Günther Lützow

Infobox Military Person
name=Günther Lützow
born=birth date|1912|9|4|df=y
died=death date and age|1945|4|24|1912|9|4|df=y
placeofbirth= Kiel
placeofdeath= near Donauwörth


caption=Günther Lützow
nickname=Franzl
allegiance=flagicon|Germany Weimar Republic (to 1933)
flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=Luftwaffe
serviceyears=1931-1945
rank=Oberst
commands= 2./J 88
I./JG 3 (3.11.39 - 21.8.40)
JG 3 (21.8.40 - 11.8.42)
JG 51 (10.41 - 11.41)
unit=J 88, JG 3, JG 51, JV 44
battles=Spanish Civil War
World War II
*Battle of France
*Battle of Britain
*Operation Barbarossa
awards="Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords and Diamonds"
"Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords"
laterwork=

Günther Lützow (4 September 1912 - 24 April 1945) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and a leader in the "Fighter Pilots Revolt". Lützow was credited with 110 victories achieved in over 300 combat missions. He scored 5 victories during the Spanish Civil War. He recorded 20 victories over the Western Front, including at least one four-engine bomber, and 85 victories over the Eastern Front.

Career

On 7 April 1931, Lützow began his pilot training at the "Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule" (German Air Transport School) at Schleißheim. He and 29 other trainees attended what was called "Kameradschaft 31", abbreviated "K 31". Among the members of "K 31" were future Luftwaffe staff Officers like Wolfgang Falck and Hannes Trautloft. Lützow graduated from the Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule 19 February 1932. From "K 31" Lützow and nine others were recommended for "Sonderausbildung" (special training). These ten men were the privileged few and were allowed to attend fighter pilot training. [Kurt Braatz, pages 28-51]

Spanish Civil War

Lützow initially served as a Lieutenant in the infantry, before transferring to the Luftwaffe as a pilot with I./JG 132 "Richtofen". During the Spanish Civil War, Lützow was "Staffelkapitän" of 2./J 88 in the Condor Legion. From March to September 1937, Oberleutnant Lützow claimed five victories, including the first ever recorded by the Bf 109. In November 1938, Lützow became an instructor at "Jagdfliegerschule" 1 at Werneuchen.

In 1938 Lützow was assigned to the Reichsluftfahrtministerium, Sonderstab W. In charge was General Helmuth Wilberg. Sonderstab W. was responsible for collecting and analysing the tactical lessons learned from the Spanish Civil War. It is here that Lützow met Gisela von Priesdorff (the oldest daughter of military historian Kurt von Priesdorff), his later wife to be. Lützow wrote up his manuscript "Erfahrungsbericht Winterausbildung 1937/1938, Jüterbog-Damm, 5. Staffel" documenting all his experience and ideas. This manuscript already referenced the "finger four" formation as the clearly superior tactical formation for contemporary fighter aircraft. Lützow's friend and comrade Werner Mölders months later solved the problem of manoeuvring a "finger four" formation by introducing what is still known today as the "crossover turn" or "tac turn". [Kurt Braatz, pages 174-182]

World War II

Lützow became "Gruppenkommandeur" I./JG 3 in November 1939. During the French campaign, he claimed a further nine victories. At the height of the Battle of Britain in August 1940, Lützow was appointed "Geschwaderkommodore" of Jagdgeschwader 3. After eight more victories over England, Lützow was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ("Ritterkreuz") in September.

In spring 1941, JG 3 received the new Bf 109-F before Lützow led JG 3 east for the invasion of Russia. On 17 July 1941, he recorded his 40th claim and was awarded the Oak Leaves ("Eichenlaub") for the Knight's Cross on 20 July. He was shot down by Soviet ground fire on 23 September, force-landing behind enemy lines, but he returned to his unit unhurt. In October, he claimed 29 victories, including five bombers shot down on 8 October. He was awarded the Swords ("Schwerter") for the Knight's Cross on 11 October 1941 for 92 claims. He became the second "Experte" ( after Werner Mölders) to achieve 100 victories, on 24 October. Lützow was then grounded. In early November, he led Stab. JG 3 back to Germany to rest and re-equip. In May 1942, Lützow and JG 3 commenced operations near Kharkov, moving into the Crimea and Stalingrad. Lützow added one victory when he claimed a I-61 fighter on 21 May 1942 for his 107th kill.

Sometime in June 1942, most likely in Grakowo, Lützow was visited by two men from the SS. They were of lower rank and arrived by car. Lützow kindly asked them how he can be of assistance to them. They responded by requesting as many men as possible to form up execution squads to liquidate Jews, Soviet Political Officers and other "scum". Lützow was furious and ordered the entire Geschwader in full dress uniform to assemble. Before the entire Jagdgeschwader Lützow explained what the SS had requested and that he considered this act to be barbaric and criminal in nature. He threatened his soldiers to resign from command and take off his uniform if even a single soldier volunteered. This act got Lützow in trouble with the SS and the NSDAP. [Kurt Braatz, pages 265-267]

In August 1942, Lützow was posted to the staff of the "General der Jagdflieger" where he became Inspector of Day Fighters, Eastern Front. Arguably Adolf Galland's decision to appoint Lützow was motivated to get him out of the "line of fire".

In July 1943, Oberst Lützow became Inspector of Day Fighters, Italian Front, based in Naples. He then commanded "1. Jagddivision" based at Döberitz from September 1943 to March 1944, where he assumed command for day and night fighter operations in north western Germany, Holland and Belgium. In January 1944, he commanded "4. Fliegerschuldivision".

In Fall of 1943 Günther Lützow received news that his older brother, Korvettenkapitän Werner Lützow commander of the 4. Schnellbootflottille, was killed in action. [Kurt Braatz, page 305]

Lützow would become known as a prime mover behind the "Fighter Pilots' Mutiny" in late 1944. This was an attempt to reinstate Adolf Galland, who had been sacked as "General der Jagdflieger" for his outspokenness to the Luftwaffe high command. The behavior of Lützow and the other leading pilots was regarded as "mutiny" by Göring, who relieved him of his command and had Lützow posted to Italy to take over "Jagdfliegerführer Oberitalien".

He later joined Adolf Galland’s JV 44 jet unit. Lützow recorded two victories flying the Me 262 jet fighter, but was posted missing on 24 April 1945 while attempting to intercept a USAAF B-26 raid. His body was never recovered and his aircraft was never found.

Awards

* Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords and Diamonds (7 July 1939)
* Wound Badge in Black
* German Cross in Gold
* Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "300"
* Combined Pilots-Observation Badge in Gold with Diamonds
* Iron Cross 2. and 1. class
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
** Knight's Cross (18 September 1940)
** 27. Oak Leaves (20 July 1941)
** 4. Swords (11 October 1941)
* Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (25 October 1941)

ee also

*List of Spanish Civil War air aces

References

* Berger, Florian. "Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges". Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2006. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5
* Braatz, Kurt. "Gott oder ein Flugzeug - Leben und Sterben des Jagdfliegers Günther Lützow". NeunundzwanzigSechs Verlag, 2005. ISBN 3-9807935-6-7
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.

External links

* [http://www.luftwaffe.cz/lutzow.html Günther Lützow @ Aces of the Luftwaffe]
* [http://www.guentherluetzow.de/ Guentherluetzow.de ] at www.guentherluetzow.de Book "Gott oder ein Flugzeug. Leben und Sterben des Jagdfliegers Günther Lützow."