Joachim Helbig
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Joachim Helbig (10 September 1915 – 5 October 1985) was a German
bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft that utilizes air-to-ground weaponry to drop bombs, launch aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploy air-launched cruise missiles. There are two major classifications of bomber: strategic and tactical. Strateg ...
pilot during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. He joined the
Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
in 1936, and served almost all of his career with Demonstration Wing 1 (''Lehrgeschwader'' 1 (LG 1)). With his unit, he participated in the
Invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign, Polish Campaign, and Polish Defensive War of 1939 (1 September – 6 October 1939), was a joint attack on the Second Polish Republic, Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak R ...
, the Norwegian Campaign, the Battles of the Netherlands,
Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and
Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...
in 1939–40. For his contributions in these campaigns, Helbig received the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was order of precedence, lower in preceden ...
in late 1940. He was then transferred to the Mediterranean theatre where he bombed
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
, the
British Mediterranean Fleet The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between ...
and flew in support of the
Afrika Korps The German Africa Corps (, ; DAK), commonly known as Afrika Korps, was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of its Africa ...
. Helbig received the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was order of precedence, lower in preceden ...
in late 1942 for the support of Field Marshal
Erwin Rommel Johannes Erwin Eugen Rommel (; 15 November 1891 â€“ 14 October 1944), popularly known as The Desert Fox (, ), was a German '' Generalfeldmarschall'' (field marshal) during World War II. He served in the ''Wehrmacht'' (armed forces) of ...
's 1942 summer offensive. He was then banned from further combat flying and was assigned to the staff of the General of Bombers, the senior officer responsible for the Luftwaffe's bomber force. In August 1943 the ban was revoked and Helbig was appointed commander of LG 1 which was then operating against the Allied forces in
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. In June 1944, he and LG 1 were transferred to France after the
Invasion of Normandy Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 ( D-Day) with the ...
. In early 1945, LG 1 was transferred to the Eastern Front and Helbig was tasked to destroy the bridges over the
Oder The Oder ( ; Czech and ) is a river in Central Europe. It is Poland's second-longest river and third-longest within its borders after the Vistula and its largest tributary the Warta. The Oder rises in the Czech Republic and flows through wes ...
. He surrendered to the American forces at the end of the war in May. After the war, Helbig pursued a civilian career; he died in 1985.


Early life

Joachim Helbig was born on 10 September 1915 in
Dahlen, Saxony Dahlen () is a town in the district Nordsachsen, in Saxony, Germany. Since 1994, the town of Dahlen consists of the old town with the addition of neighbouring villages Börln with Bortewitz, Radegast and Schwarzer Kater (literal translation: Black ...
. He volunteered for military service on 1 April 1935 and initially served one year with an artillery regiment. In the fall of 1936, he transferred to the Luftwaffe and entered the Bomber Flying School in
Lechfeld The Battle of Lechfeld also known as the Second Battle of Lechfeld was a series of military engagements over the course of three days from 10–12 August 955 in which the Kingdom of Germany, led by King Otto I the Great, annihilated the Hungari ...
. After completing his training as an observer and aerial gunner on 20 April 1937, he was posted as an observer to the Bomber
Wing A wing is a type of fin that produces both Lift (force), lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform (aeronautics), planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-d ...
(''Kampfgeschwader'' (KG)) 152 in
Schwerin Schwerin (; Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch dialect, Mecklenburgisch-Vorpommersch Low German: ''Swerin''; Polabian language, Polabian: ''Zwierzyn''; Latin: ''Suerina'', ''Suerinum'') is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Germ ...
.Berger 1999, p. 120.Schumann 2007, p. 80.Stockert 1996, p. 322.


World War II


Western Europe; Battle of Britain

At the beginning of World War II in September 1939, Helbig held the rank of Second Lieutenant and was serving as an observer in a
He 111 The Heinkel He 111 is a German airliner and medium bomber designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter at Heinkel Flugzeugwerke in 1934. Through development, it was described as a wolf in sheep's clothing. Due to restrictions placed on Germany a ...
reconnaissance aircraft of Demonstration Wing 1 (''Lehrgeschwader 1'' (II./LG 1)) in 1938. He was awarded the
Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...
2nd Class following the campaign.Thomas 1997, p. 265. Helbig took part in the April 1940 invasion of Norway (
Operation Weserübung Operation Weserübung ( , , 9 April – 10 June 1940) was the invasion of Denmark and Norway by Nazi Germany during World War II. It was the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign. In the early morning of 9 April 1940 (, "Weser Day"), Ge ...
). As part of II. ''Gruppe'', he flew missions in support of the German ground forces, particularly in the
Åndalsnes is a town in Rauma Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Åndalsnes is also the administrative center of Rauma Municipality. It is located along the Isfjorden, at the mouth of the river Rauma, at the north end of the Romsdalen valle ...
area. During one of these missions on 2 May, his unit sank the Norwegian
hospital ship A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating healthcare, medical treatment facility or hospital. Most are operated by the military forces (mostly navy, navies) of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or ...
with heavy losses. Following their attack on ''Dronning Maud'', the German aircraft then dropped bombs on the nearby
Gratangen Municipality or is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Central HÃ¥logaland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ã…rstein. The municipality is the 261st largest by area out of the 35 ...
, destroying several houses and killing two civilians. Shortly afterwards, the unit returned to Germany.De Zeng, Stankey and Creek 2008, p. 359.Hafsten 1991, p. 43 During the
Battle of France The Battle of France (; 10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign (), the French Campaign (, ) and the Fall of France, during the Second World War was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembour ...
later that month, Helbig served as squadron commander of the Fourth Squadron of LG 1, flying both He 111 and
Junkers Ju 88 The Junkers Ju 88 is a twin-engined multirole combat aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works. It was used extensively during the Second World War by the ''Luftwaffe'' and became one o ...
bombers, a position he held until 5 November 1941. While attacking shipping during the
Battle of Dunkirk The Battle of Dunkirk () was fought around the French Third Republic, French port of Dunkirk, Dunkirk (Dunkerque) during the Second World War, between the Allies of World War II, Allies and Nazi Germany. As the Allies were losing the Battle ...
on 1 June, Helbig's Ju 88 was intercepted by
Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allies of World War II, Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. It was the only British fighter produced conti ...
s of No. 616 Squadron RAF. They damaged the aircraft and lightly wounded Helbig, but he was able to return to base. For his actions, he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class. Following the defeat of France, Helbig was promoted to captain (''
Hauptmann () is an officer rank in the armies of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is usually translated as ''captain''. Background While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has, and originally had, the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literall ...
'') in JulyStockert 1996, p. 323. and his unit remained in France to participate in the
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain () was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defended the United Kingdom (UK) against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force ...
. On 15 August 1940, Helbig and his squadron, consisting of seven Ju 88s, took off with the primary target of the British airfield at Worthy Down together with other German units. The Germans were intercepted by British fighters and the mission was very costly for 4. ''Staffel'' as over half the bombers were shot down by the British or were written off after landing. Helbig was forced to jettison his bombs before reaching the target and return to base, flying on a single engine with wounded crewmen aboard. During the battle, Helbig reported that his badly damaged Ju 88 was intercepted by a Spitfire over the
English Channel The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
. The RAF pilot did not fire, but instead flew alongside the crippled bomber until the French coast was in sight, waved and flew away. Historian Christer Bergström has suggested that this might have been
Pilot Officer Pilot officer (Plt Off or P/O) is a junior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. Pilot officer is the lowest ran ...
Richard Hardy from No. 234 Squadron RAF. As the battle continued, LG 1 mostly switched to bombing cities at night. Helbig was awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was order of precedence, lower in preceden ...
on 24 November, after having flown 75 combat missions.Schumann, p. 81.


North African and Mediterranean campaign

The ''Gruppe'' flew to
Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
in mid-January 1941 and attacked targets in Malta as well as British ships in the Mediterranean. On one of these missions, they damaged the aircraft carrier on 16 January while she was docked for repairs in
Grand Harbour The Grand Harbour (; ), also known as the Port of Marsa, is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It has been substantially modified over the years with extensive docks ( Malta Dockyard), wharves, and fortifications. Description The h ...
, Malta. The unit was transferred to Bulgaria in early April in preparation for
Operation Marita The German invasion of Greece or Operation Marita (), were the attacks on Greece by Italy and Germany during World War II. The Italian invasion in October 1940, which is usually known as the Greco-Italian War, was followed by the German invasio ...
, the German invasions of Greece and Yugoslavia, where it participated in the bombing of Belgrade, Yugoslavia on 6 April. Shortly afterwards, it returned to Sicily and spent the rest of the campaign on anti-shipping missions near Southern Greece and Crete with occasional ground-attack missions. Two weeks later, on 21 April, II./LG 1 damaged the
oil tanker An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk cargo, bulk transport of petroleum, oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quant ...
south of Crete and unsuccessfully attacked a British convoy near Malta during Operation Tiger on 11 May.De Zeng, Stankey and Creek 2008, p. 361. The unit transferred to Athens on 16 May in preparation for the invasion of Crete (
Operation Merkur Merkur (, '' Mercury'') is a North American brand of automobiles marketed by the Lincoln- Mercury division of Ford Motor Company for model years 1985–1989. Drawing its name from the German word for Mercury, Merkur, the brand targeted buyers o ...
) and continued its efforts to interdict shipping in Greek waters. It may have damaged the battleship on 27 May as the British were evacuating the island. II./LG 1 remained in the Mediterranean for the rest of the year, attacking targets in
Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
,
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
and
Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...
, including long-range missions
mining Mining is the Resource extraction, extraction of valuable geological materials and minerals from the surface of the Earth. Mining is required to obtain most materials that cannot be grown through agriculture, agricultural processes, or feasib ...
the
Suez Canal The Suez Canal (; , ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, Indo-Mediterranean, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia (and by extension, the Sinai Peninsula from the rest ...
and various ports at night. Helbig became ''
Gruppenkommandeur ''Gruppenkommandeur'' is a Luftwaffe position (not rank), that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. A ''Gruppenkommandeur'' usually has the rank of Major or ''Oberstleutnant'' (Lieutenant Colonel), and comman ...
'' (group commander) of I./LG 1 on 5 November. The ''Gruppe'' briefly came under the command of ''
Fliegerführer Afrika ''Fliegerführer Afrika'' was part of ''Luftflotte 2'' (Air Fleet 2), one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in the Second World War. It operated in the Mediterranean and Libya from 1941–1942. The commanders were Generalmajor ...
'' on 21 November and assisted III./LG 1 in supporting German ground forces during the British
Operation Crusader Operation Crusader (18 November – 30 December 1941) was a military operation of the Western Desert campaign during World War II by the British Eighth Army (with Commonwealth, Indian and Allied contingents) against the Axis forces (German and ...
offensive for five days. He was slightly wounded during a
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
bombing raid on the airfield at
Benina Benina is a suburban borough ( formerly Basic People's Congress) and an administrative division of Benghazi, Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea ...
, Libya, on 29 November, as his unit was staging through en route back to Greece. Helbig commanded the unit on operations against the
Sidi Barrani Sidi Barrani (  ) is a town in Egypt, near the Mediterranean Sea, about east of the Egypt–Libya border, and around from Tobruk, Libya. Named after Sidi es-Saadi el Barrani, a Senussi sheikh who was a head of its Zawiya, the village ...
–
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
rail line on 3 and 4 December. On 10 December the unit flew interdiction operations against the
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
south of
Tobruk Tobruk ( ; ; ) is a port city on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District (formerly Tobruk District) and has a population of 120,000 (2011 est.)."Tobruk" (history), ''Encyclopà ...
. Thereafter, the unit flew mine-laying operations off the Libyan coast. On 16 January 1942, Helbig became the 64th recipient of the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was lower in precedence than the Grand C ...
after having completed 210 combat missions. While on patrol approximately south of
Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
on 11 May, Ju 88s from I./LG 1 detected four British destroyers, , ''Kipling'', ''Jackal'' and ''Lively''. The first wave of 14 Ju 88s from I./LG 1 attacked the destroyers later that afternoon, sank ''Lively'' and crippled ''Jackal''. A second wave failed to find the destroyers, but the third wave of seven Ju 88s, led by Helbig, attacked the destroyers with the setting sun behind them. Helbig's aircraft sank ''Kipling'' at while ''Jackal'' later had to be
scuttled Scuttling is the act of deliberately sinking a ship by allowing water to flow into the hull, typically by its crew opening holes in its hull. Scuttling may be performed to dispose of an abandoned, old, or captured vessel; to prevent the vesse ...
. The attack was successful despite the presence of defending
Bristol Beaufighter The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter (often called the Beau) is a British multi-role aircraft developed during the Second World War by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was originally conceived as a heavy fighter variant of the Bristol Beaufor ...
s from No. 272 Squadron RAF.Goss 2007, p. 102. In June, British
commando A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines. Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as oppo ...
s attacked Helbig's unit at their base in
Heraklion Heraklion or Herakleion ( ; , , ), sometimes Iraklion, is the largest city and the administrative capital city, capital of the island of Crete and capital of Heraklion (regional unit), Heraklion regional unit. It is the fourth largest city in G ...
, Crete, and succeeded in blowing up seven Ju 88s. On 28 September 1942 he was awarded the 20th
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was order of precedence, lower in preceden ...
.


Italian campaign and post-war life

In January 1943, Helbig was transferred to the staff of the ''
General der Kampfflieger Inspector of Bombers (German language: ''Inspekteur der Kampfflieger'') was not a rank but a leading position within the High Command of the German ''Luftwaffe'' (''Oberkommando der Luftwaffe'') in Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, official ...
'' (Commander of Bombers). In March 1943 he was appointed the ''General der Kampfflieger'' and was promoted to ''
Oberstleutnant () (English: Lieutenant Colonel) is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, ...
'' (lieutenant colonel) on 1 September.Schumann 2007, p. 88. After numerous difficulties and clashes with his superiors, including Field Marshal
Albert Kesselring Albert Kesselring (30 November 1885 – 16 July 1960) was a German military officer and convicted war crime, war criminal who served in the ''Luftwaffe'' during World War II. In a career which spanned both world wars, Kesselring reached the ra ...
, he returned to LG 1 as its ''
Geschwaderkommodore ''Geschwaderkommodore'' (short also ''Kommodore'') is a ''Luftwaffe'' position or appointment (not rank), originating during World War II. A ''Geschwaderkommodore'' is usually an OF5-rank of ''Oberst'' (colonel) or Kapitän zur See (naval captain ...
'' (wing commander) on 14 August. When his ''Geschwader'' was transferred to Italy to operate against the Allied beachheads at
Anzio Anzio (, also ; ) is a town and ''comune'' on region of Italy, about south of Rome. Well known for its seaside resorts, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola, and Ve ...
and
Nettuno Nettuno is a town and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Rome in the Lazio region of central Italy, south of Rome. A resort city and agricultural center on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it has a population of approximately 50,000. Economy It has a ...
in Italy after the landings there (
Operation Shingle The Battle of Anzio was a battle of the Italian Campaign (World War II), Italian Campaign of World War II that commenced January 22, 1944. The battle began with the Allies of World War II, Allied amphibious landing known as Operation Shingle, an ...
) on 22 January 1944, Helbig was appointed as the commander of all bomber units in Italy. On the night of 23/24 January, his aircraft sank the destroyer HMS ''Janus'' with a
torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, such ...
and damaged severely ''Jervis'' with a
Henschel Hs 293 The Henschel Hs 293 was a World War II Nazi Germany, German Command guidance, radio-guided glide bomb. It is the first operational anti-shipping missile, first used unsuccessfully on 25 August 1943 and then with increasing success over the next y ...
glider bomb at the cost of 11 aircraft. The Corsica operation was a success and these long-range operations destroyed 23 aircraft and damaged 90. In June 1944, LG 1 was ordered to transfer to Belgium for air defence during the Allied invasion of France.Brütting 1974, p. 99. Helbig formed a combined ground support and reconnaissance battle group as part of the Luftwaffe's operations against the Allied bombing campaign on 10 September 1944. Visiting unit at the
Vogelsang Airfield Vogelsang Airfield (Fliegerhorst Vogelsang) is an abandoned World War II military airfield located approximately 3 miles northwest of Schleiden (Nordrhein-Westfalen); approximately 330 miles southwest of Berlin. The airfield is a part of the for ...
, he was severely wounded by strafing Allied aircraft. Due to his injuries, Helbig had to surrender command of his unit. In the last weeks of the war in Europe, Helbig commanded a combat unit on the Eastern Front; he surrendered to the American forces on 8 May 1945.Berger 1999, p. 121. After the war he returned to civilian life, becoming the director of the Schultheiss brewery plant in Berlin.Bergström 2015, p. 127. Helbing died in
Malente Malente is a municipality in the district of Ostholstein, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is about 5 km northwest of Eutin and 35 km north of Lübeck. The cities belonging to this municipality are Timmdorf, KreuzfeldNeukirchen Siev ...
on 5 October 1985 following a car accident on vacation in
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
.


Awards

* ''Medaglia d'Argento al Valor Militare'' *
Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...
(1939) 2nd class (16 September 1939) & 1st class (20 June 1940)MacLean 2007, p. 229. * ''
Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe The ''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'' (Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe) was a Luftwaffe award established on 27 February 1940 by ''Reichsmarschall'' Hermann Göring, the ''Reich'' Minister of Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was ...
'' (6 October 1940) *
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was order of precedence, lower in preceden ...
** Knight's Cross on 24 November 1940 as ''
Hauptmann () is an officer rank in the armies of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is usually translated as ''captain''. Background While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has, and originally had, the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literall ...
'' and ''
Staffelkapitän ''Staffelkapitän'' is a command appointment, rather than a military rank, in the air force units of German-speaking countries. The rank normally held by a ''Staffelkapitän'' has changed over time. In the present-day German ''Luftwaffe'' – p ...
'' of the 4.(K)/Lehrgeschwader 1Scherzer 2007, p. 378. ** 64th Oak Leaves on 16 January 1942 as ''Hauptmann'' and ''
Gruppenkommandeur ''Gruppenkommandeur'' is a Luftwaffe position (not rank), that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. A ''Gruppenkommandeur'' usually has the rank of Major or ''Oberstleutnant'' (Lieutenant Colonel), and comman ...
'' of the I.(K)/Lehrgeschwader 1 ** 20th Swords on 28 September 1942 as ''Hauptmann'' and ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the I.(K)/Lehrgeschwader 1


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

* * Bergström, Christer (2015). ''The Battle of Britain: An Epic Conflict Revisited''. Casemate: Oxford. . * * * * * * * * * * * Mason, Francis (1969). ''Battle Over Britain''. McWhirter Twins, London. * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Helbig, Joachim 1915 births 1985 deaths Luftwaffe pilots People from Nordsachsen Military personnel of the Kingdom of Saxony German World War II bomber pilots German expatriates in Spain Recipients of the Silver Medal of Military Valor Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Road incident deaths in Spain German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United States Military personnel from Saxony