German pilots for the Spanish Republic

rammjaeger · 3 December 1998, 03:34 AM

Who has information about literature describing the flyers and aces of the Republicans 1936-39?

Who knows other German pilots fighting for the Spanish republic against the nationalist-fascist side?
Until now I know only the following German pilots:

1. Ernst G(eorg?) Schacht: emigrated to the Soviet Union, became fighter pilot, achieved some kills (correct number?) and got the reward "Heroe of the Soviet Union" in December 1936 but was executed during Stalins purges.

2. Walter von Mallinkkrodt (Mallinckrodt?) served in Spain too. He was pilot of the Republican minster for defence. Lived later in the GDR.

3. Kurt Schmidt fought with Grupo 28 (Schlachtflieger) with Russian R-5, R-Z, R-SSS and Dutch Fokker. He died on 20.July 1937 during the battle of Brunete as a "Chain commander". He was 40 years old and served also as officer in WW I.

4. Hermann Feld, a communist from Berlin, emigrated to France and got training as flight engineer and pilot in England. He flew in Grupo 1 with a Polikarpov I-15. Feld got some bullets in his stomach, was able to land but died in hospital in Alcalá de Henares.
Hi Spanish "warrior name" was German (!) Perez Lopez. His father was killed in KZ Buchenwald, his mother in Auschwitz.

rammjaeger · 3 December 1998, 03:37 AM

I forgot to mention: Two austrians, Walter Koraus and Tom Dobias, were also flying for the Republic together with the Yugoslavian Beko Petrovich and the US-American Albert Bäumler in the squadron of the Soviet Yeremenko.

Barrett · 3 December 1998, 06:49 AM

Hannes: I don't know if it applies to your study, but apparently an American citizen of Italian extraction flew in the Italian Air Force (for Franco, of course) in Spain and later in WW II. He worked in the US Navy shipyard in Naples after the war--can't find his name.

rammjaeger · 4 December 1998, 07:40 AM

Thank you Barrett,

my main focus is directed on the unknown German pilots because a lot of people think today that Germans fought only for Francos party but I am interested also in other unusual personalities or fates on both sides. E.g. I have heard more than one case of Russian pilots coming home, getting a reward and becoming executed finally.

I know my question is very specific. Maybe I will not become further input but I keep trying.