Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein
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| Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein | |
|---|---|
| 14 August 1916 — 21 January 1944 (aged 27) | |
 Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein |
|
| Place of birth | Copenhague |
| Place of death | Lübars by Stendal |
| Allegiance | Germany |
| Service/branch | Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1937 - 1944 |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | KG 1, KG 51, NJG 2, NJG 7 |
| Commands held | NJG 2, IV./NJG 7 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwerten |
Prince Heinrich Alexander Ludwig Peter zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (Copenhagen, August 14, 1916 - KIA January 21, 1944 ) was the third highest scoring ace of night-fighters[1] in the Luftwaffe during World War Two.
Sayn-Wittgenstein was a descendant of Russian Field Marshal Prince Peter Khristianovich zu Sayn-Wittgenstein Berleburg who was a prominent commander in the Imperial Russian Army during the Napoleonic wars. Because he wanted to fly, his father bought him an airplane. With the battle of Britain having caused a shortage of pilots, Sayn-Wittgenstein was accepted into the Luftwaffe when he reapplied in 1940.
Serving from mid 1941 until his death in 1944, Zu Sayn-Wittgenstein was an exponent of the Ju 88C-6 nightfighter; at one point he was the Gruppenkommander of part of NJG 5 on the Eastern Front, using two aircraft equipped with FuG 202 Lichtenstein B/C or FuG 212 Lichtenstein C-1: C9+AE and a streamlined, stripped aircraft, C9+DE.
He was killed on January 21, 1944, after shooting down four RAF bombers, when his aircraft R4+XM an aircraft taken over when his own was under repair, was hit either by return fire or an RAF nightfighter; he ordered his crew to bail out, which they did; the aircraft hit hard and broke up on landing and he was apparently thrown clear, being killed by the impact. His score at that time was 83, on both Eastern (29 Soviet) and Western fronts (54). He was posthumously awarded the knight's cross with oak leaves and swords.
[edit] Awards
- Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe
- German Cross in Gold (21 August 1942)
- Iron Cross 2. and 1. class
- Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
[edit] References
- ^ For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II Night Fighter aces
- Berger, Florian, Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges. Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2006. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
- Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit. Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Oberleutnant Karl Hülshoff |
Commander of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 January 1, 1944 - February 4, 1944 |
Succeeded by Oberst Günther Radusch |
