Ernst Kupfer

{{Short description|German World War II Stuka pilot}} {{more citations needed|date=November 2016}} {{Infobox military person |honorific_prefix= |name=Ernst Kupfer |birth_date={{birth date|1907|7|2|df=y}} |death_date={{death date and age|1943|11|6|1907|7|2|df=y}} |image=Ernst Kupfer.jpg |caption= |birth_place=Coburg |death_place={{convert|60|km|mi|abbr=on}} north of Thessaloniki, Greece |allegiance={{flag|Weimar Republic}}<br/>{{flag|Nazi Germany}} |branch=Army; Luftwaffe |service_years=1928–43 |rank=Oberst |commands=StG 2 |unit= |battles=World War II  *Battle of Stalingrad *Battle of Kursk |awards=Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (posthumous) |other_work= }}

'''Ernst Kupfer''' (2 July 1907 – 6 November 1943) was a ground-attack pilot in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during World War II who commanded a wing (StG 2) of Stuka aircraft. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

==Career== On 1 October 1928, Kupfer joined the military, serving with the Bavarian Cavalry Regiment 17, 5th Escadron. From 1 May 1936 to 3 March 1937, he returned to university in preparation for his ''Dr. jur.'' degree (Doctor of Law), which he attained on 4 March 1937.<ref name="Obermaier p46">Obermaier 1976, p. 46.</ref>

Kupfer was appointed acting ''Geschwaderkommodore'' (Wing Commander) of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 (StG 2—2nd Dive-Bomber Wing) on 13 February 1943. He led StG 2 in the battles of the Kuban bridgehead and Operation Citadel. In April and May, several other fighter and ground attack groups augmented his command. Following the failure of Operation Citadel in July 1943, he took command of all local ground attack units, named ''Gefechtsverband'' "Kupfer" (Combat Detachment "Kupfer").<ref name="Obermaier p46"/> He flew 636 combat missions and was shot down three times, all by ground fire.

On 1 September 1943, Kupfer was appointed General of the Ground Attack [aircraft] (''General der Schlachtflieger'') and promoted to Oberstleutnant.<ref>{{Cite book |last=McNab |first=Chris |title=Hitler's Eagles : The Luftwaffe, 1933-45 |date=2012 |publisher=Osprey |isbn=978-1-78096-283-2 |location=Oxford |pages=278 |oclc=779264558}}</ref> In this role he handled the procurement of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, which was to replace the old and obsolete Junkers Ju 87 and especially the Henschel Hs 123. For this purpose he flew and visited a number of ''Schlachtgeschwader'' (ground attack wings) to meet with the various ''Geschwaderkommodore'' (wing commanders). He visited ''Oberstleutnant'' Kurt Kuhlmey, commander of Schlachtgeschwader 3, in early November 1943 and was killed when his Heinkel He 111 crashed returning to his base in bad weather on 6 November 1943. His body lay undiscovered until 17 November.<ref>Griehl 2001, p. 277.</ref> He received a posthumous promotion to ''Oberst'' (Colonel) and was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

==Awards== * German Cross in Gold on 15 October 1942 as ''Major'' in the II./StG 2<ref>Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 263.</ref> * Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st class * ''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'' on 14 October 1942 as ''Hauptmann'' and ''Staffelkapitän''<ref>Patzwall 2008, p. 129.</ref> * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords ** Knight's Cross on 23 November 1941 as ''Hauptmann'' and ''Staffelkapitän'' of the 7./StG 2 "Immelmann"<ref name="Scherzer p486">Scherzer 2007, p. 486.</ref><ref>Fellgiebel 2000, p. 280.</ref> ** 173rd Oak Leaves on 8 January 1943 as ''Major'' and ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the II./StG 2 "Immelmann"<ref name="Scherzer p486"/><ref>Fellgiebel 2000, p. 65.</ref> ** 62nd Swords on 11 April 1944 (posthumous) as ''Oberst'' and former ''Geschwaderkommodore'' of StG 2 "Immelmann"<ref name="Scherzer p486"/><ref>Fellgiebel 2000, p. 43.</ref>

==References==

===Citations=== {{Reflist|25em}}

===Bibliography=== {{Refbegin}} * {{Cite book |last=Fellgiebel |first=Walther-Peer |year=2000 |orig-date=1986 |title=Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile |trans-title=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 |language=German |location=Friedberg, Germany |publisher=Podzun-Pallas |isbn=978-3-7909-0284-6 }} * {{Cite book |last=Griehl |first=Manfred |year=2001 |title=Junker Ju 87 Stuka |publisher=Airlife Publishing/Motorbuch |location=London/Stuttgart |isbn=1-84037-198-6 }} * {{Cite book |last=Obermaier |first=Ernst |year=1976 |title=Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Band II Stuka- und Schlachtflieger |trans-title=The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Volume II Dive Bomber and Attack Aircraft |language=German |location=Mainz, Germany |publisher=Verlag Dieter Hoffmann |isbn=978-3-87341-021-3 }} * {{Cite book |last1=Patzwall |first1=Klaus D. |last2=Scherzer |first2=Veit |year=2001 |title=Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II |trans-title=The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 |language=German |location=Norderstedt, Germany |publisher=Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall |isbn=978-3-931533-45-8 }} * {{Cite book |last=Patzwall |first=Klaus D. |year=2008 |title=Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg |trans-title=The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War |language=German |location=Norderstedt, Germany |publisher=Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall |isbn=978-3-931533-08-3 }} * {{Cite book |last=Scherzer |first=Veit |year=2007 |title=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 |trans-title=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 |language=German |location=Jena, Germany |publisher=Scherzers Militaer-Verlag |isbn=978-3-938845-17-2 }} * {{Cite book |last=Thomas |first=Franz |year=1997 |title=Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K |trans-title=The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K |language=German |location=Osnabrück, Germany |publisher=Biblio-Verlag |isbn=978-3-7648-2299-6 }} {{Refend}}

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box |before=Oberstleutnant Paul-Werner Hozzel |after=Oberleutnant Hans-Karl Stepp |title=Commander of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 ''Immelmann'' |years=13 February 1943 – 6 November 1943 }} {{succession box |before=none |after=Oberstleutnant Hubertus Hitschhold |title=''General der Schlachtflieger'' |years=October 1943 – 6 November 1943 }} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kupfer, Ernst}} Category:1907 births Category:1943 deaths Category:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in Greece Category:German World War II pilots Category:Heidelberg University alumni Category:Luftwaffe pilots Category:Recipients of the Gold German Cross Category:Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Category:Military personnel from Bavaria Category:People from Coburg Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1943