Josef Jennewein
Encyclopedia
Josef Jennewein (21 November 1919 – 26 July 1943) was a German alpine skier
and world champion. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
during World War II
and became a flying ace
. He remains missing in action
following combat east of Orel
on 26 July 1943.
Jennewein became a world champion in the combined event in Zakopane
in 1939, and received silver medals in slalom
and in downhill
. In 1941 Jennewein participated at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1941
in Cortina d'Ampezzo
, Italy
and won Gold Medals in downhill and the combined event. In 1946, the results were cancelled by the FIS
because of the limited number of participants from only German-friendly countries during World War II.
Jennewein began flight training in 1940 and on completion transferred to 4.(Eins)/JFS 5 based on the Channel Front in summer 1941. On 20 September 1941 he claimed his first victories over three Spitfires. After claiming two further Spitfires on 15 October Jennewein was transferred to 2./JG 51 on the Eastern Front. By July 1942 when he was posted to serve as a flight instructor, and had claimed another 12 Russian aircraft. He returned to 2./JG 51 before the in late 1942.
In an impressive series of multiple victories, Jennewein downed four Russian aircraft on 18 January, five on 23 February and seven on 24 February. He claimed his 45th victory on 10 March and received the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold in April 1943. On 6 May he recorded five Il-2 Sturmovik aircraft shot down. He claimed 23 victories in July 1943, including five on 21 July. On 27 July, after aerial combat east of Orel
, Oberfeldwebel Jennewein force-landed his Fw 190 A-6 behind Russian lines, never being seen again and posted missing. He was promoted in absentia to Leutnant and awarded the Ritterkreuz posthumously on 5 December 1943.
Josef Jennewein flew 271 missions in claiming 86 victories, with five on the Western Front and 81 on the Eastern Front, including 29 Il-2 Sturmoviks.
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
and world champion. He was also a 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...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Career
Josef "Pepi" Jennewein was born on 21 November 1919 at St Anton in the Tyrolean Alps, Austria. He served in the LuftwaffeLuftwaffe
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....
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 became a flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
. He remains 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...
following combat east of Orel
Oryol
Oryol or Orel is a city and the administrative center of Oryol Oblast, Russia, located on the Oka River, approximately south-southwest of Moscow...
on 26 July 1943.
Jennewein became a world champion in the combined event in Zakopane
Zakopane
Zakopane , is a town in southern Poland. It lies in the southern part of the Podhale region at the foot of the Tatra Mountains. From 1975 to 1998 it was in of Nowy Sącz Province, but since 1999 it has been in Lesser Poland Province. It had a population of about 28,000 as of 2004. Zakopane is a...
in 1939, and received silver medals in slalom
Slalom skiing
Slalom is an alpine skiing discipline, involving skiing between poles spaced much closer together than in Giant Slalom, Super-G or Downhill, thereby causing quicker and shorter turns.- Origins :...
and in downhill
Downhill
Downhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the Downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships....
. In 1941 Jennewein participated at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1941
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1941
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1941 were held together with the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1941 in February 1-9, 1941 in Cortina d’Ampezzo....
in Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and won Gold Medals in downhill and the combined event. In 1946, the results were cancelled by the FIS
International Ski Federation
The International Ski Federation, known by its name in French, Fédération Internationale de Ski is the main international organisation for ski sports...
because of the limited number of participants from only German-friendly countries during World War II.
Jennewein began flight training in 1940 and on completion transferred to 4.(Eins)/JFS 5 based on the Channel Front in summer 1941. On 20 September 1941 he claimed his first victories over three Spitfires. After claiming two further Spitfires on 15 October Jennewein was transferred to 2./JG 51 on the Eastern Front. By July 1942 when he was posted to serve as a flight instructor, and had claimed another 12 Russian aircraft. He returned to 2./JG 51 before the in late 1942.
In an impressive series of multiple victories, Jennewein downed four Russian aircraft on 18 January, five on 23 February and seven on 24 February. He claimed his 45th victory on 10 March and received the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold in April 1943. On 6 May he recorded five Il-2 Sturmovik aircraft shot down. He claimed 23 victories in July 1943, including five on 21 July. On 27 July, after aerial combat east of Orel
Orel
Orel or Oryol can refer to:*Oryol, a city in Russia, the administrative center of Oryol OblastIt can also refer to:*Alexander Oryol , Soviet military leader and admiral...
, Oberfeldwebel Jennewein force-landed his Fw 190 A-6 behind Russian lines, never being seen again and posted missing. He was promoted in absentia to Leutnant and awarded the Ritterkreuz posthumously on 5 December 1943.
Josef Jennewein flew 271 missions in claiming 86 victories, with five on the Western Front and 81 on the Eastern Front, including 29 Il-2 Sturmoviks.
Awards
- 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 and 1st Class - Ehrenpokal der LuftwaffeEhrenpokal der LuftwaffeThe Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe was a Luftwaffe award established on February 27, 1940 by Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe. It was officially known as the Ehrenpokal "für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg", or Honor Goblet "For...
(1 March 1943) - German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold (12 April 1943) - 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 5 December 1943 (posthumously) as Leutnant and pilot in the 1./JG 51 "Mölders"