Danish Pilot Peter Horn - aircraft info wanted

[Stig Jarlevik]

PMoz99

The Rathbone Museum site is wrong.
Both Peter Horn and Poul Sommer survived the war and died in Denmark.

Unfortunately the living relatives of Peter Horn don't want to talk about the past and it has proved impossible for Danish historians to aquire any further details about his life and service in Luftwaffe.

Peter Horn's service in Finland is also very obscure and he is not mentioned with the other Danes known to have been there. It seems likely he came too late to be of any use in the Winter War of 1939-40. Like so many others in occupied Europe he chose once again to fight communism and as Johannes already has pointed out, very likely he served in 1942. It also seems likely he returned home that autumn and never returned to the Luftwaffe, at least not in a fighting capacity.

Cheers
Stig

[Brian Bines]

This site does not mention Peter Horn :- http://www.danishww2pilots.dk/articles.php?id=11, is he one of the six mentioned in the article and just flew under the name Horn on joining the Luftwaffe ? One site says Sommer was sentenced to 8 years in prison post war had it increased to 12 years following an appeal but was released in 1950.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Brian

Mikkel Plannthin has removed Horn from his site since the family does not want it to be there.
However, you can read what his site once said since the Wikipedia is an exact copy of what he once had.

With regard to Sommer, I even believe he in fact faced a death sentence in Denmark, but it was changed to a prison instead. The reason for his punishment is unknown by me, but may possibly have something to do with his transfer with JG 27 to North Africa and after that no longer could claim he was fighting against the communists.

B Rgds
Stig

[Brian Bines]

Stig, thanks for the clarification . Another site implied it was seen as OK for Danes to join the Finnish Air force to fight communism but not OK to join the Luftwaffe for the same purpose , but I guess the big difference was that Finland was not occupying Denmark ,

Regards
Brian Bines

[PMoz99]

Thank you for that information Stig and Brian. I guess then that there never will be any additional information about Horn. A pity, as he was a double ace not unlike Kaj Birksted, but if that is what the family wants, then who are we to argue against it?
Thanks again.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Brian

I believe you have a very valid point. At least in Scandinavia there was both a general fear of not only communism but also the increasing power of Soviet Union as such.

Without going into a lot of political details, I think it is rather safe to say that most individuals who joined the Military ranks at this point in time were more right wing than left wing in their views (you always find exceptions of course).

For such individuals it is easy to fall for propaganda talks from 'strong' leaders who are more emotional than truthful, hence the large numbers who in fact listened and also believed what the German propaganda was saying. During the 1930s it was legio to learn German in Sweden, but not necessarily English.

With the invasion in 1939 of Finland by Soviet Union large number of individuals including members of the Government was both apalled and outraged. In Sweden it was very easy to side with Finland and practically everyone who could tried to help in one way or another. So yes in 1939 it was very acceptable to go to Finland and fight for the 'right' cause.

Sweden, luckily, escaped the horrors of WW 2 and those persons who later joined various SS fractions (even those serving with the tarnished Einsatzkommandon on the Eastern Front) were never punished when they returned. However the situation in Denmark and Norway became very, very different after April 1940. Germany was now the invader and regardless what their main aim was, any fighting for them (the enemy ment nothing any more), ment they had become traitors and were treated like that when they got back. And of course in 1945 it was payback time.

Both Poul Sommer and Peter Horn must have paid heavily for their sins, but unfortunately (both in Denmark and Norway) this punishment went on to include also their children and grandchildren, which in my mind was (and is) very wrong. In my world there is no inherent sin. I also think we have to try and see the now living relatives of Peter Horn in that light and accept their decision.

B Rgds
Stig

[Brian Bines]

Stig,

I guess in 2016 it is easier to understand the motives of those from occupied countries who joined German forces to fight communism . But in the context of 1945 their actions would have not been seen in a favourable light, when they returned home, by those who lived through the occupations ,

Regards
Brian Bines

[Stig Jarlevik]

Indeed Brian, indeed!

Cheers
Stig

[RolandF]

Wasn´t he from the North Schleswig German minority, part of the Deutsches Reich until 1920? Thus the "free will" to join the german forces was somehow limited as it was with Alsatians, Westprussians and inhabitants of the Eupen-Malmedy region. They were only able to choose the wrong side regardless which side they chose. Being court-martialled was a certain fate - either in 1940 or in 1945.

Regards
RolandF

[ju55dk]

Sommer joined SS in 1943. He also formed a cops of volunters, to guard LW-installations in Denmark. They were also used to terrorise ordinary Danish people. This was the reason why he recieved a death sentence. But later changed. And no it's not easier to understand the reason behind, to take on the uniform used by the nation who occupied Denmark. The communist scare was real, but was also used, after the war to explain why a person did chose to fight for Germany. Over 50% of those danes that joined the german war effort were members of the Danish nazi-party.

Junker