The mystery of Oblt. Johann (Hans) Holzwarth

[Karoband]

From Kracker Luftwaffe Archive:

Holzwarth, Hans Oblt 7/25/1924 Heidelberg 12./KG 51 (1/45) Me 262 A-2 Bomber Operational Clasp Shot down 22 January, 1945 by Spitfires from RAF No 401 Squadron near Hopsten.

From deZeng & Stankey:

HOLZWARTH, Hans (DOB: 25.07.14 in Heidelberg). 23.01.45 Oblt., 12./KG 51 KIA - Me 262 A-2 vic Hörstel (5 km SE of Hopsten A/F) by 401 Sqdn. Buried at Hörstel-Dreierwalde.

From Dan O'Connell, p. 295:

170295 Me 262 A-2a. Shot down at 10:00 on 23 (or possibly 22) January 1945 by Tempests ... of No. 56 Squadron RAF, or a Spitfire of No. 401 Squadron, near Hopsten. It has been reported that Oblt. Hans (Johann) Holzwarth of 12./KG 51 was flying it, but he was not a pilot.

From Jan Horn, Das Flurschaden-Geschwader, p. 379 [appendix of personnel]:

Oblt. N.O. Holzwarth Johann (Hans) 2./KG 51 25.07.1914

From Jan Horn, Das Flurschaden-Geschwader, p. 367 [appendix of losses]:

23.01.1945 4./KG 51 Raum Paderborn F Absturz durch Tempest, FSA [bailed out] Me 262 A-2a 170295 100 F Uffz Kubizek ? -

From Bundesarchiv RL 5/644 p. 0114 [dates given are those the pilots died]:

7384 23.1.45 Oltn KO Holzwarth, Johann (25.7.14) F [flugzeugführer] I./JG 51 1

Is there any other documentary evidence that a pilot named Oblt. Johann Holzarth of I./JG 51 died on 23 January 1945 or that there was such a pilot in that unit?

[Rottler]

Hello Karoband,

in GQM 3 Feb 1945 item 8 is listed:
23.1.45 I./KG 51 Feindflug, Absturz bei Hopsten infolge Feindbeschuss, Me 262 A-2 WNr. 170295 100% Oblt Hans Holzwart †.
This entry was deleted on 18 March 1945 with reference to the loss return from 26 Jan 1945 item 7. Unfortunately this entry is not to locate.

Regards
Leo

[John Manrho]

At least what can be confirmed is that Oblt. Johann Holzwarth, geboren 25.07.1914 Heidelberg, was killed on 23.01.1945 and is buried at Dreierwalde cemetery, Row 1, Grave 4. His EM was B65104/13.

The JG 51 in RL5/644 is clearly a typo.

I cannot confirm if Holzwarth was indeed the pilot of that Me 262....

[Karoband]

Leo, thank you for the reference! That the original entry was deleted raises my suspicions as to the ID of the Me 262.

John, thank you for the confirmation of his death on 23 January 1945 and the details of his burial. I concur that the JG 51 is a typo but it does confirm he was a pilot ... and my suspicion is that he was flying an Me 262 on 22 or 23 January 1945. Hopefully more information will come to light.

[John Manrho]

All the evidence seems to indicate he flew that Me 262 Wnr. 170295 on 23.1.45. Not sure why Jan Horn came to another conclusion.

[Karoband]

Hi John,

What gives me pause is the clue that Leo provided. From RL 2-III/1199 p. 0023 at the top:

qq 8 3.2.45 I/K.G. 51 23.1.45 (Lw Kdo. streiche ganz ( Oblt. Holzwart, Hans 1(1) Toten, 1 Flzg. total Me 262 A2, 170295), vgl. Anfst. v. 26.1.45 west) lfd. Nr. 7

What I read is that the entire entry was to be struck out due to information found in an entry for 26.1.45. Unfortunately, RL 2-III/1197 has not been digitalized yet.

best regards,

Jim

[John Manrho]

Jim, it is not on RL 2-III/1197, because that is time period March 1945. If any, it should be on 1172 but I cannot find it there (I have microfiche).

[Karoband]

Alas! Thank you, John, for checking that.

[Kaczmarek]

Hello,

RL 2-III/1172, like 1170 and 1171 only missing flying personnel.

Rgds,
René