Friedrich-Karl Freiherr von Dalwigk zu Lichtenfels

Friedrich-Karl Freiherr von Dalwigk zu Lichtenfels
Born	1 April 1907 Torgau
Died	9 July 1940 (aged 33) over the English Channel
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1933–40
Rank	Major (Posthumously)
Unit	Sturzkampfgeschwader 77
Commands held	I./StG 77
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of Britain
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Friedrich-Karl Freiherr von Dalwigk zu Lichtenfels^[a] (1 April 1907 – 9 July 1940) was a highly decorated Major in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Upon the opening stages of the Battle of Britain—known as the "Kanalkampf"—Friedrich-Karl Freiherr von Dalwigk zu Lichtenfels was shotdown by Royal Air Force fighters on 9 July 1940, both he and his radio operator were killed. He was posthumously promoted to Major and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 July 1940.

Awards and decorations

• Aviator badge
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 July 1940 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77^[1]

Footnotes

• ^a Regarding personal names: Freiherr is a former title (translated as Baron), which is now legally a part of the last name. The feminine forms are Freifrau and Freiin.

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 133.

Bibliography

• Brütting, Georg (1992) [1976]. Das waren die deutschen Stuka-Asse 1939 – 1945 [These were the German Stuka Aces 1939 – 1945] (in German) (7th ed.). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch. ISBN 978-3-87943-433-6.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (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.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Band II Stuka- und Schlachtflieger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Volume II Dive Bomber and Attack Aircraft] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-021-3.
• 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.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Luftwaffe 39-45