{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}} {{Use American English|date=March 2015}}
{{Short description|German cyclist and Luftwaffe pilot}} {{Infobox person | name = Fritz Fliegel | birth_date = 30 November 1907 | death_date = {{Death date and age|1941|7|18|1907|11|30|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Wilmersdorf]], [[Berlin]] | death_place = [[Atlantic Ocean]] | death_cause = [[Killed in action]] | image = Bundesarchiv Bild 146-2008-0341, Fritz Fliegel.jpg | caption = | other_names = | relatives = [[Gotthard Fliegel]] (father) | module = {{Infobox military person |embed = yes |allegiance={{flag|Nazi Germany}} |branch=[[Luftwaffe]] |service_years=1934–41 |rank=''[[Hauptmann]]'' (captain) |commands=I./[[KG 40]] |unit= |battles=[[World War II]] *[[Invasion of Poland]] *[[Atlantic War]] {{KIA}} |awards=[[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]] |relations=[[Gotthard Fliegel]] (father) }} | module2 = {{Infobox cyclist | embed = yes | image = | discipline = [[Sprint (track cycling)]] | majorwins = German amateur champion 1929 }} }}
'''Fritz Fliegel''' (30 November 1907 – 18 July 1941) was a German [[Track cycling|track cyclist]], [[Luftwaffe]] bomber pilot and recipient of the [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]], the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during [[World War II]]. On 18 July 1941, Fiegel was [[killed in action]] flying a [[Focke-Wulf Fw 200]] during the [[Atlantic War]] in an attack on convoy OB 346. He targeted the 7,046-ton freighter ''Pilar de Larrinaga''. However, the gunners shot his starboard wing off and he crashed into the sea, killing all on board.
==Early life and career== Fliegel was born on 30 November 1907 in [[Wilmersdorf]], a borough of [[Berlin]], in the [[Kingdom of Prussia]].{{sfn|Kaiser|2010|p=154}} He was the son of the son of geographer [[Gotthard Fliegel]] and his wife Anna Marie, née Meyer.{{sfn|Ahrens, Wilhelm|1961}} Fliegel, who had three sisters, won his first bicycle race in 1926. In 1929, he won the German [[amateur]] [[Sprint (track cycling)|sprint]] championship at the [[velodrome]] in [[Szczecin|Stettin-Westend]]. That year, he also participated in the [[1929 UCI Track Cycling World Championships|UCI Track Cycling World Championships]] held in [[Zürich]], Switzerland where he lost in the knockout stage to the Austrian [[August Schaffer]].<ref>''[[:de:Illustrierter Radrenn-Sport|Illustrierter Radrenn-Sport]]'', Berlin, 24 November 1929. p. 1323.</ref>
Fliegel joined the military service in 1934 and transferred from the infantry of the ''[[Reichswehr|Reichsheer]]'' (Army) to the newly emerging [[Luftwaffe]] (Air Force) of [[Nazi Germany]] a year later.{{sfn|Goss|2016|p=91}} Following his flight training, he served as [[flight instructor]] at the pilot schools A/B 42 in [[Salzwedel]] and A/B 113 in [[Brno]].{{refn|Flight training in the ''Luftwaffe'' progressed through the levels A1, A2 and B1, B2, referred to as A/B flight training. A training included theoretical and practical training in aerobatics, navigation, long-distance flights and dead-stick landings. The B courses included high-altitude flights, instrument flights, night landings and training to handle the aircraft in difficult situations.{{sfn|Bergström|Antipov|Sundin|2003|p=17}}|group="Note"}} There he was promoted to ''[[Hauptmann]]'' (captain) on 1 March 1939.{{sfn|Kaiser|2010|p=154}}
==World War II== World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces [[Invasion of Poland|invaded Poland]]. Fliegel flew combat missions over Poland and received the [[Iron Cross]] 2nd Class ({{Lang|de|Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse}}) on 15 September 1939. In early May 1940 when I. ''[[Organization of the Luftwaffe (1933–1945)#Gruppe|Gruppe]]'' (1st group) of [[Kampfgeschwader 40|''Kampfgeschwader'' 40]] (KG 40—40th Bomber Wing), a unit equipped with the long-range [[Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor|Focke-Wulf Fw 200 "Condor"]] [[reconnaissance]] and anti-shipping/maritime patrol bomber aircraft, Fliegel was transferred to the 2. ''[[Organization of the Luftwaffe (1933–1945)#Staffel|Staffel]]'' (2nd squadron) of KG 40.<ref group="Note">For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see [[Organization of the Luftwaffe (1933–1945)|Organization of the Luftwaffe during World War II]].</ref> The unit initially operated against enemy shipping from airbases in Denmark. There he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class ({{Lang|de|Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse}}) on 13 May 1940.{{sfn|Kaiser|2010|p=154}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1978-043-02, Focke-Wulf Fw 200 C Condor.jpg|thumb|right|A Fw 200 C similar to those flown by Fliegel]] In mid-1940, I. ''Gruppe'' relocated to the airbase [[Bordeaux-Mérignac Air Base|Bordeaux-Mérignac]] at the [[Atlantic]] coast near [[Bordeaux]] in France. In October 1940, he was appointed ''[[Staffelkapitän]]'' (squadron leader) of 2. ''Staffel'' of KG 40. Flying the Fw 200 to its maximum range, I. ''Gruppe'' was credited with the destruction of 39 enemy merchant ships totaling {{GRT|206000|disp=long}}, further damaging 20 ships of {{GRT|115000|disp=|link=off}}.{{sfn|Kaiser|2010|p=154}}
On 6 February 1941, {{GS|U-37|1938|2}} under the command of ''[[Kapitänleutnant]]'' (Captain Lieutenant) [[Nicolai Clausen]], spotted convoy HG 53, 19 merchant ships escorted by {{HMS|Velox|D34|6}} and {{HMS|Deptford|U53|2}}, heading for [[Liverpool]]. Clausen reported the sighting, which was relayed to KG 40 by ''[[Fliegerführer Atlantik]]''. On 9 February, KG 40 sent five Fw 200s to attack the convoy which was spotted at 4 pm roughly {{convert|640|km|mi nmi|abbr=off|sp=us}} southwest of [[Lisbon]]. In the attack at {{coord|35|42|N|14|38|W}}, the Fw 200's managed to sink five ships ({{SS|Britannic|1918|2}}, {{SS|Dagmar I||2}}, {{SS|Jura||2}}, {{SS|Tejo|1916|2}} and {{SS|Varna|1924|2}}), and ''Deptford'' damaged the Fw 200 piloted by ''[[Oberleutnant]]'' (First Lieutenant) Erich Adam, who managed to fly his aircraft to Spain. ''U-37'' sank three further ships from HG 53.{{sfn|McNab|2012|p=317}}{{sfn|Bertke|Smith|Kindell|2009|p=286}}{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen}} This achievement earned him his first mention in the ''[[Wehrmachtbericht]]'', an information bulletin and element of [[Propaganda in Nazi Germany|Nazi propaganda]] issued by the headquarters of the Wehrmacht.{{sfn|Kaiser|2010|p=154}}{{sfn|Goss|2016|p=91}}
Fliegel was awarded the [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]] ({{lang|de|Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes}}) on 25 March 1941. In mid-April 1941 he was appointed ''[[Gruppenkommandeur]]'' (group commander) of I. ''Gruppe'' of KG 40, replacing ''[[Major (Germany)|Major]]'' [[Edgar Petersen]]. He was mentioned a second time in the ''Wehrmachtbericht'' on 20 June 1941 after the number of enemy shipping destroyed by his ''Gruppe'' increased by a further 24 ships, reaching 109 enemy ships sunk.{{sfn|Kaiser|2010|p=154}}{{sfn|Goss|2016|p=91}} By early 1941 I. ''Gruppe'' of KG 40 had five holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross reflecting the success of the ''Condors'' in [[Atlantic Ocean]] operations.{{sfn|Goss|2005|p=50}}
===Killed in action=== On 18 July 1941, Fliegel and his crew—[[copilot]] ''[[Leutnant]]'' (Second Lieutenant) Wolf-Dietrich Kadelke, first radio operator ''[[Oberfeldwebel]]'' (Staff Sergeant) Johannes Rottke, second radio operator ''[[Gefreiter]]'' (Airman) Karl Becker, [[flight engineer]] ''[[Unteroffizier]]'' (Sergeant) Johann Kothe and [[air gunner]] ''Unteroffizier'' Karl Meurer—were reported missing in action over the Atlantic in the vicinity northwest of Ireland.{{sfn|Kaiser|2010|p=154}} Their Fw 200 C-3 "F8+AB" (''Werknummer'' 0043—factory number) was shot down in an attack on convoy OB 346. During the attack on the freighter ''Pilar de Larrinaga'', the gunners on board the freighter scored a hit on the Fw 200's starboard wing which tore it off.{{sfn|Forczyk|2010|p=53}} At the time of his death, Fliegel was credited with seven ships sunk plus further six damaged. He was promoted to ''[[Major (Germany)|Major]]'' (major) posthumously.{{sfn|Goss|2016|p=91}}
==Awards== * [[Iron Cross]] (1939) ** 2nd Class (15 September 1939){{sfn|Kaiser|2010|p=154}} ** 1st Class (13 May 1940){{sfn|Kaiser|2010|p=154}} * [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]] on 25 March 1941 as ''[[Hauptmann]]'' and ''[[Gruppenkommandeur]]'' of the I./''Kampfgeschwader'' 40{{sfn|Fellgiebel|2000|p=182}}{{sfn|Scherzer|2007|p=312}}{{sfn|Von Seemen|1976|p=128}} * Two named references in the ''[[Wehrmachtbericht]]'' (10 February 1941 and 20 June 1941){{sfn|Goss|2016|p=91}}
==Notes== {{Reflist|group="Note"}}
==References==
===Citations=== {{Reflist|25em}}
===Bibliography=== {{sfn whitelist |CITEREFAhrens,_Wilhelm1961}} {{Refbegin}} * {{NDB|5|246||Gotthard Fliegel|Ahrens, Wilhelm|116615249}} * {{Cite book |last1=Bergström |first1=Christer |author-link1=:sv:Christer Bergström |last2=Antipov |first2=Vlad |last3=Sundin |first3=Claes |year=2003 |title=Graf & Grislawski – A Pair of Aces |location=Hamilton MT |publisher=Eagle Editions |isbn=978-0-9721060-4-7 }} * {{Cite book |last1=Bertke |first1=Donald A |last2=Smith |first2=Gordon |last3=Kindell |first3=Don |year=2009 |title=World War II Sea War, Volume 3: The Royal Navy is Bloodied in the Mediterranean |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tdbEAwAAQBAJ&q=convoy+HG+53&pg=PA286 |location=Dayton, Ohio |publisher=Bertke Publisher |isbn=978-1-937470-01-2 }} * {{Cite book |last=Fellgiebel |first=Walther-Peer |author-link=:de:Walther-Peer Fellgiebel |year=2000 |orig-year=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=Forczyk |first=Robert |year=2010 |title=Fw 200 Condor Vs Atlantic Convoy, 1941–43 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GUIQMw6dAq0C&q=Fritz%20Fliegel%20Luftwaffe&pg=PA9 |location=Oxford; Long Island City, NY |publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]] |isbn=978-1-84603-917-1 }} * {{Cite book |last=Goss |first=Chris |year=2005 |title=Sea Eagles. Vol. 1: Luftwaffe Anti-Shipping Units, 1939–41 |location=Hersham |publisher=Classic Publication |isbn=978-1-903223-55-0 }} * {{Cite book |last=Goss |first=Chris |year=2016 |title=Fw 200 Condor Units of World War 2 |location=London, UK |publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]] |isbn=978-1-4728-1269-8 }} * {{Cite book |last=Kaiser |first=Jochen |year=2010 |title=Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger—Band 1 |trans-title=The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Bomber Flyer—Volume 1 |language=German, English |location=Bad Zwischenahn, Germany |publisher=Luftfahrtverlag-Start |isbn=978-3-941437-07-4 }} * {{Cite book |last=McNab |first=Chris |year=2012 |title=Hitler's Eagles: The Luftwaffe 1933–45 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SQulAwAAQBAJ&q=Fritz%20Fliegel%20Luftwaffe&pg=PA317 |location=Oxford; Long Island City, NY |publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]] |isbn=978-1-78096-283-2 }} * {{Cite web |last1=Rohwer |first1=Jürgen |authorlink1=Jürgen Rohwer |last2=Hümmelchen |first2=Gerhard |website=Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart |title=Chronik des Seekrieges 1939–1945, Februar 1941 |url=http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/41-02.htm |language=German |access-date=29 November 2018 }} * {{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 Miltaer-Verlag |isbn=978-3-938845-17-2 }} * {{cite book |last=Von Seemen |first=Gerhard |year=1976 |title=Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 : die Ritterkreuzträger sämtlicher Wehrmachtteile, Brillanten-, Schwerter- und Eichenlaubträger in der Reihenfolge der Verleihung : Anhang mit Verleihungsbestimmungen und weiteren Angaben |trans-title=The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 : The Knight's Cross Bearers of All the Armed Services, Diamonds, Swords and Oak Leaves Bearers in the Order of Presentation: Appendix with Further Information and Presentation Requirements |language=German |location=Friedberg, Germany |publisher=Podzun-Verlag |isbn=978-3-7909-0051-4 }} * {{Cite book |year=1985 |title=Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, 1. September 1939 bis 31. Dezember 1941 |trans-title=The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 1, 1 September 1939 to 31 December 1941 |language=German |location=München, Germany |publisher=Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG |isbn=978-3-423-05944-2 |ref={{sfnRef|''Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1''}} }} {{Refend}}
==External links== * {{Cycling Archives|79504}}
{{German Amateur National Championship, Sprint (track cycling)}} {{Subject bar | portal1=Aviation | portal2=Biography | portal3=Sports | commons=y }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fliegel, Fritz}} [[Category:1907 births]] [[Category:1941 deaths]] [[Category:Cyclists from Berlin]] [[Category:German track cyclists]] [[Category:German male cyclists]] [[Category:German World War II pilots]] [[Category:Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]] [[Category:Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II]] [[Category:People lost at sea]] [[Category:Military personnel from Berlin]] [[Category:People from Wilmersdorf]] [[Category:Reichswehr personnel]] [[Category:20th-century German sportsmen]]