Leutnant () is the lowest Junior officer rank in the armed forces the German-speaking of Germany (Bundeswehr), Austrian Armed Forces, and military of Switzerland. History The German noun (with the meaning "" (in English "deputy") from Middle High Germa ...

'' Hermann Habich (1895–?) was one of the original pilots in the

Imperial German Air Service Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania * Imperial, Te ...

, having earned his brevet two months before World War I began. He is noted for having killed French aviation pioneer Roland Garros. Habich scored seven victories in all, becoming a

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

. He joined the

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-Fliegerabt ...

in the 1930s and served in World War II.

Early life

Habich was born in Plättig, the

Grand Duchy of Baden The Grand Duchy of Baden (german: Großherzogtum Baden) was a state in the southwest German Empire on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918. It came into existence in the 12th century as the Margraviate of Baden and sub ...

, the German Empire on 15 August 1895. He was a pioneer aviator, having gained his license, number 697, before the start of World War I, on 17 March 1914.Franks, et al., p. 122.

Military career

World War I

Habich was one of the early German military pilots, joining

Feldflieger Abteilung Feldflieger Abteilung (''FFA'', Field Flying Company) was the title of the pioneering field aviation units of what became the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' (German air service) by October 1916, during World War I. Composition The use of aircraft as a tact ...

47 performing aerial reconnaissance as an

Unteroffizier () is a junior non-commissioned officer rank used by the . It is also the collective name for all non-commissioned officers in Austria and Germany. It was formerly a rank in the Imperial Russian Army. Austria , also , is the collective name to ...

in late 1914. He then transferred to Flieger-Abteilung (Artillerie) 215 for artillery reconnaissance and ranging duties. He was awarded the

Military Karl-Friedrich Merit Order The Military Karl-Friedrich Merit Order (german: Militär Karl-Friedrich-Verdienstorden) was a military order of merit of the Grand Duchy of Baden. Established 5 October 1805 by Charles Frederick, Elector and later Grand Duke of Baden, the ord ...

by his native Baden on 5 February 1915, followed by both classes of the Iron Cross; his First Class Iron Cross was awarded 18 March 1916. In August 1916, he was promoted to Offizierstellvertreter and applied for duty in a fighter squadron. On 8 January 1918, he joined Jagdstaffel 49 in France. By this time, as a ''Leutnant'', he was senior enough to sometimes assume command as the deputy commander. He scored his first air-to-air victory on 27 March 1918. By war’s end, he had destroyed five more enemy aircraft and an

observation balloon An observation balloon is a type of balloon that is employed as an aerial platform for intelligence gathering and artillery spotting. Use of observation balloons began during the French Revolutionary Wars, reaching their zenith during World War ...

. Habich is widely credited with being the aviator who shot down and killed French flying ace Roland Garros.Guttman, p. 20. ;WWI aerial victories See also Aerial victory standards of World War I

World War II

By the 1930s, Habich worked as a military pilot and flight instructor in the

. He served on the Eastern Front commanding a Nachtschlachtgruppe in 1944.

Honors and awards

* : **

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 e ...

, 1st and 2nd Classes * : ** Knight of the

References

* Franks, Norman; Frank Bailey;Russell Guest (1993) ''Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914-1918''. Grub Street Publishing. , . * Guttman, Jon (2002). ''SPAD XII/XIII aces of World War I''. Osprey Publishing.

Endnotes

External links

Rise of Flight website
) has a photograph of Habich posed in front of his airplane.
Rise of Flight website
) also has a modeler's color recreation of Habich's Albatros {{DEFAULTSORT:Habich, Hermann 1895 births Year of death missing People from the Grand Duchy of Baden German World War I flying aces People from Rastatt (district) Military personnel from Baden-Württemberg Luftwaffe personnel of World War II Recipients of the Iron Cross (1914), 1st class