Viktor Petermann

Viktor Petermann (26 May 1916 – 19 May 2001) was a German Luftwaffe 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. Viktor Petermann was captured by American troops in May 1945, he was handed over to Soviet troops and was released in August 1945 due to his health problems. At the end of the war he flew the Me 262 fighter jet. During his career was credited with 64 aerial victories, four of them, after he lost his arm in an airfight,[1] all on the Eastern Front.

Viktor Petermann
Born	26 May 1916 Weipert
Died	19 May 2001 (aged 84) Freiberg
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1939–45
Rank	Oberleutnant
Unit	JG 52 JG 7
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of the Caucasus Battle of Kursk Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Awards

• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (9 September 1943)[2]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (31 August 1942)
  • 1st Class (16 October 1942)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (12 June 1943)
  • in Silver (22 December 1943)
• German Cross in Gold on 23 July 1943 as Feldwebel in the 5./Jagdgeschwader 52[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 February 1944 as Leutnant and pilot in the III./Jagdgeschwader 52 [4]

References

Citations

1. Jagdgeschwader 7 ‘Nowotny’, Robert Forsyth, page 74
2. Obermaier 1989, p. 178.
3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 347.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 274.

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.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• 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.

External links

• Luftwaffe 1939–1945 History
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945
• Aces of the Luftwaffe