Franz Buchner
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| Franz Büchner | |
| Born | 2 January 1898 Leipzig, Germany |
|---|---|
| Died | 18 March 1920 Germany |
| Occupation | Pilot |
Franz Büchner (2 January 1898-18 March 1920) was one of the most successful German fighter aces of the First World War.
Büchner was born in Leipzig in the Kingdom of Saxony and volunteered for the army in September 1914, a few months shy of his 17th birthday. He served in Royal Saxon 7th Infantry Regiment Nr. 106 (Kgl. Sächsisches 7. Infanterie-Regiment König Georg Nr. 106). He fought on both the western and eastern fronts and was commissioned in 1916 shortly after his 18th birthday. After being wounded he transferred to the German Army Air Service, or Luftstreitkräfte, and was assigned as an observation pilot.
In March 1917 Büchner became a fighter pilot, joining Jagdstaffel 9 where he scored his first victory in August. Upon transfer to Jasta 13, he found his niche under Rudolph Berthold, one of Germany's most dedicated soldiers.
With advent of the Fokker D.VII Büchner came into his own. He scored three victories in June, seven in July, eight in August, and 17 in September. He brought his tally to 40 in October when he received the Pour le Mérite on October 25, 1918, one of the last awards before the Kaiser's abdication.
Besides the Pour le Mérite, Prussia's highest military honor, Büchner also received the highest military honor of his home state, Saxony's Military Order of St. Henry (Militär-St. Heinrichs-Orden), on October 7, 1918. Büchner's other decorations include the Prussian Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class, the Knight's Cross with Swords of Prussia's Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, the Knight's Cross with Swords of Saxony's Merit Order, and the Knight's Cross with Swords of Saxony's Albert Order.
In the turbulent postwar period the 22-year-old Büchner flew against communist revolutionaries but was killed on March 18, only three days after Berthold was murdered in Harburg.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- Norman Franks et al (1993). "Above the Lines: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service, and Flanders Marine Corps 1914-1918." Grub Street, London.
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