Kurt Ebener

Kurt Ebener (4 May 1920 – 7 May 1975) was a 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.

Kurt Ebener
Born	4 May 1920 Könitz/Saalfeld, Germany
Died	7 May 1975 (aged 55) Fischbach (Taunus), Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1939–45
Rank	Oberleutnant
Unit	JG 3, JG 11
Commands held	5./JG 11
Battles/wars	World War II Eastern Front Western Front Operation Barbarossa Battle of Stalingrad Defence of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Career

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 1942 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.

Awards

• 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[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (7 April 1943)

References

Citations

1. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 95.

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 [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
• 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.