Kurt Ebener

Kurt Ebener (4 May 1920 – 7 May 1975) was a German Luftwaffe fighter 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. Kurt Ebener was credited with 57 victories in 150 missions, 52 over the Eastern Front.

Ebener began a military career, joining the Luftwaffe on 17 November 1939. He was posted to 4/ JG 3 based on the Eastern Front. On 23 May he scored his first two victories when he shot down two Russian Polikarpov I-16 fighters. Ebener reached his 10th victory on 30 July and his 20th on 17 December. From December until January 1943 he operated from within the Stalingrad pocket. During four weeks he shot down 30 enemy aircraft. On 1 March 1943, he was transferred to Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Ost to undertake a period of instructing.

On 7 April, after reaching 53 victories, Ebener was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, he was simultaneously promoted to the rank of Leutnant. On 31 March 1944 he was transferred to 5./ JG 11 and on 15 July, he was appointed the Staffelkapitän of 5./ JG 11 based on the invasion front in Normandy. In August Ebener shot down five USAAF fighters, including three P-47 Thunderbolts. He was shot down himself in a dogfight with USAAF fighters southeast of Paris while flying a Bf 109 G (“Black 2”) on 23 August 1944. Although saved by his parachute, he was badly wounded and become a prisoner of war. Due to his serious injuries he was repatriated to Germany in January 1945.

Kurt Ebener was credited with 57 victories in 150 missions, 52 over the Eastern Front, including 14 Il-2 Sturmoviks and five over the Western Front.

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge in Black
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (15 March 1943)
• German Cross in Gold on 18 March 1943 as Feldwebel in the 4./Jagdgeschwader 3
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (7 April 1943)

• Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 95.