Günther Scholz

Günther Scholz (8 December 1911 – 24 October 2014)^[1] was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and wing commander during World War II, and was the last surviving member of the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War. He later participated in the Battle of Britain and commanded Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing) during World War II.^[2] He had accumulated at least 33 "kills" during his time of service. His memoirs are documented in the book In the Skies over Europe.^[3]

Günther Scholz
Born	8 December 1911
Died	24 October 2014(2014-10-24) (aged 102)
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Branch	Luftwaffe
Unit	Condor Legion
Commands	Jagdgeschwader 5 Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen
Known for	Last surviving veteran of the Condor Legion
Battles / wars	Spanish Civil War World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain Operation Barbarossa
Awards	German Cross in Gold

Career

On 1 September 1943, Scholz was promoted to Geschwaderkommodore (Wing Commander) of JG 5 thus succeeding Oberstleutnant Gotthard Handrick. Scholz's previous position of Gruppenkommandeur (Group Commander) of III. Gruppe of JG 5 was backfilled by Hauptmann (captain) Heinrich Ehrler.^[4] On 1 August 1944, Scholz was given the position of Jagdfliegerführer Norwegen. In consequence of this decision, Major Ehrler again succeeded Scholz in his previous command position of Geschwaderkommodore of JG 5.^[5] At the time of his death, he was the last known surviving Lieutenant Colonel of the Wehrmacht.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that Scholz was credited with 33 aerial victories. This figure includes one claim during the Spanish Civil War, eight claims during the Battle of France and Battle of Britain on the Western Front, eighteen claims during Operation Barbarossa and six further claims at the Arctic Sea of the Eastern Front.^[6]

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 36 Ost 2912". 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.^[7]

Chronicle of aerial victories
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location
– 3. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88 –[6] Spanish Civil War
1	19 August 1938	—	I-16
– 1. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 21 –[6] Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940
2	13 May 1940	06:50	Hawk 75	east of Leuven[8]	4	26 May 1940	09:06	Hawk 75	vicinity of Lens/Douai[8]
3	20 May 1940	18:22	M.S.406	west of Péronne[8]	5	26 May 1940	09:16	Hawk 75	vicinity of Lens/Douai[9]
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[6] Action at the Channel and over England — 26 June – 5 September 1940
6	25 August 1940	20:10	Spitfire	west of Folkestone[10]	8	2 September 1940	13:55	Spitfire[10]
7	28 August 1940	17:20	Hurricane[10]
– Stab III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[6] Action at the Channel and over England — 5 September – 27 October 1940
9	28 September 1940	11:07	Spitfire[10]
– 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 –[6] Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 5 December 1941
10	23 June 1941	11:50	SB-2[11]		19	12 July 1941	16:00	DB-3[12]
11	30 June 1941	12:10	DB-3[13]		20	14 July 1941	03:30	I-16[12]
12	30 June 1941	12:12	DB-3[13]		21	21 July 1941	20:55	SB-3[12]
13	30 June 1941	12:14	DB-3[13]		22	1 August 1941	19:05	DB-3[12]
14	6 July 1941	10:00	SB-3	east of Ostrov[13]	23	19 September 1941	14:00	I-153[14]
15	6 July 1941	10:07	SB-3	east of Ostrov[13]	24	26 September 1941	16:07	MiG-1[14]
16	7 July 1941	15:40	SB-3[13]		25	30 September 1941	15:40	I-153[14]
17	7 July 1941	15:41	SB-3[13]		26	4 October 1941	08:35	I-18 (MiG-1)[14]
18	10 July 1941	09:15	SB-3	east of Pskov[13]	27	11 October 1941	11:10	I-26 (Yak-1)[14]
– III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 5 –[6] Arctic Front
28	6 February 1942	11:10	P-40[15]		31	14 July 1942	12:35	Hurricane	Murmansk[16] vicinity of Murmashi
29	24 March 1942	18:25	Hurricane		32	12 August 1942	14:30	MiG-1	PQ 36 Ost 2912[16]
30	18 May 1942	10:25	Hurricane	20 km (12 mi) west of Murmansk[17]	33	18 August 1943	16:24	P-40	west of Cap Korabelnyj[18]

Awards

• German Cross in Gold on 8 September 1942^[6]