Werner Streib
Encyclopedia
Werner Streib was a German
Luftwaffe
fighter ace
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
with Oak Leaves and Swords during World War II
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
made the Luftwaffe's nightfighter arm an effective fighting force against the RAF bombing offensive.
Werner Streib was born on June 13, 1911 in Pforzheim
Germany. After a spell in banking and finance, he joined the Wermacht as an infantryman. A transfer to the Luftwaffe, as an
observer in a reconnaissance unit followed, and later he trained as a fighter pilot. In 1937, he was assigned to JG 2 Richthofen at Jüterbog-Damm. He then became a Bf-110 Zerstorer pilot in Wolfgang Falck's ZG 1 as the war began.
His first victory and only daylight victory was over a RAF Bristol Blenheim
on 10 May 1940.
In May 1940 the creation of the Nachtjagd was commenced, and on 20 July, as part of 2./NJG 1, Werner Streib claimed his first night victory (and the first official Nachtjagd victory) over a RAF Whitley.
By October 1940 Streib was commanding of I gruppe, NJG 1, based at Venlo
, Holland in order to more easily intercept the known RAF bomber routes into targets in the Ruhr.
He would be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
on 6 October 1940 as an Oberleutnant with eight victories claimed. By May 1941 he had 26 confirmed victories. He was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knights Cross on 26 February 1943 as a Major and Kommodore of NJG 1 with 42 confirmed victories.
On the night of 11–12 June 1943, Werner Streib flew a prototype
version of the Heinkel He 219
and claimed to have shot down 5 Lancaster bombers within just 30 minutes. However, when returning to Venlo Streib misjudged the landing approach and used the flaps at too high a speed. The Heinkel crashed and was written off on upon landing, Streib and his Bordfunker (radio or wireless operator) escaping with slight injuries.
On March 11, 1944 he was awarded the Swords to his Knights Cross for 66 confirmed victories.
On March 23, 1944 he was made Inspector of Night Fighters and he would stay in this post as Oberst until the end of the war.
Werner Streib was officially credited with shooting down 66 enemy aircraft, with 65 claimed at night.For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces He was the first night fighter pilot to be honoured with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
.
After the war he worked in the grocery business before joining the Bundeswehr
in 1956, where he attained the rank of Brigadegeneral.
He died on 15 June 1986 and is buried in Munich, Germany.
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....
fighter 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...
with Oak Leaves and Swords 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 and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Military career
Often called 'Father of the Nachtjagd' Streib helped develop the operational tactics used by the NachtJagd during the early to mid-war years, and along with the likes of Wolfgang FalckWolfgang Falck
Wolfgang Falck was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace during World War II. He was one of the key organisers of the German night fighter defences.-Military career:...
made the Luftwaffe's nightfighter arm an effective fighting force against the RAF bombing offensive.
Werner Streib was born on June 13, 1911 in Pforzheim
Pforzheim
Pforzheim is a town of nearly 119,000 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southwest Germany at the gate to the Black Forest. It is world-famous for its jewelry and watch-making industry. Until 1565 it was the home to the Margraves of Baden. Because of that it gained the nickname...
Germany. After a spell in banking and finance, he joined the Wermacht as an infantryman. A transfer to the Luftwaffe, as an
observer in a reconnaissance unit followed, and later he trained as a fighter pilot. In 1937, he was assigned to JG 2 Richthofen at Jüterbog-Damm. He then became a Bf-110 Zerstorer pilot in Wolfgang Falck's ZG 1 as the war began.
His first victory and only daylight victory was over a RAF Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
on 10 May 1940.
In May 1940 the creation of the Nachtjagd was commenced, and on 20 July, as part of 2./NJG 1, Werner Streib claimed his first night victory (and the first official Nachtjagd victory) over a RAF Whitley.
By October 1940 Streib was commanding of I gruppe, NJG 1, based at Venlo
Venlo
Venlo is a municipality and a city in the southeastern Netherlands, next to the German border. It is situated in the province of Limburg.In 2001, the municipalities of Belfeld and Tegelen were merged into the municipality of Venlo. Tegelen was originally part of the Duchy of Jülich centuries ago,...
, Holland in order to more easily intercept the known RAF bomber routes into targets in the Ruhr.
He would be awarded 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...
on 6 October 1940 as an Oberleutnant with eight victories claimed. By May 1941 he had 26 confirmed victories. He was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knights Cross on 26 February 1943 as a Major and Kommodore of NJG 1 with 42 confirmed victories.
On the night of 11–12 June 1943, Werner Streib flew a prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
version of the Heinkel He 219
Heinkel He 219
The Heinkel He 219 Uhu was a night fighter that served with the German Luftwaffe in the later stages of World War II. A relatively sophisticated design, the He 219 possessed a variety of innovations, including an advanced VHF-band intercept radar...
and claimed to have shot down 5 Lancaster bombers within just 30 minutes. However, when returning to Venlo Streib misjudged the landing approach and used the flaps at too high a speed. The Heinkel crashed and was written off on upon landing, Streib and his Bordfunker (radio or wireless operator) escaping with slight injuries.
On March 11, 1944 he was awarded the Swords to his Knights Cross for 66 confirmed victories.
On March 23, 1944 he was made Inspector of Night Fighters and he would stay in this post as Oberst until the end of the war.
Werner Streib was officially credited with shooting down 66 enemy aircraft, with 65 claimed at night.For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces He was the first night fighter pilot to be honoured with 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...
.
After the war he worked in the grocery business before joining the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
in 1956, where he attained the rank of Brigadegeneral.
He died on 15 June 1986 and is buried in Munich, Germany.
Awards
- Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
in Black - 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...
(13 September 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...
in Gold - Combined Pilots-Observation BadgeCombined Pilots-Observation BadgeCombined Pilots-Observation Badge was a German military award instituted on 26 March 1936 by the Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe Hermann Göring to commemorate soldiers or servicemen who had already been awarded the Pilot's badge or Observer badge...
- 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 (26 February 1942) - 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 - Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and SwordsKnight'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 6 October 1940 as OberleutnantOberleutnantOberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
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 2./NJG 1 - 197th Oak Leaves on 26 February 1943 as MajorMajor (Germany)Major is a rank of the German military which dates back to the Middle Ages.It equates to Major in the British and US Armies, and is rated OF-3 in NATO.During World War II, the SS equivalent was Sturmbannführer....
and GruppenkommandeurGruppenkommandeurGruppenkommandeur is a Luftwaffe position , that is the equivalent of a commander of a group or wing in other air forces. Gruppenkommandeur usually has the rank of Hauptmann or Major, and commands a Gruppe, which is a sub-division of a Geschwader. A Gruppe usually consists of three or four...
of the I./NJG 1 - 54th Swords on 11 March 1944 as Major and GeschwaderkommodoreGeschwaderkommodoreGeschwaderkommodore 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 NJG 1
- Knight's Cross on 6 October 1940 as Oberleutnant
- Mentioned four times 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....
(1 October 1940, 15 March 1941, 5 July 1941 and 31 May 1942)