Horst Tietzen

Horst Tietzen (19 July 1912 – 18 August 1940) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II.

Tietzen was born 19 July 1912 at Arnswalde (today Choszczno in Poland). As a Leutnant, Tietzen served with 3. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88 of the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War. He claimed his first air victory on 19 July 1938, downing a Republican I-16. He claimed a further six victories and was awarded the Spanienkreuz in Gold. In August 1939 Tietzen was appointed Staffelkapitän of 5./Jagdgeschwader 51.

He shot down a French Bloch MB.174 bomber for his first victory of World War II on 20 April 1940. He recorded his 17th victory on 25 July 1940, a Spitfire near Dover. On 15 August Tietzen shot down three Hurricanes. He became the fourth German fighter pilot to record 20 victories on 18 August. However, on the same day he was shot down in aerial combat with Royal Air Force Hurricane fighters over the Thames Estuary. His body later washed ashore at Calais in France. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross on 20 August 1940 and was also promoted to Hauptmann. He was credited with 27 victories, 7 during the Spanish Civil War and 20 during World War II.

• Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwerten
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 August 1940 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän 5./Jagdgeschwader 51

• Scherzer 2007, p. 746.
• Fellgiebel 2000, p. 423.