{{Short description|Austrian chemist and Luftwaffe fighter ace in World War II (1904–1970)}} {{Infobox military person |honorific_prefix=Dr. chem. |name=Peter Werfft |birth_date={{Birth date|1904|10|8|df=yes}} |death_date={{Death date and age|1970|7|23|1904|10|8|df=yes}} |birth_place=Vienna, Austria-Hungary |death_place=Vienna, Austria |image= |caption= |nickname= |allegiance={{flag|Nazi Germany}} |branch={{air force|Nazi Germany}} |service_years= 1940 or earlier – 1945 |rank=''Major'' |commands=III./JG 27 |unit=JG 27 |battles=World War II *Battle of Britain *Unternehmen Bodenplatte |awards=Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |other_work=chemist }}
'''Dr. Peter Werfft-Wessely''' (8 October 1904 – 23 July 1970), was an Austrian chemist. During World War II, he was decorated by Nazi Germany for service in the Luftwaffe as a fighter ace. After the war, Werfft-Wessely became a chemical industry entrepreneur.
== Luftwaffe ace in World War II == Werfft was born on 8 October 1904 in Vienna, the capital of Austria-Hungary.{{sfn|Obermaier|1989|p=222}}
As a ''Gefreiter'' flying with I. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing), Werfft participated in the Battle of Britain; the two air victories which he scored against RAF Hawker Hurricane fighters on 27 September 1940 was his first.
Werrft served with JG 27 in North Africa during 1941–42, claiming five kills over the Desert Air Force. Werfft was commissioned as a ''Leutnant'' (Lieutenant) in late 1942. Service over Greece and the Balkans followed in 1943, where he claimed the destruction of a P-38 Lightning and three USAAF heavy bombers.
On 2 April 1944, III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 27 relocated from Wien-Seyring near Vienna to Wolkersdorf.{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=309}} That day, the ''Gruppe'' engaged in combat with bombers of United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Fifteenth Air Force. In this encounter, Werfft claimed two Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers near Wolfsberg.{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|pp=310, 323}}
On 19 May, Werfft was shot down in his Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 (''Werknummer'' 441090—factory number) on a transfer flight to Gardelegen.{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=326}} Wounded in the encounter, Werfft surrendered command of 9. ''Staffel'' to ''Oberleutnant'' Kurt Heidenreich. Following a period of convalescence, he return to 9. ''Staffel'' in October 1944. In December 1944, Werfft was appointed ''Gruppenkommandeur'' (group commander) of III. ''Gruppe'' of JG 27.{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=319}}
At the end of World War II he was a Major and ''gruppenkommandeur'' of III./JG 27, flying a Bf 109 G-6 fighter [https://www.aviationillustration.com/shop/popup_image.php?pID=1143&osCsid=dc890d2c87e567a0f3af324a3a44b888 ("Yellow One")] with a green fuselage band signifying dedication to ''Reich'' strategic airspace defence; he also had a total of 26 air kills.
Werfft claimed 11 more heavies in 1944, he was a ''Hauptmann'' (Captain) by October 1944. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ({{lang|de|Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes}}) on 28 January 1945, the last pilot of JG 27 to receive this distinction.{{sfn|Weal|2003|p=106}}
On 3 May 1945 he disbanded his III./JG 27 in the Austrian Alps near Saalbach, together with the acting unit commander ''Hauptmann'' Emil Clade, eventually becoming a prisoner of war of the United States.
== Pharmaceutical entrepreneur == Returning to Austria in 1948, after his release from captivity, Werfft established InterChemie GmbH, a Vienna-based pharmaceutical and chemical limited liability enterprise. Among the first commercial activities of the fledgling trading company in this difficult post-war period was the Austrian sales representation for certain American Cyanamid products. By 1961, the firm had been restructured into a successor company, Werfft-Chemie GmbH. In the years following the founder's death in 1970, Werfft-Chemie continued, initially as a family-run business, but met with increasing economic difficulties. It was taken over by the Austrian Sanochemia Pharmazeutika Group in 1983 and was subsequently converted to a purely veterinary medicine company. The legacy of Werfft-Chemie survived until January 2020 under the name Alvetra u. Werfft AG, a Sanochemia Group company with subsidiaries in several central and eastern European countries; its business assets were acquired by Inovet, another European veterinary company.
== Summary of career ==
=== Aerial victory claims === According to Obermaier, Werfft was credited with 26 enemy aircraft shot down, all of which on the Western Front, including five in North Africa.{{sfn|Obermaier|1989|p=222}} This figure includes 14 four-engined bombers.{{sfn|Forsyth|2011|p=75}} Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces: Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the German Federal Archives and found records for nineteen aerial victory claims, plus seven further unconfirmed claims. All of his aerial victories were claimed on the Western Front and included nine four-engined bombers.{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2015|p=1400}}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders collapsible" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; text-align:right; width: 100%;" ! colspan="12" | Chronicle of aerial victories |- | colspan="12" style="text-align: left;" | {{legend|#e3d9ff|This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Werfft did not receive credit.|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{legend|#C0EFBA|This along with the * (asterisk) indicates an ''Herausschuss'' (separation shot)—a severely damaged heavy bomber forced to separate from his combat box which was counted as an aerial victory.|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} {{legend|#faecc8|This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Balke, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman.|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} |- !scope="col"| Claim !scope="col"| Date !scope="col"| Time !scope="col" width="100px"| Type !scope="col"| Location !scope="col"| Unit !scope="col" style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | Claim !scope="col"| Date !scope="col"| Time !scope="col" width="100px"| Type !scope="col"| Location !scope="col"| Unit |- ! colspan="12" | – Claims with I. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 27 –{{sfn|Prien|Rodeike|Stemmer|1998|p=562}}<br /><small>On the Channel Front — June – October 1940</small> |- | 1 | 27 September 1940 | 10:10 | Hurricane | Sevenoaks{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Rodeike|Bock|2002|p=378}} | 1./JG 27 | style="border-left: 3px solid grey; background:#faecc8" | 2?{{Refn|According to Mathews and Foreman, this claim is unconfirmed.{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2015|p=1400}}|group="Note"|name="unconfirmed"}} | 27 September 1940 | {{Center|—}} | Hurricane | north Brighton{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Rodeike|Bock|2002|p=378}} | 1./JG 27 |- ! colspan="12" | – Claims with I. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 27 –{{sfn|Prien|Rodeike|Stemmer|1998|p=563}}<br /><small>Sicily, Balkans and North Africa — 4 December 1940 – 31 May 1941</small> |- | 3 | 19 July 1941 | 18:05 | P-40 | Bay of Sollum{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Rodeike|Bock|2003|p=371}} | 1./JG 27 | style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | 5 | 9 September 1941 | 17:17 | Hurricane | Bay of Sollum{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Rodeike|Bock|2003|p=372}} | 1./JG 27 |- | style="background:#faecc8" | 4?<ref group="Note" name="unconfirmed"/> | 26 August 1941 | {{Center|—}} | Hurricane | Sidi Barrani{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Rodeike|Bock|2003|p=371}} | 1./JG 27 | style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | | | | | | |- ! colspan="12" | – Claims with III. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 27 –{{sfn|Prien|Rodeike|Stemmer|1998|p=563}}<br /><small>In North Africa — October – 31 December 1942</small> |- | 6 | 26 October 1942 | 16:00 | Boston | northeast of the mosque at El Dabaa{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Rodeike|Bock|2004|p=343}} | style="background:#faecc8" | 9./JG 27?{{Refn|According to Mathews and Foreman with 7./JG 27.{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2015|p=1400}}|group="Note"}} | style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | 7 | 2 November 1942 | 15:53 | Spitfire | {{Convert|25|km|mi|abbr=on}} southeast of El Alamein{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Rodeike|Bock|2004|p=343}} | 9./JG 27 |- ! colspan="12" | – Claims with III. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 27 –{{sfn|Prien|Rodeike|Stemmer|1998|p=563}}<br /><small>In the Mediterranean Theater — 20 August – 31 December 1943</small> |- | style="background:#e3d9ff;" | {{Center|—}}?{{Refn|This unconfirmed claim is not listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock.{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Rodeike|Bock|2010|p=262}}|group="Note"}} | 8 October 1943 | {{Center|—}} | B-24 | | 9./JG 27 | style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | 9 | 20 December 1943 | 12:41 | P-38 | northwest of Megara{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Rodeike|Bock|2010|p=264}} | 9./JG 27 |- | 8 | 6 December 1943 | 12:47 | B-17 | west of Milos{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Rodeike|Bock|2010|p=264}} | 9./JG 27 | style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | 10 | 20 December 1943 | 12:52 | B-17 | northeast of Megara{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Rodeike|Bock|2010|p=264}} | 9./JG 27 |- ! colspan="12" | – Claims with III. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 27 –{{sfn|Prien|Rodeike|Stemmer|1995|pp=348–351}}<br /><small>Defense of the Reich — March 1944 – May 1945</small> |- | style="background:#faecc8" | 11?<ref group="Note" name="unconfirmed"/> | 19 March 1944 | 13:50 | style="background:#C0EFBA" | B-24* | southeast Marburg{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=323}} | 9./JG 27 | style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | 18 | 12 May 1944 | 12:30 | B-17 | {{Convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} north-northeast Hanau{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=323}} | 9./JG 27 |- | style="background:#e3d9ff;" | {{Center|—}} | 19 March 1944 | {{Center|—}} | B-24 | southeast Marburg{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=323}} | 9./JG 27 | style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | 19 | 19 May 1944 | 13:15 | style="background:#C0EFBA" | B-24* | south-southwest Helmstedt{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=323}} | 9./JG 27 |- | 12 | 2 April 1944 | 10:38 | B-24 | northwest Wolfsberg{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=323}} | 9./JG 27 | style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | 20 | 19 May 1944 | 13:30 | B-24 | east Helmstedt{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=323}} | 9./JG 27 |- | 13 | 2 April 1944 | 10:42 | style="background:#C0EFBA" | B-24* | northwest Wolfsberg{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=323}} | 9./JG 27 | style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | 21 | 17 December 1944 | 14:25 | P-47 | northeast Coesfeld{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=325}} | 9./JG 27 |- | 14 | 6 April 1944 | 16:25 | B-17 | east Marburg{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=323}} | 9./JG 27 | style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | 22 | 23 December 1944 | 12:05 | P-47 | {{Convert|20|km|mi|abbr=on}} southwest Bonn{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=325}} | 9./JG 27 |- | style="background:#faecc8" | 15?<ref group="Note" name="unconfirmed"/> | 12 April 1944 | 11:50 | style="background:#C0EFBA" | B-24* | south Ödenburg{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=323}}<br />{{Convert|15|km|mi|abbr=on}} northeast of Eisenstadt | 9./JG 27 | style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | 23 | 27 December 1944 | 11:10 | P-38 | {{Convert|10|km|mi|abbr=on}} east Dinant{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=325}} | 9./JG 27 |- | style="background:#faecc8" | 16?<ref group="Note" name="unconfirmed"/> | 12 April 1944 | 12:00 | style="background:#C0EFBA" | B-24* | south Ödenburg{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=323}} | 9./JG 27 | style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | 24 | 27 December 1944 | 11:20 | P-38 | {{Convert|10|km|mi|abbr=on}} northwest Losheim{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=325}} | 9./JG 27 |- | 17 | 23 May 1944 | 13:45 | B-24 | {{Convert|40|km|mi|abbr=on}} east-southeast Raab{{sfn|Prien|Balke|Stemmer|Bock|2019|p=323}} | 9./JG 27 | style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | | | | | | |}
=== Awards === * Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class{{sfn|Dixon|2023|p=198}} * Honour Goblet of the ''Luftwaffe'' (''Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe'') on 15 July 1944{{sfn|Obermaier|1989|p=222}} * German Cross in Gold on 23 July 1944 as ''Leutnant'' in the III./''Jagdgeschwader'' 27{{sfn|Patzwall|Scherzer|2001|p=507}} * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 28 January 1945 as ''Hauptmann'' and ''Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./''Jagdgeschwader'' 27{{sfn|Fellgiebel|2000|p=443}}{{refn|According to Scherzer as ''Oberleutnant'' of the Reserves{{sfn|Scherzer|2007|p=779}}|group="Note"}}
== Notes == {{Reflist|group="Note"}}
== References ==
=== Citations === {{Reflist|30em}}
=== Bibliography === {{Refbegin|30em}} * {{Cite book |last=Dixon |first=Jeremy |year=2023 |title=Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe: Knight's Cross Holders 1943–1945 |location=Barnsley |publisher=Pen and Sword Books |isbn=978-1-39903-073-1 }} * {{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=de |location=Friedberg, Germany |publisher=Podzun-Pallas |isbn=978-3-7909-0284-6 }} * {{Cite book |last=Forsyth |first=Robert |year=2011 |title=Luftwaffe Viermot Aces 1942–45 |series=Aircraft of the Aces |volume=101 |location=Oxford, UK |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-84908-438-3 }} * {{Cite book |last1=Mathews |first1=Andrew Johannes |last2=Foreman |first2=John |year=2015 |title=Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims – Volume 4 S–Z |location=Walton on Thames |publisher=Red Kite |isbn=978-1-906592-21-9 }} * {{Cite book |last=Obermaier |first=Ernst |year=1989 |title=Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939–1945 |trans-title=The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939–1945 |language=de |location=Mainz, Germany |publisher=Verlag Dieter Hoffmann |isbn=978-3-87341-065-7 }} * {{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=de |location=Norderstedt, Germany |publisher=Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall |isbn=978-3-931533-45-8 }} * {{Cite book |last1=Prien |first1=Jochen |last2=Rodeike |first2=Peter |last3=Stemmer |first3=Gerhard |year=1995 |title=Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei der III. und IV./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1938–1945 |trans-title=Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Action with the III. and IV./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1938–1945 |language=de |location=Eutin, Germany |publisher=Struve-Druck |isbn=978-3-923457-30-4 }} * {{Cite book |last1=Prien |first1=Jochen |last2=Rodeike |first2=Peter |last3=Stemmer |first3=Gerhard |year=1998 |title=Messerschmitt Bf 109 im Einsatz bei Stab und I./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1939–1945 |trans-title=Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Action with the Headquarters Unit and I./Jagdgeschwader 27, 1939–1945 |language=de |location=Eutin, Germany |publisher=Struve-Druck |isbn=978-3-923457-46-5 }} * {{Cite book |last1=Prien |first1=Jochen |last2=Stemmer |first2=Gerhard |last3=Rodeike |first3=Peter |last4=Bock |first4=Winfried |year=2002 |title=Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 4/I—Einsatz am Kanal und über England—26.6.1940 bis 21.6.1941 |trans-title=The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 4/I—Action at the Channel and over England—26 June 1940 to 21 June 1941 |language=de |location=Eutin, Germany |publisher=Struve-Druck |isbn=978-3-923457-63-2 }} * {{Cite book |last1=Prien |first1=Jochen |last2=Stemmer |first2=Gerhard |last3=Rodeike |first3=Peter |last4=Bock |first4=Winfried |year=2003 |title=Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 5—Heimatverteidigung—10. Mai 1940 bis 31 Dezember 1941—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—Oktober 1940 bis November 1941—Einsatz im Westen—22. Juni bis 31. Dezember 1941—Die Ergänzungsjagdgruppen—Einsatz 1941 bis zur Auflösung Anfang 1942 |trans-title=The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 5—Defense of the Reich—10 May 1940 to 31 December 1941—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—October 1940 to November 1941—Action in the West—22 June to 31 December 1941—The Supplementary Fighter Groups—Action from 1941 until their Breakup in Early 1942 |language=German |location=Eutin, Germany |publisher=Struve-Druck |isbn=978-3-923457-68-7 }} * {{Cite book |last1=Prien |first1=Jochen |last2=Stemmer |first2=Gerhard |last3=Rodeike |first3=Peter |last4=Bock |first4=Winfried |year=2004 |title=Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 8/I—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—November 1941 bis December 1942 |trans-title=The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 8/I—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—November 1941 to December 1942 |language=de |location=Eutin, Germany |publisher=Struve-Druck |isbn=978-3-923457-74-8 }} * {{Cite book |last1=Prien |first1=Jochen |last2=Stemmer |first2=Gerhard |last3=Rodeike |first3=Peter |last4=Bock |first4=Winfried |year=2010 |title=Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 11/I—Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum—1.1. bis 31.12.1943 |trans-title=The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 11/I—Action in the Mediterranean Theater—1 January to 31 December 1943 |language=de |location=Eutin, Germany |publisher=Struve-Druck |isbn=978-3-923457-95-3 }} * {{Cite book |last1=Prien |first1=Jochen |last2=Balke |first2=Ulf |last3=Stemmer |first3=Gerhard |last4=Bock |first4=Winfried |year=2019 |title=Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 13/V—Einsatz im Reichsverteidigung und im Westen—1.1. bis 31.12.1944 |trans-title=The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 13/V—Action in the Defense of the Reich and in the West—1 January to 31 December 1944 |language=de |location=Eutin, Germany |publisher=Struve-Druck |isbn=978-3-942943-21-5 }} * {{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=de |location=Jena, Germany |publisher=Scherzers Militaer-Verlag |isbn=978-3-938845-17-2 }} * {{Cite book |last=Weal |first=John |year=2003 |title=Jagdgeschwader 27 "Afrika" |series=Aviation Elite Units |volume=12 |location=London, UK |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-84176-538-9 }} {{Refend}}
{{Knight's Cross recipients of JG 27}} {{authority control}} {{Subject bar | portal1=Aviation | portal2=Biography }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Werfft, Peter}} Category:20th-century Austrian businesspeople Category:Austrian chemists Category:Austrian aviators Category:Luftwaffe pilots Category:German World War II flying aces Category:Recipients of the Gold German Cross Category:Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Category:Scientists from Vienna Category:1904 births Category:1970 deaths Category:20th-century Austrian chemists Category:Businesspeople from Vienna Category:Military personnel from Vienna