Anton Mader

Anton Mader (7 January 1913 – 19 February 1984) was a German pilot during World War II. He claimed 86 victories and was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He commanded the fighter wing ''Jagdgeschwader'' 54 in 1944.

Early life and career

Mader was born on 7 January 1913 in Castelnuovo, at the time in the Kingdom of Dalmatia of Austria-Hungary, present-day Kaštel Novi in Dalmatia, Croatia. He was the son of an Imperial and Royal ''Kapellmeister'', a leader of a musical ensemble, who later served in the Austrian Armed Forces.

In 1933, Mader was conscripted into the Austrian Armed Forces serving with ''Alpenjägerregiment'' 10, the 10th Alpine Mountain Regiment. He then attended the military academy at Enns and the Theresian Military Academy at Wiener Neustadt. Promoted to ''Leutnant'' (second lieutenant), he was transferred to ''Fliegerregiment'' 2, the 2nd Flight Regiment of the Austrian Air Force. Following the ''Anschluss'' in March 1938, the forced incorporation of Austria into Nazi Germany, Mader was transferred to the Luftwaffe (the Nazi German Air Force) holding the rank of ''Oberleutnant'' (first lieutenant). On 1 April, a newly formed I. '' Gruppe'' (1st group) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 138 (JG 138—138th Fighter Wing) stationed in Wien-Aspern also referred to as the "''Wiener-Jagdgruppe''" ("Vienna fighter group") was created, largely staffed with former Austrian Air Force personnel. There, Mader was made ''Staffelkapitän'' (squadron leader) of 3. '' Staffel'' (3rd squadron) of JG 138. On 1 May 1939, his unit I. ''Gruppe'' of JG 138 was re-designated and became I. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 76 (JG 76—76th Fighter Wing). Initially equipped with the Fiat CR.32, 3. ''Staffel'' received the Messerschmitt Bf 109 B. The ''Gruppe'' was reequipped with the Bf 109 E-1 and E-3 in 1939. That year, command of 3. ''Staffel'' transferred to ''Oberleutnant'' Franz Eckerle.

World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. In preparation of the invasion, I. ''Gruppe'' of JG 76 had been moved to an airfield at Stubendorf, present-day Izbicko in Poland, on 17 August 1939 and supported the German advance on the central and southern sectors of the front.

On 24 September 1940, Mader was appointed ''Staffelkapitän'' of 1. ''Staffel'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing). He succeeded ''Oberleutnant'' Otto Bertram who was transferred.

The ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of II. ''Gruppe'' of JG 77, ''Hauptmann'' Helmut Henz, was killed in action on 25 May 1941. In consequence, Mader was given command of the ''Gruppe''. Command of 1. ''Staffel'' of JG 2 was given to ''Leutnant'' Ulrich Adrian. In July 1941, SS-''Gruppenführer'' Reinhard Heydrich briefly served in II. ''Gruppe'' under the command of Mader.

Eastern Front

In preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, II. ''Gruppe'' was moved to Bucharest and was located in the sector of ''Heeresgruppe Süd'' (Army Group South). II. ''Gruppe'' arrived in Bucharest on 15 June. Five days later, III. ''Gruppe'' moved to Roman. That evening, the pilots and ground crews were briefed of the upcoming invasion of the Soviet Union, which opened the Eastern Front.

Wing commander

On 1 April 1943, Mader was tasked with the formation of the newly created ''Jagdgeschwader'' 11 (JG 11—11th Fighter Wing) and became its first ''Geschwaderkommodore'' (wing commander). Command of II. ''Gruppe'' of JG 77 was given to ''Hauptmann'' Siegfried Freytag who had already severed as acting commander since 7 March.

On 28 January 1944, Mader succeeded ''Oberstleutnant'' Hubertus von Bonin, who had been killed in action on 15 December 1943, as ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of JG 54. In the fall Mader fell ill and had to transfer command of JG 54 to ''Oberst'' Dietrich Hrabak on 1 October. After hospitalization, Mader attended staff training at the ''Luftkriegsschule'' Berlin-Gatow, the air war school in Gatow. Mader was then posted to the staff of the '' General der Jagdflieger'' (General of Fighters), an office held by ''Oberst'' Gordon Gollob. In late April 1945, Mader, along with Gollob's staff, was taken prisoner of war by US forces in Austria.

Later life and service

Mader was released from captivity in June 1945. He then worked as a courier for the Embassy of the United States in Vienna. In 1955, the Austrian State Treaty re-established Austria as a sovereign state. Mader joined the Austrian Air Force, referred to as the ''Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte'', holding the rank of ''Oberstleutnant''. He served with the ''Fliegerführungskommando'' (Air Command) and was promoted to ''Oberst'' in the general staff in 1961 and to ''Brigadier'' in 1966. Mader died on 19 February 1984 at the age of in Vienna, Austria.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Mader was credited with 86 aerial victories. Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 78 aerial victory claims. This figure includes 73 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and five over the Western Allies, including three four-engined heavy bombers.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = ''Planquadrat''), for example "PQ 72263". The Luftwaffe grid map () covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.

Awards

* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 15 September 1941 as ''Hauptmann'' and ''Gruppenkommandeur''
* German Cross in Gold on 2 January 1942 as ''Hauptmann'' in the II./''Jagdgeschwader'' 77
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 July 1942 as ''Major'' and '' Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./''Jagdgeschwader'' 77
* Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
** Decoration of Honour in Gold (1964)
** Grand Decoration of Honour (1970)

Notes

References

Citations

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mader, Anton
1913 births
1984 deaths
People from Kaštela
Luftwaffe pilots
German World War II flying aces
Recipients of the Gold German Cross
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Austrian generals
Theresian Military Academy alumni
World War II prisoners of war held by the United States
Recipients of the Grand Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria