosch states the same thing.

What is your source for stating 4./SG 5 becoming 2./NSGr 8?

Cheers
Stig

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Stig Jarlevik

Thanks Nick

I guess, the true Einhorn relation with 13./KG 200. Somehow Einhorn seems to have been a unit within a unit.

However I need to bring up that Mikael Holm claims that 2./NSGr 8 was formed from 1./SG 5 and NOT 4./SG 5. The latter unit was re-designated 1./SG 5 instead. Rosch states the same thing.

What is your source for stating 4./SG 5 becoming 2./NSGr 8?

Cheers
Stig

On the first point, the reorganisation table of 6 November says of 13./KG 200:

"(Hitherto 2. St. II./200) Einhornstaffel, Fw 190 (BT.), (Anti-shipping), Villafranca"

Later strength and serviceability data suggest that there was perhaps an operational element of Einhorn and a rear detachment.

My source for 4./SG 5's redesignation is a document in Bundesarchiv Freiburg RL2 III/59 and I should have given the effective date as 8 May 1944, not June.

This was just a note I took while I was there in 1989 - I was supposed to be concentrating on Italy, not Finland but that just struck me as interesting. I don't know what Mikael Holm's source was, or Barry Rosch's but maybe his bibliography gives a clue?

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Nick

With ref to Barry Rosch I am led to believe he has relied quite heavily on books published about the German Feld Post, how it worked and how its codes corresponded to various flying Luftwaffe units. Personally I have not a clue how it worked There is NO clue in Rosch's book if he has used ANY primary sources at all....
Also it would not surprise me one bit if Mikael Holm has glanced a bit in Rosch's book as well. Don't know this of course....

Cheers
Stig

[Stig Jarlevik]

PS
Nick

Perhaps I should have added that
4./SG 5 post# was 49522 in July 1944
1./SG 5 post# was 49522 in July 1944

1./SG 5 post# was 53109 when formed
2./NSGr 8 post # was 53109 in June 1944

Cheers
Stig