Alfons Köster

Alfons Köster
Born	6 February 1919 Hüingsen
Died	6 January 1945 (aged 25) Varel
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1938–45
Rank	Hauptmann (Posthumously)
Unit	NJG 1 NJG 2 NJG 3
Battles/wars	World War II Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Alfons Köster (6 February 1919 – 6 January 1945) was a German Luftwaffe night fighter 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. Alfons Köster claimed 26 aerial victories, 25 of them at night.^{[Notes 1]} On 6 January 1945, Alfons Köster was shotdown and killed over Varel. He was posthumously promoted to Hauptmann.

Awards

• Aviator badge
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (20 August 1941)^[1]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold (4 May 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 October 1942 as Oberfeldwebel and pilot in the 3./Nachtjagdgeschwader 2^[2][3]

Notes

1. For a list of Luftwaffe night fighter aces see List of German World War II night fighter aces.

References

Citations

1. Obermaier 1989, p. 149.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 267.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 461.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

• Luftwaffe 1939-1945