Hendrik Stahl

Hendrik Stahl
Born	24 July 1921 Copenhagen
Died	25 January 2004 (aged 82)
Allegiance	Nazi Germany  West Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe  German Air Force
Years of service	1939–45 1956–59
Rank	Hauptmann (Wehrmacht) Major (Bundeswehr)
Unit	StG 2 SG 2
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Britain Invasion of Yugoslavia Battle of Crete Operation Barbarossa Battle of Moscow Battle of Stalingrad Battle of Kursk
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Hendrik Stahl (24 July 1921 – 25 January 2004) was a highly decorated Major in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Hendrik Stahl was captured by British troops in May 1945. In 1956 he joined the Bundeswehr, serving until 1959. During his career he flew 1200+ missions and was credited with the destruction of 100+ tanks and armoured vehicles. Within 18 months he destroyed 66 tanks, 74 trucks, 25 anti-aircraft and artillery positions, 4 volley guns and 4 bridges. ^{[Notes 1]}

Awards and decorations

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold with Pennant "1200"
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (20 October 1941)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (8 May 1941)^[1]
  • 1st Class (31 July 1941)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 2 December 1941 as Leutnant in the 7./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 16 November 1942 as Hauptmann and pilot in the 8./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"^[3]
  • 506th Oak Leaves on 24 June 1944 as Major and Staffelkapitän of the 8./Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"^[4]

Notes

1. For a list of Luftwaffe ground attack aces see List of German World War II Ground Attack aces

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 341.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 453.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 330.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 71.

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.
• Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com
• Luftwaffe 1939-1945 History