Kurt Plenzat

Kurt Plenzat
Leutnant Plenzat
Birth date	17 January 1914(1914-01-17)
Place of birth	Insterburg, East Prussia, German Empire
Death date	17 November 1998 (aged 84)
Place of death	Cologne, Germany
Allegiance	National Socialist Germany West Germany
Service/branch	Reichswehr Luftwaffe Bundeswehr (Luftwaffe)
Years of service	1933–1935 1935–1945 1957–1971
Rank	Hauptmann (Captain) of the Bundeswehr
Unit	StG 2
Commands held	2. Staffel/SG 2
Battles/wars	World War II Balkans Campaign Battle of Crete Operation Barbarossa
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Kurt Plenzat (17 January 1914 – 17 November 1998) was a German NCO of the Reichswehr as well as officer of the Wehrmacht as Stuka pilot of the Luftwaffe with over 1,200 missions (Feindflüge) and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves during World War II. After his time as a POW and his flight to West Germany, he became a Hauptmann of the Deutsche Luftwaffe of the new Bundeswehr.

Life

Kurt Plenzat was born and brought up in Insterburg, East Prussia, and joined the army (Reichsheer) of the Reichswehr on 1 April 1933. He was posted to the 10th Company/Infanterie-Regiment 2. In 1935, he was transferred to 11th Company/Infanterie-Regiment 44. In July 1938, Plenzat made the transfer to the Luftwaffe. After pilot's training, he was posted to 2. Staffel/Sturzkampfgeschwader 2. With this unit he took part in the battles on the Western Front, the Balkans and in the Landing on Crete. Following this he served on the Eastern Front. At the end of 1943, he became squadron leader of 2. Staffel/Schlachtgeschwader 2 in the rank of Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant). By the end of the war, Leutnant Plenzat (other sources claim Oberleutnant or even Hauptmann) had flown 1,234 combat sorties and is listed fourth on the list of Stuka-Aces. He was shot down seven times, claimed four aerial victories (Luftsiege), and destroyed approximately 80 enemy tanks as well as several enemy trains, but also had attacked warships. After the take-over of eastern Germany by the Soviet Union, Plenzart found refuge in West Germany and in 1957 he joined the Bundeswehr. On 31 March 1971, he retired holding the rank of Hauptmann. He lived with his wife in Köln-Langerich (Schlackstraße).

Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries

PLENZAT, Kurt. (DOB: 17.01.14 in Insterburg/Ostpreussen). (RE, DKG). 01.04.33 entered service with the Heer and assigned to Inf.Rgt. 10. 1935 trf to 11./Inf.Rgt. 44. 07.38 trf to the Luftwaffe. 1940 with Erg.Gr./St.G. 2. 11.40 assigned to 2./St.G. 2 on completion of training. 09.04.42 Ofw., awarded DKG, I./St.G. 2. 14.10.42 awarded Ehrenpokal. 19.09.43 Ofw., awarded Ritterkreuz, 2./St.G. 2. 25.08.44 Lt., Staka 2./SG 2. 18.10.44 attained his 1,000th mission. 24.01.45 Lt., awarded the Eichenlaub (No. 712), 2./St.G. 2. Credited with 4 aerial victories in 1,234 combat missions as well as destroying about 80 tanks and had many hits on warships. Shot down 7 times. 1957 joined the Bundeswehr after the war and retired in 31.03.71 as Hptm. †17.11.98 in Köln.

Awards and decorations

• German Armed Forces Badge of Marksmanship (Schützenschnur)
• Pilot Badge (Flugzeugführerabzeichen)
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award (Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung), 4th Class
• Iron Cross (1939), 2nd and 1st Class
• Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal
• Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg) on 14 October 1942
• Crete Cuff Title (Ärmelband „Kreta“)
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for combat and ground attack pilots
  • Frontflugspange in Gold
  • Pendant for the golden front flight clasp (star pendant)
  • Pendant for the golden front flight clasp with mission number "1,200"
• Bulgarien Pilot Badge (königlich bulgarisches Abzeichen für Militär-Flugzeugführer)
• German Cross in Gold on 5 November 1941 as Hauptmann in the 1./Sturzkampfgeschwader 1
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 19 September 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 2./Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"
  • 712nd Oak Leaves on 24 January 1945 as Leutnant and pilot in the 2./Schlachtgeschwader 2 "Immelmann"

Gallery

• 
• 
• 

Further reading

• Patzwall, Klaus D. / Scherzer, Veit (2001): Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber, Band II (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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5