Heinrich Höfer

For the German landscape artist, see Heinrich Höfer (painter)

Karl Heinrich Höfer (14 July 1911 – 2 January 1996) was a highly decorated Major in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Heinrich Höfer
Born	14 July 1911 Bad Oeynhausen
Died	2 January 1996(1996-01-02) (aged 84) Bad Oeynhausen
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer (1929–35) Luftwaffe (1935–45)
Years of service	1929–45
Rank	Major
Commands held	II./Kampfgeschwader 55
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of Britain Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) Siege of Sevastopol (1941–1942) Battle of Stalingrad Battle of Kursk Italian Campaign
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Awards and decorations

• Aviator badge
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (16 September 1939)^{[1][Note 1]}
  • 1st Class (12 June 1941)^{[1][Note 2]}
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (18 November 1941)
• German Cross in Gold on 16 July 1942 as Hauptmann in the Stab/Kampfgeschwader 55^[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 3 September 1943 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of II./Kampfgeschwader 55^[4]
  • 656th Oak Leaves on 18 November 1944 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of II./Kampfgeschwader 55^[5]

Notes

1. According to Thomas on 12 September 1939.^[2]
2. According to Thomas on 23 June 1940.^[2]

References

Citations

1. Kaiser 2010, p. 42.
2. Thomas 1997, p. 288.
3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 190.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 189.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 77.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Kaiser, Jochen (2010). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger—Band 1 (in German and English). Bad Zwischenahn, Germany: Luftfahrtverlag-Start. ISBN 978-3-941437-07-4.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com