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”’Heinrich Höfemeier”’ (21 August 1913 – 7 August 1943) was a [[Luftwaffe]] [[fighter ace]] and recipient of the [[Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross]] during [[World War II]]. He claimed 96 victories in 490 missions. All his victories were claimed over the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]]. He was shot down and killed in action on 7 August 1943. |
”’Heinrich Höfemeier”’ (21 August 1913 – 7 August 1943) was a [[Luftwaffe]] [[fighter ace]] and recipient of the [[Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross]] during [[World War II]]. He claimed 96 victories in 490 missions. All his victories were claimed over the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]]. He was shot down and killed in action on 7 August 1943. |
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==Early life and career== |
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Höfemeier was born on 21 August 1913 in Langenholzhausen, present-day part of [[Kalletal]], then in the [[Principality of Lippe]], a [[States of the German Empire|Federated State]] of the [[German Empire]]. On 1 May 1933, he joined the military service of the then still secret branch of the [[Luftwaffe]].{{sfn|Obermaier|1989|p=134}} He was trained as a [[flight engineer]] and served with the ground staff of the [[Condor Legion]] during the [[Spanish Civil War]].{{sfn|Dixon|2023|p=179}} |
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==World War II== |
==World War II== |
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Latest revision as of 13:17, 27 November 2025
German fighter ace and Knight’s Cross recipient
Heinrich Höfemeier (21 August 1913 – 7 August 1943) was a Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. He claimed 96 victories in 490 missions. All his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front. He was shot down and killed in action on 7 August 1943.
Early life and career
[edit]
Höfemeier was born on 21 August 1913 in Langenholzhausen, present-day part of Kalletal, then in the Principality of Lippe, a Federated State of the German Empire. On 1 May 1933, he joined the military service of the then still secret branch of the Luftwaffe. He was trained as a flight engineer and served with the ground staff of the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War.
JG 51 area of operation during Operation Barbarossa was over the right flank of Army Group Center in the combat area of the 2nd Panzer Group as well as the 4th Army. On the morning of 22 June, Höfemeier and his wingman Leutnant Heinrich Bär were escorting a damaged Heinkel He 111 over German lines when they made contact with 18 Tupolev SB bombers from the 39 SBAP (Skorostnoy Bombardirovohchnyy Aviatsionny Polk—high speed bomber aviation regiment) and 10 SAD (Smeshannaya Aviatsionnaya Diviziya—composite aviation regiment). The German pilots attacked; Höfemeier claimed four, Bär two—though the former was wounded in the left arm. Höfemeier noted the vulnerability of the Soviet aircraft which lacked self-sealing fuel tanks and had a propensity to burst into flames. More JG 51 Bf 109s appeared and claimed six more. None of the 18 bombers returned home. Höfemeier had claimed his first four aerial victories.
On 5 April 1942, Höfemeier was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for 41 aerial victories claimed.
On 7 August 1943, Höfemeier was shot down and killed in action when his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-4 “Brown 5” (Werknummer 5667—factory number) was hit by Soviet anti-aircraft artillery near Karachev.
Aerial victory claims
[edit]
According to the US historian David Zabecki, Höfemeier was credited with 96 aerial victories. Spick also lists him with 96 aerial victories claimed in 490 combat missions, all of which on the Eastern Front.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example “PQ 46161”. The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360 square miles (930 km2). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.
- Aders, Gebhard; Held, Werner (1993). Jagdgeschwader 51 ‘Mölders’ Eine Chronik – Berichte – Erlebnisse – Dokumente [Fighter Wing 51 ‘Mölders’ A Chronicle – Reports – Experiences – Documents] (in German). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-613-01045-1.
- Bergström, Christer [in Swedish] (2007). Barbarossa – The Air Battle: July–December 1941. London: Chevron/Ian Allan. ISBN 978-1-85780-270-2.
- Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. “Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website”. Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
- Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight’s Cross Holders 1939–1942. Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-52677-864-2.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Mathews, Andrew Johannes; Foreman, John (2015). Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims — Volume 2 G–L. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-19-6.
- Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight’s Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
- Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
- Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2003). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 6/I—Unternehmen “BARBAROSSA”—Einsatz im Osten—22.6. bis 5.12.1941 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 6/I—Operation “BARBAROSSA”—Action in the East—22 June to 5 December 1941] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-69-4.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/II—Vom Sommerfeldzug 1942 bis zur Niederlage von Stalingrad—1.5.1942 bis 3.2.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 9/II—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-77-9.
- Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Rodeike, Peter; Bock, Winfried (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/I—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/I—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-02-4.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight’s Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.
- Weal, John (2006). Jagdgeschwader 51 “Mölders”. Aviation Elite Units. Vol. 22. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-045-1.
- Zabecki, David T., ed. (2014). Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-59884-981-3.
