Helmut Mahlke

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Helmut Mahlke
Oberstleutnant Helmut Mahlke.jpg
Lieutenant Colonel Helmut Mahlke
Birth name Helmut Adalbert Mahlke
Birth date 27 August 1913
Place of birth Berlin-Lankwitz, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Death date 26 December 1998 (aged 85)
Place of death Heikendorf near Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Resting place Heikendorf cemetery
Allegiance  Weimar Republic
 National Socialist Germany
 West Germany
Service/branch  Reichsmarine
Luftwaffe eagle.jpg Luftwaffe
Bundeswehr cross.png Bundeswehr (Luftwaffe)
Deutsche Marine der Bundeswehr.png German Navy (Bundeswehr)
Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Flotilla Admiral (Flottenadmiral)
Lieutenant General
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Iron Cross
German Cross in Gold
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Relations ∞ Annemarie Vogt
Other work Businessman and self-employed sales representative

Helmut Adalbert Mahlke (27 August 1913 – 26 December 1998) was a German naval and air force officer as well as recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. As Stuka pilot of the Luftwaffe, Mahlke flew 159 combat missions (Feindflüge) with the Junkers Ju 87. His group sank two destroyers, a submarine and 29 merchant ships with a total of around 152,000 GRT during WWII. The Gruppe also damaged one cruiser and 150,000 GRT of shipping.

Life

Oberbaurat Hauptmann a. D. Prof. Fritz Mahlke and his wife Maria (parents)
Stukas against England, 14 Novembaer 1940
Knight's Cross for Helmut Mahlke
Major Mahlke
Lieutenant Colonel Mahlke
Order of the Star of Jordan, 2nd Class in 1966 for Flottenadmiral Helmut Mahlke
Reception of the Federal Navy on the destroyer Bayern on the occasion of Kiel Week 1966; In the picture the commander of the fleet Vice Admiral Heinrich Gerlach (1st from left) and the commander of the 7th Air Force Division (Schleswig) Brigadier General Helmut Mahlke (3rd from left) with their wives at the buffet.
Memoirs of a Stuka Pilot (Mahlke).jpg

Mahlke visited the Realgymnasium in Berlin and achieved his Abitur Easter 1931. He applied for the Reichswehr at the same time, but was turned down because of "6 kg underweight". He was greatly disappointed. He began studying ship engineering and aircraft construction at the renowned TH (technical college) Charlottenburg, but called upon the Reichsmarine recruiting officer every three months. He ate more, trained his body and enrolled for a sailing course with the Hanseatic Yacht Club Neustadt up on the Baltic coast. His efforts were successful, at the beginning of 1932, he was again tested and passed the medical examination. He was then sent to a twö-day psycho-technical aptitude test. This was all very secretive, but he didn't know why. The next day, another medical examination followed, and at the end of this, the doctor told him, he was a doctor of aviation medicine. Mahlke was assessed as suitable for pilot training. A few weeks later, an officer visited the parents and asked if they agreed for young Helmut to be admitted to the commercial flying school Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule (German Commercial Pilot School; DVS) in Warnemünde, and the parents agreed.

On 1 April 1932, Mahlke belonged to the 90 officer candidates accepted from 2,000 applicants and was one of only 18 hopeful naval officer-candidates who presented themselves for final selection at Warnemünde north of Rostock. Twelve were selected as future pilots, the other six departed for the normal sea officer's training course. On this day, the twelve were taken on a test flight, to assess, if they could handle flying. Afterwards, they once again were examined, and all twelve were finally accepted for pre-military pilot training at the German Commercial Aviation School in Warnemünde until August 1932. But still, the first four weeks consisted of sailing in Neustadt, at the Hanseatic Yacht Club, he knew so well. Then they returned to warnemüne, where flight school with the Udet U 12a "Flamingo" (open cockpit, two-seater biplane) began. Mahlke's instructor was Friedrich "Fritze" Festner. After 80 training flights he was selected for his first solo flight. He did so with success, now the cross-country flights began, later aerobatic training. he received his A-1 (Land) and K-1 (Aerobatic) pilot's certificates, but still no driver's licence. By this stage the seaplane training on the Heinkel He 42 had begun. On 26 July 1932, the cadets received the news, that the Segelschulschiff Niobe sank the day before during a white squall on 26 July 1932, with the loss of 69 lives, almost all fellow cadets of the Crew 32. The navy needed the twelve cadets from Warnemünde back, they had to hurriedly achieve their B-1 seaplane certificate, which they did in August 1932

This was followed by his training as a future officer in the Reichsmarine from 28 August 1932 (arriving in Dänholm on this day, training with the II. Schiffstammdivision der Ostsee started the next). He attended the Mürwik Naval School for four weeks (8 October to 5 November 1932), and served from 6 November 1932 to 2 January 1934 on the cruiser Köln. From 8 December 1932 to 10 December 1933, the cruiser undertook a training trip for future officers. It led from Wilhelmshaven through the North Sea and the Bay of Biscay to Spain. She then went to the Mediterranean, where Italy and Egypt were visited. Then it went through the Suez Canal into the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. The equator baptism took place on 2 March 1933 on the journey from Sabang to Fremantle. The other stops were Australia (in Australia the tour stops included Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart, with the crew taking place in several publicised football games against local teams that included a Royal Australian Navy team in Sydney), Rabaul, Guam, Japan, China, Flores and Ceylon. Then we went back through the Suez Canal, through the Mediterranean, the Bay of Biscay and the North Sea back to Wilhelmshaven. The Führer welcomed the ship back personally, Mahlke's parents also came. On 1 January 1934, Mahlke was promoted to Fähnrich zur See (officer cadet).

From 3 January 1934 to 18 April 1935, he attended the Fähnrich infantry course, the torpedo course, the Nachrichten course (signal, teletype and radio training), the anti-aircraft machine weapons course, barrier weapons course (mainly mines) and the sea ​​officer's main course.

With the unmasking of the Luftwaffe on 30 April 1935, Mahlke was transferred to this new service arm, as was his entire course. From 1 May 1935 to 9 March 1936, he served in Warnemünde as a naval observer, on 1 October 1935, he was commissioned as Leutnant. From 10 March 1936 to 28 February 1938, he served as a training advisor in the staff of the Command of the Schools (Sea) in Warnemünde. On 1 April 1937, he was promoted to Oberleutnant. On 1 March 1938, he transferred to 1. Bordflieger-Staffel/Bordfliegergruppe 196 in Wilhelmshaven as naval observer with shipboard commands on the armoured cruisers Admiral Scheer (departure for Spain on 29 June 1938), Deutschland and Graf Spee. Shortly before the outbreak of war, Mahlke completed his Stuka pilot training in Kitzingen (1 July to 31 August 1939) and at the beginning of the war on 1 September 1939 he became Staffelkapitän of the 2. Stuka-Staffel/I. Gruppe/Trägergruppe 186, which flew the Junkers Ju 87 B and C, stayed in Kiel-Holtenau (later Wertheim) during the Poland Campaign (only the 4. Stuka-Staffel with 12 Ju 87 B-O saw action) was then used in the Western Campaign as part of the operational air force mainly in support of the army. While the I. Group with 1st to 3rd squadrons (with Mahlke) was subordinate to the II. Fliegerkorps of the 3rd Air Fleet on 10 May 1940, the II. Group with 4th to 6th squadrons served the fighter pilot leader Deutsche Bucht of the 2nd Air Fleet.

After the construction freeze on the aircraft carrier "Graf Zeppelin" was extended, the group in Falaise finally became III. Gruppe/Stuka-Geschwader 1 on 2 July 1940. On the same day, Mahlke was appointed grpoup commander, which he would stay officially until 6 April 1942. With this Gruppe, Mahlke was in action on the Channel until 19 November 1940. The 3rd Group flew very successful missions against shipping targets off England and developed the "Mahlke chain" procedure – an attack by a chain (the Kette consisted of three planes) of Stukas on only one enemy ship that combined the chain leader's experience with three times the bomb load and a sensible scattering.

On 23 February 1941, the Gruppe moved to Sicily for operations against Malta and in Africa, where Mahlke himself was hit on 26 February by a direct hit of an anti-aircraft shell, which blew a huge hole in the wing of his machine. Using all his flying skills he managed to get back to base. On 21 May, the group under Mahlke transferred to the Peloponnese and flew heavy operations against Crete until 2 June 1941. For this he later received the Italian Medal of Valour in silver.

With the start of Operation Barbarossa, the III/St.G. 1 was in action against airfields, bridges and tanks in the central sector. In just under three weeks, Mahlke was shot down three times, and always bailed out into enemy territory. Twice, he fought his way back to the German lines. On 8 July, however, a motorcycle assault platoon (Krad-Schützen-Stoßtrupp) of the army had to fetch him back seriously wounded after an attack on tank positions near Latigalski (until 17 August 1941 in military hospitals at the Eastern Front and in Berlin). On 16 July 1941, in the field hospital in Borrissow, Captain Mahlke was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. His radio operator during most of the missions was Unteroffizier Fritz Baudisch. Major Mahlke returned to duty on 6 September 1941 and served as Chief of Operations (Ia) of the I. Fliegerdivision in Russia until 6 April 1942 (still officially group commander until this day), then of the Luftwaffenkommando Ost, and as of 1 March 1943, Ia of the Luftflottenkommando 6 (the former Luftwaffenkommando Ost), finally as in the rank of Oberstleutnant in the General Staff.

Even as a de facto POW, he was delegated with Luftwaffe processing and conclusion tasks (Ia mit Abwicklungs-Aufgaben beim Kommando der Deutschen Luftwaffe in der US-Zone) by the Americans until 23 June 1945. Mahlke did not return from captivity until 9 September 1947.[1]

After his release from captivity, Mahlke initially worked as a commercial clerk at the Dr. Schmücking Chemical Factory in Schötmar from October to December 1947, then in 1948 also as a commercial employee at the Dr. Runge Clothing Factory in Bad Meinberg. In January 1949, Mahlke became self-employed as a sales representative. On 16 November 1955, he joined the Bundeswehr. Mahlke was a consultant there and later a sub-department head in the Federal Ministry of Defense in Bonn. Effective 1 June 1960, he was promoted to brigadier general.

On 1 October 1962, Mahlke transferred to the Federal Navy, where he received the adjusted rank of flotilla admiral. From January 1963 to February 1966, he was commander of the naval aviation command (Kommandeur der Flottille der Marineflieger) in Kiel. On 1 March 1966, Mahlke returned to the Federal Air Force, adjusting his rank to brigadier general, and commanded the 7th Air Force Division in Schleswig until the end of September 1966. He received his promotion to major general with effect from 1 July 1966. From October 1966 to the end of March 1968 he served as general of the Luftwaffe combat units and from April 1967, he was in parallel delegated with the leadership (m.d.F.b.) of the head of the air force office (Amtschef des Luftwaffenamts) in Cologne-Wahn. On 1 April 1968, Mahlke was appointed commanding general of the North Air Force Group in Münster, with simultaneous promotion to lieutenant general, a position he held until his retirement on 30 September 1970.

MAHLKE, Helmut. (DOB: 27.08.13 in Berlin-Lankwitz). (i.G.). (R, DKG). (W.B.K. Kiel). 1931-32 studied Schiffmaschinen und Luftfahrzeugbau at the TH Charlottenburg. 01.04.32 pre-military flight training with DVS Warnemünde (to 28.08.32). 29.08.32 entered service with the Kriegsmarine, Grundausbildung II SdO Stralsund. 28.08.32 received Seeoffizier-Ausbildungbei der Reichsmarine/Kriegsmarine (to 30.04.35). 08.10.32 attended Marineschule Flensburg-Mürwick (to 05.11.32). 06.11.32 Auslands-Aufbildungsreise aboard cruiser Köln. 01.01.34 naval service attaining the rank of Fähnrich zur See. 03.01.34 attended Fahnrichs-Infanterie-Lehrgang II SdO Strahlsund (to 17.03.34). 18.03.34 attended Torpedolehrgang TNS Mürwik. 13.05.34 attended Nachrichtenlehrgang TNS Mürwick. 30.05.34 attended Fla-Maschinenwaffen-Lehrgang KAS Wangerooge. 16.06.34 attended Sperrlehrgang Sperrschule Kiel. 04.07.34 attended See-offiziers Hauptlehrgang Marineschule Mürwick. 30.04.35 trf from the Kriegsmarine to the Luftwaffe. 01.05.35 ordered to Warnemünde for Beobachter (observer/navigator) training at FS 2 Warnemünde. 01.10.35 promo to Lt. 10.03.36 assigned as a pilot training specialist (Referent) in Stab/Kdo.d.Schulen (See) Warnemünde. 01.10.36 appt specialist and lead instructor at Fliegerschule See Bug auf Rügen and Fliegerschule See Parow. 01.03.37 appt specialist in Stab/Kdo.d.Fliegerschulen and Flieger-Ers.Abt. VI. 01.04.37 promo to Oblt. 01.03.38 trf to 1./Bordfl.Gr.196 (Wilhelmshaven aboard the Admiral Scheer) as an observer/navigator. 29.06.38 departed for Spain aboard the Admiral Scheer. 01.07.39 trf to Stukaschule Kitzingwen for dive-bomber training. 01.09.39 Oblt., appt Staka 2./Tr.Gr. 186. 01.04.40 promo to Hptm. 16.04.40 awarded the E.K. II. 20.06.40 awarded the E.K. I. 02.07.40 Hptm., appt Kdr. III./St.G. 1 (to 18.09.41 or 03.12.41, depending on source document). 18.06.41 awarded the Ehrenpokal. 24.06.41 Hptm., Stabsstaffel/St.G. 1 MIA - Ju 87 B-2 (J9+AH) force-landed in the Minsk area - cause unknown - returned about a day later. 01.07.41 Hptm., Stab III./St.G. 1 MIA returned - Ju 87 R-2 (J9+CH) landed in flames vic Borisow after damage from enemy fire. 08.07.41 Hptm., Kdr. III./St.G. 1 badly WIA – Ju 87 (J9+AB)? attacked by fighters vic Ovsichi north of Burbin – shot in left shoulder and suffered second-degree burns to the hands; hospitalized at Borisov. 16.07.41 Hptm., awarded Ritterkreuz, Kdr. III./St.G. 1. 04.12.41 trf to Ob.d.L./RLM officer pool and ordered to Stab/XII. Fliegerkorps for briefing. 20.12.41 appt Verbindungs-Offz. in Stab/VIII. Fliegerkorps for instruction. 08.04.42 appt Ia op in Stab/1. Fliegerdivision. 01.06.42 promo to Maj. 30.06.42 appt Ia op in Stab/Lw.Kdo. Ost. 01.01.43 admitted into the Generalstab d.Lw. (did not attend the Luftkriegsakademie) as Maj.i.G. 02.03.43 appt Ia/Lw.-Kdo. Ost. 05.04.43 Maj., appt Ia op 1/1. Fliegerdivision. 06.05.43 appt Ia/Luftflotte 6 (to 09.05.45). 31.03.44 Maj., awarded DKG, Ia/Lfl. 6. 01.05.44 promo to Obstlt. 23.06.45 trf to POW Camp Ober-Reitb. Feldkirchen/Bayern. 23.08.45 trf to POW Camp PWE 26 Bad Aibling. 08.10.45 trf to POW Camp PWE-1 Dachau (formerly "KZ-Dachau"). 20.02.46 trf to POW Camp PWE-314 Neu-Ulm. 18.04.46 trf to POW Camp Bad Aibling. 03.06.46 trf to POW Camp PWE-29-2 Dachau (former KZ). 09.10.46 trf to Internment Camp CIE-74 Ludwigsburg. 30.01.47 trf to Interniertenkrankenhaus Karlsruhe Abt. VIII. 10.07.47 Interniertenlager Gem 18 3 C 1 Heilbronn. 18.07.47 Interniertenlager Darmstadt. 22.07.47 trf to 4 CIC Int.Lager 2/16/30 Recklinghausen. (to 09.09.47). 09.09.47 released from captivity. 20.10.47 employed by chem. Fabrik Dr. Schücking in Schötmar (to 31.12.47). 01.01.48 employed by Kleiderfabriken Kurt Runge, in Bad Meinberg (to 31.12.48). 01.01.49 Selbständiger Handelsvertreter (Textil), from 30.03.51 auch mit Einzelhandelsgenehmigung der Stadt Herne nach kaufmännischer Prüfung bei der IuH -Kammer Essen ( to 15.11.55). 16.11.55 entered Bundeswehr service, appt Referent VI D 7 "Ausbildung Gesamtstreitkraft" in BMVtdg. 19.09.56 promo to Oberst. 21.03.56 Referent Luftwaffe im "Militärischen Führungsrat". 01.03.57 promo to Oberst i.G. 28.05.57 Vorsitzender des " Prüfungsausschuss für die Militärische Spitzen-Organisation" im BMVtdg. 01.01.58 Referent FüB III 3 "Langfristige Planung" im BMVtdg. 01.06.58 Unterabteilungsleiter FüL III "Organisation Luftwaffe" im bMVtdg. 01.06.60 promo to Brigadegeneral. 09.04.62 underwent jet pilot training with Fouga Magister in Landsberg, T-33 training at Fürstenfeldbruck auf Starfighter F-104 in Nörvenich. 03.12.62 transferred to the Marineflieger as a Flottillenadmiral, appt Kdr. "Kommando Marineflieger Kiel/Holtenau". 01.03.66 returned to the Bundesluftwaffe as a Brigadegeneral, appt Kdr. 7. Luftwaffendivision. 01.07.66 promo to Generalmajor. 01.10.66 appt "General Kampfverbände der Luftwaffe" (to 31.03.68). 01.04.67 mit der Wahrnehmung der Geschäfte des "Amtschef Luftwaffenamt". 01.04.68 appt Kommandierender General Luftwaffengruppe Nord (to 30.09.70). 17.05.68 promo to Generalleutnant. 30.09.70 retired in the rank of Gen.Lt. †26.12.98 in Heikendorf near Kiel. Mahlke was credited with sinking 2 destroyers, one submarine, 29 supply vessels and damaging a cruiser and various other vessels in 150 combat sorties, received the Verwundeten-Abzeichen in Silber (wound badge in silver) and had been shot down three times behind Russian lines. Author of Stuka: Angriff – Sturzflug; Mittler, 1993[2]

Family

Helmut was the son of architect Ludwig Wilhelm Friedrich "Fritz" Mahlke (1871–1944) and his wife (∞ 1904 in Hong Kong) Maria Luise Wilhelmine "Mimi", née Hosemann (1877–1973). Fritz Mahlke was a government architect (Regierungsbaumeister), later district building inspector and professor (Technische Hochschule Charlottenburg). In 1915, he was appointed building council (Baurat), in 1923, senior building council (Oberbaurat). He designed the plans for the governor's residence in Tsingtau and supervised construction on site. In WWI, he served as a Captain of the Reserves and engineer with the railway troops (Eisenbahntruppen) and was decorated with both classes of the Iron Cross.[3] Helmut had two siblings:

  • Wilhelm (b. 19 April 1905 in Tsingtau ), architect, Dipl.-Ing., enlisted into the Luftwaffe; I ∞ Potsdam 10 July 1929 (o¦o 1937) Elisabeth Anne-Marie Peisker (1906–2003); II ∞ Kiel 5 November 1942 Marie Ilse Thunsdorff (1908–2003)
    • Wilhelm experienced the end of the war in Austria. The family home n Kiel was destroyed on 1 March 1943 due to Allied bombing. Mahlke managed to travel to Blankenburg (Harz) and avoid captivity. He arrived on 3 June 1945 and found his wife and parents-in-law. The American occupation was followed by the British and on 23 July 1945 by the Soviets. On this day, the terror and the mass rapes began. Wilhelm Mahlke was murdered by the Russians in Blankenburg (Herzogstraße 14) on 23 September 1945.
  • Marianne Laura Margot (b. 10 June 1910 in Angermünde); ∞ Berlin-Lichterfelde 18 August 1936 Ernst Georg Johannes Konrad Lange (1909–1986)
    • Margot died on 17 October 1937 in Essen during the birth of her first and only child.

Marriage

On 9 July 1938 in Schönebeck (Elbe), 1st Lieutenant Mahlke married his fiancée Annemarie "Amei" Vogt (b. 29 May 1914 in Kiel; d. 26 February 2006 in Heikendorf). Together, they would have three children, two sons and one daughter:

  • Rainer-Horst (b. 1 May 1939 in Wilhelmshaven; d. 19 August 2020 in Berlin)
  • Torsten (b. 29 May 1942 in Berlin)
  • Christiane (b. 20 June 1950 in Detmold); married Krapp

Promotions

  • 4 November 1932 Seekadett (Officer Candidate)
  • 1 April 1933 Gefreiter (Lance Corporal)
  • 1 January 1934 Fähnrich zur See (Officer Cadet)

Luftwaffe

  • 1 July 1935 Oberfähnrich (Senior Officer Cadet)
  • 1 October 1935 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
  • 1 April 1937 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
  • 21 March 1940 Hauptmann (Captain) with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 April 1940
  • 1 June 1942 Major
    • 1 January 1943 Major i. G. (Major in General Staff)
  • 1 May 1944 Oberstleutnant i. G. (Lieutenant Colonel in General Staff)

Bundeswehr

  • 14/19 September 1956 Oberst (Colonel) with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 Juli 1955
    • 1 March 1957 Oberst i. G. (Colonel in General Staff)
  • 25 August 1960 Brigadegeneral (Brigadier General; one-star general) with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 June 1960
  • 3 December 1962 Flottenadmiral (Flotilla Admiral; new rank between Captain at Sea and Rear Admiral) with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 October 1962
  • 8 September 1966 Generalmajor (Major General; two-star general) with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 July 1966
  • 17 May 1968 Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General; three-star general) with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 April 1968

Awards and decorations

Post-war

Writings (excerpt)

  • Attack procedures of dive bombers on naval targets: Operational experience of III./St.G. 1 against England and in the Mediterranean Sea
    • Written as a POW for the (US) Historical Division of the Air Force Project, later the German Air Force (GAF) monograph project in 1952/53. It was written to support the compilation of GAF monograph No. 163, German Air Force Operations in Support of the Army, which was published in 1962.
  • Stuka Angriff: Sturzflug, Mittler Verlag, 1993
    • English: Memoirs of a Stuka Pilot, translated by John Weal, Frontline Books, London 2013 and Pen & Sword Books Ltd, 2019

Gallery

  • Junkers-Ju-87 B-2-Stuka-1.StG1-(J9+AH)-Helmut-Mahlke-Falais-France-1940-0A.jpg
  • Helmut Mahlke IV.jpg
  • Helmut Mahlke VI.jpg
  • Helmut Mahlke V.jpg
  • Helmut-Mahlke+STUKA-Angriff-Sturzflug.jpg
  • Rainer-Horst Mahlke.jpg

Futher reading

External links

References

  1. ↑ SURGICAL STRIKE: EXPERIENCES OF A STUKA ACE, PART 1 (Archive)
  2. ↑ Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries, Section L-R, 2023, p. 252
  3. ↑ Mahlke, Friedrich (1871 – 1944) und sein Sohn Mahlke, Wilhelm (1905 – 1945), Architekten
  4. ↑ Mahlke, Helmut
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