Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn

Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn (20 October 1910 – 24 June 1953) was a German military aviator and wing commander in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 68 enemy aircraft shot down in more than 500 combat missions. He claimed 34 aerial victories over the Eastern Front and 34 aerial victories over the Western Front, including one four-engine bomber. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, which was Germany's highest military decoration at the time of its presentation to Maltzahn.

Maltzahn was born on 20 October 1910 in Wodarg, present-day a borough of Werder in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at the time a Province of Pomerania as part of the German Empire. On 1 April 1931, he was accepted for military in the Reichswehr. However, Maltzahn did not join the cavalry regiment in Pasewalk, for one year, he trained as a pilot disguised as a civilian.

On 1 March 1934, Maltzahn was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) and began his service with the 4. and 2. Schwadron of 6. (Preußisch) Reiter-Regiment (4th and 2nd squadron of the 6th Prussian Cavalry Regiment) based in Pasewalk. On 1 October, he was transferred to the cavalry regiment in Schwedt, which was later renamed Kavallerie-Regiment 6 and was subordinated to the 1st Cavalry Division. Maltzahn transferred to the newly formed Luftwaffe on 1 April 1935. There, he was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) on 1 October and until 1 April 1936 received further flight training at the flight schools at Kitzingen and Würzburg. On 15 March 1937, Maltzahn was posted to the II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Jagdgeschwader 334, this unit was later designated II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 133 and finally became known as II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing).

World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. During the Battle of Britain on 8 August 1940, Maltzahn claimed his third aerial victory over a Supermarine Spitfire. On 8 October, he was appointed Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 53. Maltzahn reached 68 victories before leaving JG 53 in October 1943, assuming various staff positions. In February 1945 he was detached to 9 Fliegerdivision, until the end of the war. Maltzahn flew 497 missions and claimed 68 victories, 67 of them in the west.

After the war Maltzahn worked in agriculture and later in the "Amt Blank", a forerunner of the Ministry of Defence, on the reconstruction of the German Air Force. He was a candidate for the position of Inspector of the Air Force. He died of Hodgkin's lymphoma on 24 June 1953 in Düsseldorf at the age of 42. The street "Günther-von-Maltzahn-Straße" in Fürstenfeldbruck was named after him.

Aerial victory claims

Matthews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 67 confirmed aerial victory claims, plus three further unconfirmed claims. This figure of confirmed claims includes 33 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 34 on the Western Front, including one four-engined bomber.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (7 October 1939)
  • 1st Class (10 May 1940)
• German Cross in Gold on 23 December 1942 as Oberstleutnant in Jagdgeschwader 53
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 30 December 1940 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Jagdgeschwader 53
  • 29th Oak Leaves on 24 July 1941 as Major and Geschwaderkommodore of Jagdgeschwader 53

Promotions