Arved Crüger
Encyclopedia
Arved Crüger was a Luftwaffe
wing commander during World War II
and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
recipient. He married the German movie actress Carola Höhn
in 1941. He was appointed Geschwaderkommodore
(Wing Commander) of Kampfgeschwader 77
(KG 77—77th Bomber Wing) in 1942. Crüger was posted as missing in action
on 22 March 1942.
. He joined the military service as a Fahnenjunker (Officer Cadet) in the 2nd Infantry Regiment (Infanterie-Regiment 2) on 1 April 1931. He the attended the infantry school in Dresden
from 1 October 1932 until 1 June 1933. With graduation he was promoted to Fähnrich
and transferred to the 6th Communications-Department (Nachrichtenabteilung 6). He then attended the Artillery School in Jüterbog
before transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1934.
Hauptmann
Arved Crüger received the Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 19 June 1940 in recognition of his leadership as Staffelkapitän
of the 5th Staffel (Squadron) of Kampfgeschwader 30
(KG 30—30th Bomber Wing) during the anti-shipping campaign against the British Home Fleet
and during the Battle of France
.
Crüger married the German actress Carola Höhn
in April 1941. The marriage produced a posthumous son, Arved-Michael, who was born in June 1942.
After his wedding vacation Crüger took command as Geschwaderkommodore
of the Schnellkampfgeschwader 210
on 30 September 1941 at the Eastern front
. He then became Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 77
on 13 March 1942. Fighting in the Mediterranean theater
of operations Crüger went missing in action
on 22 March 1942. Flying the Junkers Ju 88 A-4
3Z+AA (Werknummer 8627—factory number) he failed to return from a combat mission against the British forces on Malta
.
Crüger and his crew appear to have been shot down by Royal Naval AA fire while attacking shipping on route to Malta.
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
wing commander during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
recipient. He married the German movie actress Carola Höhn
Carola Höhn
-Selected filmography:* Derrick - Season 4, Episode 2: "Hals in der Schlinge" * Derrick - Season 5, Episode 9: "Lissas Vater" * Derrick - Season 6, Episode 10: "Das dritte Opfer" * Derrick - Season 7, Episode 11: "Pricker" -Honours:...
in 1941. He was appointed Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore is a Luftwaffe position , originating during World War II, that is the equivalent of a RAF Group Commander or USAF Wing Commander. A Geschwaderkommodore is usually of Oberstleutnant or Oberst rank...
(Wing Commander) of Kampfgeschwader 77
Kampfgeschwader 77
Kampfgeschwader 77 was a Luftwaffe bomber wing during World War II.Its units participated on all of the major fronts in the European Theatre until its dissolution in 1944...
(KG 77—77th Bomber Wing) in 1942. Crüger was posted as missing in action
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
on 22 March 1942.
Military career
Gustav-Arved Crüger was born on 25 June 1911 in Pillau, district of Samland in East PrussiaEast Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
. He joined the military service as a Fahnenjunker (Officer Cadet) in the 2nd Infantry Regiment (Infanterie-Regiment 2) on 1 April 1931. He the attended the infantry school in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
from 1 October 1932 until 1 June 1933. With graduation he was promoted to Fähnrich
Fähnrich
Fähnrich is a German and Austrian military rank in armed forces which translates as "Ensign" in English. The rank also exists in a few other European military organizations, often with historical ties to the German system. Examples are Sweden, Norway and Finland . The French Army has a similar...
and transferred to the 6th Communications-Department (Nachrichtenabteilung 6). He then attended the Artillery School in Jüterbog
Jüterbog
Jüterbog is a historic town in north-eastern Germany, located in the Teltow-Fläming district of Brandenburg. It is located on the Nuthe river at the northern slope of the Fläming hill range, about southwest of Berlin.-History:...
before transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1934.
Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
Arved Crüger received the Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 19 June 1940 in recognition of his leadership as Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän
Staffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank....
of the 5th Staffel (Squadron) of Kampfgeschwader 30
Kampfgeschwader 30
-Service history:Formed on 15 November 1939 in Greifswald. I Gruppe formed 1 September, II Gruppe on 23 September and III Gruppe on 1 January 1940, based in Greifswald then Barth...
(KG 30—30th Bomber Wing) during the anti-shipping campaign against the British Home Fleet
British Home Fleet
The Home Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy which operated in the United Kingdom's territorial waters from 1902 with intervals until 1967.-Pre–First World War:...
and during the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
.
Crüger married the German actress Carola Höhn
Carola Höhn
-Selected filmography:* Derrick - Season 4, Episode 2: "Hals in der Schlinge" * Derrick - Season 5, Episode 9: "Lissas Vater" * Derrick - Season 6, Episode 10: "Das dritte Opfer" * Derrick - Season 7, Episode 11: "Pricker" -Honours:...
in April 1941. The marriage produced a posthumous son, Arved-Michael, who was born in June 1942.
After his wedding vacation Crüger took command as Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore
Geschwaderkommodore is a Luftwaffe position , originating during World War II, that is the equivalent of a RAF Group Commander or USAF Wing Commander. A Geschwaderkommodore is usually of Oberstleutnant or Oberst rank...
of the Schnellkampfgeschwader 210
Schnellkampfgeschwader 210
Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 was a Luftwaffe fast bomber wing of the Second World War. The unit was created in April 1941 and absorbed by the Zerstörergeschwader 1 on 4 January 1942.- Origins 1940 :...
on 30 September 1941 at the Eastern front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
. He then became Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 77
Kampfgeschwader 77
Kampfgeschwader 77 was a Luftwaffe bomber wing during World War II.Its units participated on all of the major fronts in the European Theatre until its dissolution in 1944...
on 13 March 1942. Fighting in the Mediterranean theater
Mediterranean Theater
The term Mediterranean Theater can refer to:* Mediterranean Theatre of World War II, 1940–45* Mediterranean Theater of Operations, the official term for American military operations by the Army, the Navy, and the Army Air Forces in the Mediterranean region during 1942–45...
of operations Crüger went missing in action
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
on 22 March 1942. Flying the Junkers Ju 88 A-4
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
3Z+AA (Werknummer 8627—factory number) he failed to return from a combat mission against the British forces on Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
.
Crüger and his crew appear to have been shot down by Royal Naval AA fire while attacking shipping on route to Malta.
Awards
- Die Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938Anschluss MedalThe Anschluss Commemorative Medal was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded in the interwar period.-Description:Instituted on May 1, 1938, the medal commemorated the return of Austria to the German Reich...
(2 October 1938) - Die Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938Sudetenland MedalThe The Sudetenland Commemorative Medal was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded in the interwar period.-Description:...
(25 August 1939) - Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939)- 2nd Class (17 March 1940)
- 1st Class (4 May 1940)
- Officer to the Order of the CrownOrder of the Crown (Romania)The Order of the Crown is a chivalric order set up on 14 March 1881 by King Carol I of Romania to commemorate the establishment of the Kingdom of Romania...
of Romania (6 May 1940) - Front Flying Clasp of the LuftwaffeFront Flying Clasp of the LuftwaffeThe Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe was awarded in Bronze, Silver, and Gold with upgrade possible to include diamonds. Pennants suspended from the clasp indicated the number of missions obtained in a given type of aircraft...
for Bomber Pilots in Gold- in Silver (19 May 1941)
- in Gold (15 October 1941)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
on 19 June 1940 as HauptmannHauptmannHauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
and StaffelkapitänStaffelkapitänStaffelkapitän is a position in flying units of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank....
of the 5./Kampfgeschwader 30 - Mentioned in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
on 30 March 1941
Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht
| Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, 30 March 1941 | Kampfflugzeuge unter Führung des Majors Krüger griffen in den Nachmittagsstunden des 29. März im Seegebiet westlich Kreta einen starken englischen Flottenverband erfolgreich an. Sie erzielten trotz heftiger Flak- und Jagdabwehr auf einem Flugzeugträger drei Bombenvolltreffer. Bei den Luftkämpfen während des Angriffs schossen Kampfflugzeuge ein britisches Jagdflugzeug vom Muster Hurricane ab. Alle eigenen Flugzeuge kehrten zu ihren Stützpunkten zurück. | Bombers under the command of Major Krüger attacked a strong British naval task force in the sea area west of Crete in the afternoon hours of 29 March. They scored three direct bomb hits on an aircraft carrier despite the heavy anti aircraft fire and fighter cover. One British aircraft of the type Hurricane was shot down by the bombers during the aerial battles. All of our aircraft returned to their bases. |