Ernst Kühl

Dr. jur. Ernst Kühl
Born	18 March 1888 Breslau, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire now Wrocław, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland
Died	2 February 1972 (aged 83) Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1928)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Deutsches Heer (1910–1918) Reichswehr (1918–28) Luftwaffe (1936–45)
Years of service	1910–28 1936–44
Rank	Oberst der Reserves
Unit	Kampfgeschwader 55
Commands held	Kampfgeschwader 55 3. Flieger-Division 5. Flieger-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of the Netherlands Battle of Belgium Battle of France Battle of Britain Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of the Caucasus Battle of Stalingrad Battle of Kursk Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Dr. jur. Ernst Kühl^{[Note 1]} (24 October 1888 – 2 February 1972) was a highly decorated Oberst der Reserves in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Ernst Kühl was captured by British troops in May 1945 in Norway. He was held until September 1947.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Aviator badge
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (1940)^[1]
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (20 December 1940)
• German Cross in Gold on 21 August 1942 as Oberstleutnant in the II./Kampfgeschwader 55^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 17 October 1942 as Oberstleutnant of the Reserve and Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 55^[3]
  • 356th Oak Leaves on 18 December 1943 as Oberst of the Reserves and Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 55 "Greif"^[4]
• Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht (11 April 1944 and 24 June 1944)
• Great Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
11 April 1944	Fliegende Verbände unter Führung von Oberst Kühl und ein Flakregiment unter Oberstleutnant Bulla zeichneten sich besonders aus.[5]	Flying units under the leadership of Oberst Kühl and an anti aircraft regiment under Oberstleutnant Bulla distinguished themselves exceptionally.

Notes

1. In German a Doctor of Law is abbreviated as Dr. iur. (Doctor iuris) or Dr. jur. (Doctor juris).

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 422.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 260.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 227.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 65.
5. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 78.

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.
• Kaiser, Jochen (2010). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger—Band 1 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Bomber Fliers—Volume 1] (in German and English). Bad Zwischenahn, Germany: Luftfahrtverlag-Start. ISBN 978-3-941437-07-4.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• 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.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

• Eichenlaubträger (German)
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht (German)
• World War 2 Awards.com