Ernst-Erich Hirschfeld

Ernst-Erich Hirschfeld (25 August 1918 – 28 July 1944) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II of Nazi Germany. During his career he was credited with 24 aerial victories, 23 on the Western Front and 1 on the Eastern Front.

Ernst-Erich Hirschfeld
Born25 August 1918
Breslau, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Died28 July 1944(1944-07-28) (aged 25)
Erfurt, Nazi Germany
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Years of service?-1944
RankOberleutnant
UnitJG 54
JG 300
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

On 28 July 1944, Hirschfeld was killed in action after his parachute failed to open after he bailed out from his damaged Focke Wulf Fw 190 A-8 (Werknummer 171459—factory number) between Gehren and Erfurt.[1] Hirschfeld, who had commanded the 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 300 (JG 300—300th Fighter Wing), was succeeded by Oberleutnant Hans-Joachim Weber.[2] He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross on 24 October 1944.[3]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 18 aerial victories, plus seven further unconfirmed claims. This figure of confirmed aerial victories includes one claim on the Eastern Front and 17 claims on the Western Front, including more than nine four-engined bombers.[4]

Chronicle of aerial victories
  This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Hirschfeld did not receive credit.
  This along with the & (ampersand) indicates a endgültige Vernichtung (final destruction)—a coup de grâce inflicted on an already damaged heavy bomber.
  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.
Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location
– 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[5]
Eastern Front — 27 March – July 1943
1 26 May 1943 19:34 La-5 PQ 36 Ost 20231[6]
– 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 300 –[5]
Western Front — July 1943 – June 1943
2?[Note 1] 24 August 1943
—
 four-engine bomber[7] 10 20 February 1944 04:20 Lancaster Leipzig[8]
3 22 September 1943 22:55 Stirling Hannover[9][10] 11 21 February 1944 14:45 B-24 vicinity of Achmer[11]
4?[Note 2] 22 September 1943 23:15 Lancaster south of Vechta[9] 12 8 March 1944 15:42 P-38 north of Twente[11]
 ?[Note 3] 27 September 1943 23:04 Lancaster Hannover 13?[Note 1] 13 June 1944
—
 B-24 Weilheim[12]
5 27 September 1943 23:15 Stirling west of Hannover[13] 14?[Note 1] 13 June 1944
—
 B-24 Weilheim[12]
6 3 October 1943 22:27 Stirling south of Kassel[13][14] 15 21 June 1944 10:18 B-24 Berlin-Lichtenberg[15]
7?[Note 1] 18 November 1943
—
 four-engine bomber vicinity of Mannheim[16] 16 21 June 1944 10:20 B-17 Berlin-Lichtenberg[15]
8?[Note 1] 18 November 1943
—
 four-engine bomber vicinity of Mannheim[16]
—
?[Note 1]		 21 June 1944 10:24 B-24& south of Berlin[15]
9?[Note 1] 29 January 1944
—
 four-engine bomber[8]
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 300 –[5]
Western Front — June – 28 July 1944
17 26 June 1944 09:40 B-24 southwest of Tulln[15] 21 19 July 1944 09:35 P-51 Kempten-Sonthofen[17]
Immenstadt
18?[Note 1] 26 June 1944
—
 B-24 east of Stockerau[18] 22 25 July 1944 10:58 B-24 vicinity of Ostmark[19]
19 7 July 1944 09:38 B-24 vicinity of Magdeburg[20] 23 26 July 1944 11:10 P-51 Austria[21]
20 16 July 1944 09:48 B-17 northwest of Munich[22] 24 26 July 1944 11:20 B-17 Austria[21]

Awards

Notes
  1. According to Mathews and Foreman, this claim was unconfirmed.[5]
  2. This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[5]
  3. This claim is not listed by Lorant and Goyat.[9]
  4. According to Scherzer as pilot in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 300.[26]

References

Citations
  1. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 358.
  2. Prien et al. 2020, p. 113.
  3. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 260.
  4. Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 527–528.
  5. Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 527.
  6. Prien et al. 2012, p. 271.
  7. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 365.
  8. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 370.
  9. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 367.
  10. Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 115.
  11. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 371.
  12. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 373.
  13. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 368.
  14. Foreman, Parry & Mathews 2004, p. 119.
  15. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 374.
  16. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 369.
  17. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 378.
  18. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 375.
  19. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 379.
  20. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 376.
  21. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 380.
  22. Lorant & Goyat 2005, p. 377.
  23. Patzwall 2008, p. 103.
  24. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 188.
  25. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 228.
  26. Scherzer 2007, p. 393.

Bibliography
  • 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.
  • Foreman, John; Parry, Simon; Mathews, Johannes (2004). Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939–1945. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-0-9538061-4-0.
  • Lorant, Jean Yves; Goyat, Richard (2005). Jagdgeschwader 300 "Wilde Sau" - Volume One: June 1943 – September 1944. Hamilton, MT: Eagle Edition. ISBN 978-0-9761034-0-0.
  • 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 (2012). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/III—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/III—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-07-9.
  • Prien, Jochen; Stemmer, Gerhard; Bock, Winfried; Balke, Ulf (2020). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 13/VI—Einsatz im Reichsverteidigung und im Westen—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 13/VI—Action in the Defense of the Reich and in the West—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-942943-22-2.
  • 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.
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