Werner Kreipe (12 April 1904 – 7 September 1967) was a German

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

Luftwaffe career

Kreipe joined the Luftwaffe in 1934. Kreipe held various staff positions until the winter 1939/40, when he was selected or applied for a field role. He joined ''

Kampfgeschwader 2 ''Kampfgeschwader'' 2 " Holzhammer " (KG 2) (Battle Wing 2) was a Luftwaffe bomber unit during the Second World War. The unit was formed in May 1939. The unit operated the Dornier Do 17 light bomber, Dornier Do 217 and Junkers Ju 188 heavy bo ...

'' (Bomber Wing 2) and commanded its III. Gruppe during the

Battle of France The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of French Third Rep ...

and the

Battle of Belgium The invasion of Belgium or Belgian campaign (10–28 May 1940), often referred to within Belgium as the 18 Days' Campaign (french: Campagne des 18 jours, nl, Achttiendaagse Veldtocht), formed part of the greater Battle of France, an Military o ...

. In June 1940 he returned to various staff positions. In December 1941 he was promoted as Chief of Staff,

1st Air Corps First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...

(I. Fliegerkorps). In July 1943 he was appointed General der Flieger (General of Fliers). In August 1944 he was promoted to Acting Chief of the Luftwaffe's General Staff after the death of Günther Korten in the

20 July plot On 20 July 1944, Claus von Stauffenberg and other conspirators attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Führer of Nazi Germany, inside his Wolf's Lair field headquarters near Rastenburg, East Prussia, now Kętrzyn, in present-day Poland. The ...

. Dissatisfied with Hermann Göring's leadership of the Luftwaffe,

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

wanted to replace him with Robert Ritter von Greim. Unable to convince Greim to accept the role, Hitler forced Göring to sack Kreipe, and provisionally replace him on 19 September 1944 with the stolid Karl Koller, who was officially assigned the position on 12 November. However, Koller was unable to reform the Luftwaffe, which had been mismanaged by Göring and had lost air superiority over the skies of Europe. In January 1945, he organised the logistical effort and preparation for the Luftwaffe's last major offensive, ''

Unternehmen Bodenplatte Operation Bodenplatte (; "Baseplate"), launched on 1 January 1945, was an attempt by the Luftwaffe to cripple Allies of World War II, Allied air forces in the Low Countries during the World War II, Second World War. The goal of ''Bodenplatte'' ...

'' (Operation Baseplate) on 1 January 1945. Kreipe continued in staff positions until surrendering to the Western Allies in May 1945.

Post war

In 1956 Kreipe wrote a book about the war, and the Luftwaffe's role titled, ''The Fatal Decision: Six Decisive Battles of the Second World War from the Viewpoint of the Vanquished''.

Awards

Blood Order The Blood Order (german: Blutorden), officially known as the "Decoration in Memory (of the Munich putsch) of 9 November 1923" (), was one of the most prestigious decorations in the Nazi Party (NSDAP). During March 1934, Hitler authorized the Bl ...

9 November 1923 *

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...

2nd and 1st Class * German Cross in Gold on 22 June 1942 as Oberst in the general staff of the 1. Flieger-KorpsPatzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 253.

References

;Citations ;Bibliography *

External links

*
Werner Kreipe

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kreipe, Werner 1904 births 1967 deaths Condor Legion personnel Luftwaffe World War II generals Recipients of the Gold German Cross German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United Kingdom Military personnel from Hanover People from the Province of Hanover Generals of Aviators Lufthansa people