Friedrich Obleser

Friedrich Obleser
Generalleutnant Friedrich Obleser
Born	21 February 1923 Pottenstein, Austria
Died	5 June 2004 (aged 81) Neunkirchen, Austria
Allegiance	Nazi Germany  West Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe (Wehrmacht) Luftwaffe (Bundeswehr)
Years of service	1940–45, 1956–83
Rank	Oberleutnant (Wehrmacht) Generalleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Unit	JG 52
Commands held	8./JG 52
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other work	Bundeswehr

Friedrich-Erich Obleser (21 February 1923 – 5 June 2004) was a German World War II fighter ace and was credited with 127 aerial victories achieved in 500 combat missions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. For his post-war service in the German Air Force, he received the Grand Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Career

Obleser at one point questioned the aerial claims made by Erich Hartmann. Hartmann asked Günther Rall to have Obleser transferred to be Hartmann's wingman for a while. Obleser became a witness on some of Hartmann's claims and no longer questioned Hartmann's claims.^[1] In August 1944, Obleser was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 87th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark.^[2]

After World War II, Friedrich Obleser settled in West Germany and continued his career in the Luftwaffe der Bundeswehr after the re-militarization of West Germany in 1955. From 1 October 1978 until his retirement on 31 March 1983, he held the position of Inspekteur der Luftwaffe der Bundeswehr. At the end of his career, he had attained the rank of Generalleutnant and was the last active general in the Bundeswehr who had received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st class
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (8 November 1943)^[3]
• German Cross in Gold on 14 November 1943 as Leutnant in the III./JG 52^[4]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 March 1944 as Leutnant and Staffelführer of the 8./JG 52^{[5][Notes 1]}
• Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
  • Officer's Cross (April 1973)
  • Commanders Cross (November 1979)
  • Grand Cross with Star (4 March 1983)

Notes

1. According to Scherzer on 26 March 1944.^[6]

References

Citations

1. interview by Colin Heaton
2. Obermaier 1989, p. 243.
3. Obermaier 1989, p. 175.
4. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 335.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 328.
6. Scherzer 2007, p. 574.

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.
• 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.

External links

• "Friedrich Obleser". Luftwaffe (in German). Retrieved 10 July 2013.
• "Friedrich Obleser". Ritterkreuzträger 1939–45 (in German). Retrieved 10 July 2013.
• "Friedrich Obleser". Traditionsgemeinschaft Jagdgeschwader 52 (in German). Retrieved 10 July 2013.
• "Friedrich Obleser". World War II Awards. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
• "Ich denk?, ich steh?". Der Spiegel (in German) 46. 1979. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
• "Ein schöner Tod - fürs Vaterland?". Der Spiegel (in German) 35. 1982. Retrieved 18 June 2013.