Ulrich_Wöhnert

Ulrich Wöhnert

Ulrich Wöhnert

German Luftwaffe pilot (1914–1947)

Ulrich Wöhnert (24 October 1914 – 14 August 1947) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. During his career he was credited with 86 aerial victories, all over the Eastern Front.

Quick Facts Born, Died ...

Career

Wöhnert was born on 24 October 1914 in Wolfshagen in the Province of Brandenburg within the German Empire, present-day part of Uckerland in Brandenburg.[1]

On 7 April 1944 at 21:25 in the evening, Wöhnert was injured during an aerial bombing attack on Wesenberg, present-day Rakvere, keeping him out of combat for some time. Following his convalescence, he was assigned to 1. Staffel.[2]

Squadron leader

In August 1944, Wöhnert was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 5. Staffel of Jgadgeschwader 54, replacing Oberleutnant Wilhelm Schilling in this capacity. The Staffel was subordinated to II. Gruppe of JG 54 under command of Major Erich Rudorffer.[3]

In May 1945, he was taken prisoner of war (POW) by Soviet forces. Imprisoned in a Soviet POW camp at Kutaisi,[4] he died on 14 August 1947. Official reports state that he died of pneumonia while fellow inmates claim that he committed suicide.[5]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to Spick, Wöhnert was credited with 86 aerial victories claimed in an unknown number of missions, all of which on the Eastern Front.[6] Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for at least 83 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.[7]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 47622". 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.[8]

More information Chronicle of aerial victories, Claim ...

Awards

Notes

  1. [N 1]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 16:57.[13]
  2. [N 2]
    This claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock.[14]
  3. [N 3]
    This claim is not listed by Mathews and Foreman.[23]
  4. [N 4]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 09:16.[13]
  5. [N 5]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 16:56.[13]
  6. [N 6]
    According to Mathews and Foreman claimed at 14:37.[33]

References

Citations

  1. [1]
    Obermaier 1989, p. 225.
  2. [2]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 394.
  3. [3]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 471.
  4. [4]
    Scherzer 2007, p. 793.
  5. [5]
    Dixon 2023, p. 189.
  6. [6]
    Spick 1996, p. 235.
  7. [7]
    Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1434–1436.
  8. [8]
    Planquadrat.
  9. [9]
    Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1434–1435.
  10. [10]
    Prien et al. 2006, p. 89.
  11. [11]
    Prien et al. 2006, p. 94.
  12. [12]
    Prien et al. 2006, p. 90.
  13. [13]
    Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1435.
  14. [14]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 172.
  15. [15]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 183.
  16. [16]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 174.
  17. [17]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 175.
  18. [18]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 176.
  19. [19]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 179.
  20. [20]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 184.
  21. [21]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 180.
  22. [22]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 181.
  23. [23]
    Mathews & Foreman 2015, pp. 1435–1436.
  24. [24]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 185.
  25. [25]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 186.
  26. [26]
    Prien et al. 2012, p. 182.
  27. [27]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 380.
  28. [28]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 381.
  29. [29]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 382.
  30. [30]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 384.
  31. [31]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 385.
  32. [32]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 386.
  33. [33]
    Mathews & Foreman 2015, p. 1436.
  34. [34]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 482.
  35. [35]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 484.
  36. [36]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 483.
  37. [37]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 485.
  38. [38]
    Prien et al. 2022, p. 486.
  39. [39]
    Dixon 2023, p. 188.
  40. [40]
    Patzwall 2008, p. 220.
  41. [41]
    Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 520.
  42. [42]
    Fellgiebel 2000, p. 451.

Bibliography

  • Bergström, Christer [in Swedish]. "Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website". Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat. Archived from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  • Dixon, Jeremy (2023). Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-39903-073-1.
  • 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 4 S–Z. Walton on Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 978-1-906592-21-9.
  • 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 (2006). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 9/III—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/III—From the 1942 Summer Campaign to the Defeat at Stalingrad—1 May 1942 to 3 February 1943] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Struve-Druck. ISBN 978-3-923457-78-6.
  • 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; Balke, Ulf; Bock, Winfried (2022). Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 15/II—Einsatz im Osten—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 [The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 15/II—Action in the East—1 January to 31 December 1944] (in German). Eutin, Germany: Buchverlag Rogge. ISBN 978-3-942943-28-4.
  • 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.
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