Quick Facts
Biography
Karl Hermann Gotthard Handrick (25 October 1908 – 30 May 1978) was a German Olympic athlete and German fighter pilot during the Spanish Civil War and World War II.
Career
Gotthard Handrick received his Abitur (diploma) in 1929 and the joined the military service of the Reichswehr.
He won the gold medal in the modern pentathlon at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. As a fighter pilot, he participated in Spanish Civil War and claimed 5 aerial victories while flying for the Legion Condor (including a I-15 on 9 September 1937 and an I-16 on 18 May 1938).
In July 1937 Handrick was appointed to command Jagdgruppe 88 (18 July 1937 – 10 September 1938) and assumed command of I./JG 26 (1 May 1939 – 23 June 1940) after his return from Spain in 1938. On 24 June 1940 command of Jagdgeschwader 26 was handed over to Major Handrick, who passed command of I./JG 26 to Hpt. Kurt Fischer. On 22 August 1940 Major Adolf Galland of III./JG 26 replaced Handrick as Geschwaderkommodore of JG 26.
He then became Kommodore of Ergänzungsjagdgruppe 2 briefly before a posting in October to I./JG 28. In June 1941 Handrick was posted to command JG 77. While serving on the Eastern Front he claimed a MiG-3 on 29 September and a Pe-2 on 22 October 1941.
During World War II he claimed another 10 victories while serving in the German military, earning him the German Cross in Gold on 17 October 1943.
In May 1942 Oberstlt. Handrick transferred to command JG 5 in Norway and Northern Russia. From June 1943 to June 1944 he was Jagdfliegerführer Ostmark, then as an Oberst. become commanding officer of 8. Jagddivision in Austria until the end of the war.
After the war he worked in Hamburg as a representative of Daimler-Benz.
Awards
- Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords
- Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class
- German Cross in Gold (17 October 1943)