# Walter Grabmann
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{{Short description|German general}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Walter Grabmann
| birth_date = {{birth date|1905|9|20|df=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1992|8|20|1905|9|20|df=y}}
| image = Walter Grabmann.jpg
| caption = Grabmann in 1940
| nickname =
| birth_place =
| death_place =
| allegiance = {{flag|Weimar Republic}}
{{flag|Nazi Germany}}
| branch = [Luftpolizei](/source/Luftpolizei) 1924–34
[Luftwaffe](/source/Luftwaffe) 1934–45
| service_years =
| rank = [Generalmajor](/source/Generalmajor)
| commands = [J/88](/source/Jagdgruppe_88) ([Legion Condor](/source/Legion_Condor))
[ZG 76](/source/ZG_76)
[3rd Fighter Division](/source/3rd_Fighter_Division_(Germany))
| unit =
| battles = [Spanish Civil War](/source/Spanish_Civil_War)
[World War II](/source/World_War_II)
*[Invasion of Poland](/source/Invasion_of_Poland_(1939))
*[Battle of France](/source/Battle_of_France)
*[Battle of Britain](/source/Battle_of_Britain)
| awards = [Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross](/source/Knight's_Cross_of_the_Iron_Cross)
| other_work =
}}
'''Walter Grabmann''' (20 September 1905 – 20 August 1992) was a German general in the [Luftwaffe](/source/Luftwaffe) during [World War II](/source/World_War_II). He was also a recipient of the [Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross](/source/Knight's_Cross_of_the_Iron_Cross) of [Nazi Germany](/source/Nazi_Germany). Grabmann was credited with 7 aerial victories during the [Spanish Civil War](/source/Spanish_Civil_War) claimed in 137 combat missions.
==Career==
Grabmann joined the Police force in 1924, learning to fly and serving with the Luftpolizei (Air Police), assigned to Flight Surveillance North Bavaria, Fürth. He then enlisted in the Luftwaffe in October 1934, and served as Adjutant, ''[Jagdgeschwader 134](/source/Jagdgeschwader_134) "Horst Wessel"'' from March 1936.
From September 1938 to March 1939 Major Grabmann was Commander of ''[Jagdgruppe 88](/source/Jagdgruppe_88)'' with the German [Condor Legion](/source/Condor_Legion) in Spain, equipped with [Heinkel He 51](/source/Heinkel_He_51) biplanes and early versions of the [Messerschmitt Bf 109](/source/Messerschmitt_Bf_109). He claimed a [Polikarpov I-15](/source/Polikarpov_I-15), [I-16](/source/Polikarpov_I-16) and an [SB-2](/source/Tupolev_SB) bomber all shot down on 23 September 1938. Another SB-2 was downed on 10 October 1938, and a I-16 on 15 October. His last claim (an I-15) was on 4 January 1939.
Following his return to Germany, he was appointed ''[Gruppenkommandeur](/source/Gruppenkommandeur)'' (group commander) of I.(''Zerstörer'') ''Gruppe'' of [''Lehrgeschwader'' 1](/source/Lehrgeschwader_1) (LG 1—1st Demonstration Wing) on 1 April 1939, succeeding ''Hauptmann'' [Axel von Blomberg](/source/Axel_von_Blomberg) in this capacity.{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Rodeike|Bock|2000|p=388}} At the time, the unit was based at [Barth](/source/Barth%2C_Germany) and had just been equipped with the [Messerschmitt Bf 110](/source/Messerschmitt_Bf_110) heavy fighter, the first Luftwaffe unit to receive this aircraft.{{sfn|Prien|Stemmer|Rodeike|Bock|2000|p=386}}
In July 1939 he served with V.(Z)/LG 1. Whilst providing cover for the Heinkel H 111Ps of II./[Kampfgeschwader 1](/source/Kampfgeschwader_1), LG 1 encountered Polish [PZL P.11](/source/PZL_P.11)s of the ''[Brygada Pościgowa](/source/Brygada_Po%C5%9Bcigowa)'' over Warsaw on the evening of 1 September 1939. Major Grabmann was wounded in this encounter when his Bf 110 was hit by fire from a Polish PZL P.11 fighter.
On 15 April 1940 Grabman became CO of [Zerstörergeschwader 76](/source/Zerst%C3%B6rergeschwader_76). On 18 May 1940 [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) [Hawker Hurricane](/source/Hawker_Hurricane)s shot down 3 Bf 110Cs of ZG 76, including Grabmann, while flying a low-level attack on [Douai](/source/Douai) airfield. He parachuted to safety (his gunner Fw. Krone was killed) and was captured by French troops. Grabmann was rescued six days later by an advancing German panzer column.[Obermaier 1989, p. 120.]
He was awarded the [Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross](/source/Knight's_Cross_of_the_Iron_Cross) on 14 September 1940. Oberstlt. Grabmann was credited with a further 6 victories during World War II — 1 during the [Battle of France](/source/Battle_of_France) and 5 in the [Battle of Britain](/source/Battle_of_Britain) — claimed in about 110 combat missions.
In August 1941 Grabmann commanded ''Zerstörerschule 2'' in [Memmingen](/source/Memmingen), and in August 1942 was appointed Fighter Leader for the Holland area (''Jafü Holland''). During this time Grabmann flew a [Focke-Wulf Fw 190](/source/Focke-Wulf_Fw_190)A-5, (''Werknummer'' 410054—factory number) "X" as his personal mount. In November 1943 Grabmann became Commander, ''[3. Jagddivision](/source/3rd_Fighter_Division_(Germany))'' and then ''[1. Jagddivision](/source/1st_Fighter_Division_(Germany))'' in April 1945.
General Major Grabmann was taken prisoner at the end of the war, and repatriated to Germany in May 1948.
He died in Munich on 20 August 1992.
==Summary of career==
===Aerial victory claims===
According to Obermaier, Grabmann was credited with 13 aerial victories, seven in the Spanish Civil War and six on the Western Front of World War II, claimed in approximately 250 combat missions, 137 of which in Spain.{{sfn|Obermaier|1989|p=120}} Mathews and Foreman, authors of ''Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims'', researched the [German Federal Archives](/source/German_Federal_Archives) and found documentation for 13 aerial victory claims. This number of confirmed claims includes seven claims during the Spanish Civil War and six over the [Western Allies](/source/Allies_of_World_War_II).{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2015|pp=408–409}}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders collapsible" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none; text-align:right; width: 100%;"
|-
! colspan="10" | Chronicle of aerial victories
|-
| colspan="10" style="text-align: left;" |
{{legend2|#e3d9ff|This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Grabmann did not receive credit.|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|#faecc8|This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Forsyth, Mathews and Foreman.|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
|-
!scope="col" width="100px"| Claim
!scope="col"| Date
!scope="col"| Time
!scope="col" width="100px"| Type
!scope="col"| Location
!scope="col" style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" width="100px" | Claim
!scope="col"| Date
!scope="col"| Time
!scope="col" width="100px"| Type
!scope="col"| Location
|-
! colspan="10" | – ''Stab'' of ''Jagdgruppe'' 88 –{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2015|p=409}}
Spanish Civil War
|-
| 1
| 23 September 1938
| {{Center|—}}
| [SB-2](/source/Tupolev_SB){{sfn|Forsyth|2011|p=104}}
|
| style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | 5
| 15 October 1938
| {{Center|—}}
| [I-16](/source/Polikarpov_I-16){{sfn|Forsyth|2011|p=104}}
|
|-
| 2
| 23 September 1938
| {{Center|—}}
| [I-15](/source/Polikarpov_I-15){{sfn|Forsyth|2011|p=104}}
|
| style="border-left: 3px solid grey; background:#e3d9ff;" | {{Center|—}}?{{Refn|According to Mathews and Foreman this claim was confirmed.{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2015|p=409}}|group="Note"}}
| 3 November 1938
| {{Center|—}}
| I-16{{sfn|Forsyth|2011|p=104}}
|
|-
| 3
| 23 September 1938
| {{Center|—}}
| I-16{{sfn|Forsyth|2011|p=104}}
|
| style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" | 6
| 4 January 1939
| {{Center|—}}
| style="background:#faecc8" | I-15{{sfn|Forsyth|2011|p=104}}?{{Refn|According to Mathews and Foreman claimed as a [Curtiss P-40 Warhawk](/source/Curtiss_P-40_Warhawk).{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2015|p=263}}|group="Note"}}
|
|-
| 4
| 10 October 1938
| {{Center|—}}
| SB-2{{sfn|Forsyth|2011|p=104}}
|
| style="border-left: 3px solid grey;" |
|
|
|
|
|}
===Awards===
* [Spanish Cross](/source/Spanish_Cross) in Gold with Swords (14 April 1939){{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2015|p=408}}
* Spanish ''[Medalla de la Campaña](/source/Medalla_de_la_Campa%C3%B1a)''{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2015|p=408}}
* Spanish ''[Medalla Militar](/source/Medalla_Militar)''{{sfn|Mathews|Foreman|2015|p=408}}
* [Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe](/source/Ehrenpokal_der_Luftwaffe) (8 July 1940)