2nd Air Corps (''II. Fliegerkorps'') was formed on 11 October 1939 in

Frankfurt am Main Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...

from the 2. Flieger-Division. During

Operation Barbarossa Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and several of its European Axis allies starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during World War II. More than 3.8 million Axis troops invaded the western Soviet Union along ...

and from 22 June to 12 November 1941, the Corps flew over 40,000 day and night

sortie A sortie (from the French word meaning ''exit'' or from Latin root ''surgere'' meaning to "rise up") is a deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops, from a strongpoint. The term originated in siege warf ...

s, dropping 23,150

ton Ton is any of several units of measure of mass, volume or force. It has a long history and has acquired several meanings and uses. As a unit of mass, ''ton'' can mean: * the '' long ton'', which is * the ''tonne'', also called the ''metric ...

s of

bomb A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-transmitted mechan ...

s and claiming 3,826 Soviet

aircraft An aircraft ( aircraft) is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift or the Lift (force), dynamic lift of an airfoil, or, i ...

destroyed as well as 789

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; ...

s, 614

artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

pieces, 14,339 vehicles, 240 enemy field positions, 33

bunker A bunker is a defensive military fortification designed to protect people and valued materials from falling bombs, artillery, or other attacks. Bunkers are almost always underground, in contrast to blockhouses which are mostly above ground. T ...

s, 159 trains and 304 locomotives along with relentless attacks on enemy troop concentrations and logistical choke-points. The Corps was relocated to the Mediterranean theatre of operations on 15 November 1941. The Corps was merged with the Feldluftgau XXX on 29 August 1944 and renamed ''Kommandierender General der Deutschen Luftwaffe Nordbalkan'' (commanding general of the German Luftwaffe northern

Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...

). In November 1944 the corps was again renamed II. Fliegerkorps and redesignated Luftwaffenkommando Nordost on 2 April 1945.

Commanding officers

*Generaloberst

Bruno Loerzer Bruno Loerzer (22 January 1891 – 23 August 1960) was a German air force officer during World War I and World War II. Credited with 44 aerial victories during World War I, he was one of Germany's leading flying aces, as well as commander of ...

, 11 October 1939 – 23 February 1943 *Generalleutnant Martin Harlinghausen, 23 February 1943 – 12 June 1943 *General Alfred Bülowius, 26 June 1943 – 30 June 1944 *Generalleutant Kurt Kleinrath, 1 July 1944 – 31 August 1944 (Referred to as ''Kommandierender General der Deutschen Luftwaffe Nordbalkan'', 29 August 1944 – November 1944) *General Johannes Fink, 1 December 1944 – January 1945 *General Stefan Fröhlich, January 1945 – 1 February 1945 *General Martin Fiebig, 1 February 1945 – 12 April 1945

References

{{Corps of the Luftwaffe

A002 National Route A002 Autopista Teniente General Pablo Riccheri connects Avenida General Paz with Ministro Pistarini International Airport (Ezeiza). History Established by Decree N°10116 on 29 May 1952, in honor of General Pablo Riccheri, th ...

Military units and formations established in 1939 1939 establishments in Germany Military units and formations disestablished in 1945

Commanding officers

See also

References