Heinz Bretnütz
Encyclopedia
Heinz "Pietzsch" Bretnütz (24 January 1914 – 27 June 1941) was a German
Luftwaffe
ace
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
during World War II
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
to record his 20th victory. On 10 October 1940, Bretnütz was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 53. He claimed his 30th victory of World War II on 3 May 1941.
Bretnütz led II./JG 53 during the invasion of Russia. On 22 June 1941, after shooting down a Russian SB-2 twin-engine bomber his Bf 109 F-2 was hit by return fire, necessitating an emergency landing near the front lines between Erzvilkas and Nemaksciai. Badly wounded, he was rescued by farmers who hid him from retreating Russian troops. He was handed over to advancing German troops on 26 June. Hospitalised, he had his left leg amputated but died of complications from the operation on 27 June.
"Pietzsch" Bretnütz was credited with 35 victories in 244 missions. 2 of them during the Spanish Civil War
, he also shot down 12 barrage balloon
s.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Luftwaffe
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....
ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
and recipient of the 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...
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...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Career
He claimed his first victory of World War II on 25 September 1939 when he shot down a French Curtiss P-36 Hawk near Bienwald. Appointed Staffelkapitän of 6./JG 53 in June 1940, in the Battle of Britain, he was to become one of the most successful Luftwaffe fighter pilots, claiming 13 aircraft during the August–October period. On 20 October he shot down a Hawker HurricaneHawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
to record his 20th victory. On 10 October 1940, Bretnütz was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 53. He claimed his 30th victory of World War II on 3 May 1941.
Bretnütz led II./JG 53 during the invasion of Russia. On 22 June 1941, after shooting down a Russian SB-2 twin-engine bomber his Bf 109 F-2 was hit by return fire, necessitating an emergency landing near the front lines between Erzvilkas and Nemaksciai. Badly wounded, he was rescued by farmers who hid him from retreating Russian troops. He was handed over to advancing German troops on 26 June. Hospitalised, he had his left leg amputated but died of complications from the operation on 27 June.
"Pietzsch" Bretnütz was credited with 35 victories in 244 missions. 2 of them during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, he also shot down 12 barrage balloon
Barrage balloon
A barrage balloon is a large balloon tethered with metal cables, used to defend against low-level aircraft attack by damaging the aircraft on collision with the cables, or at least making the attacker's approach more difficult. Some versions carried small explosive charges that would be pulled up...
s.
Awards
- Spanienkreuz in Gold mit SchwerternSpanish CrossThe Spanish Cross was an award of Germany given to Germans who participated in the Spanish Civil War, fighting for Franco.- History :With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Germany sent the Condor Legion to give military aid to Francisco Franco's nationalist forces.On April 14, 1939, Germany...
- 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...
in Gold - 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
- 1st Class
- 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...
- Knight's Cross on 21 October 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 Gruppenkommandeur II./Jagdgeschwader 53
- Knight's Cross on 21 October 1940 as Hauptmann