Wikipedia

Paul-Werner Hozzel

Paul-Werner Hozzel (16 October 1910 – 7 January 1997) was a ground attack pilot in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Following the war, Hozzel joined the Bundeswehr of West Germany and retired as Brigadegeneral.

Paul-Werner Hozzel
Born(1910-10-16)16 October 1910
Died7 January 1997(1997-01-07) (aged 86)
Allegiance Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany
 West Germany
Service/branchBalkenkreuz (Iron Cross) Luftwaffe
Bundeswehrkreuz (Iron Cross) German Air Force
Years of service1931–45
1956–69
RankOberstleutnant
Brigadegeneral (Bundeswehr)
Commands heldI./StG 1
StG 2
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Early life and career edit

Hozzel, the son of a shipping broker, was born on 16 October 1910 in Hamburg. In April 1931, following graduation with his Abitur, he volunteered for military service with Artillerie-Regiment 2, an artillery regiment of 2nd Division of the Reichswehr based in Schwerin.[1] On 1 March 1934, Hozzel transferred to the Luftwaffe als Leutnant (second lieutenant).[2]

World War II edit

At the outbreak of World War II he participated in the Poland campaign in 1939 with the Sturzkampfgeschwaders 1 (StG 1—1st Dive Bomber Wing). This unit also participated in the Battle of France and in the Operation Weserübung. Hozzel was the first Stuka pilot to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 8 May 1940. He, Oberleutnant Elmar Schaefer, Leutnant Martin Möbus, and Unteroffizier Gerhard Grenzel, received this award for the destruction of the French destroyer Bison and the British destroyer HMS Afridi.[3][4]

Hozzel was appointed commander of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 on 16 October 1941. With SG 2, he fought in the Battle of Stalingrad, the Geschwader flew 12,000 combat missions in this engagement.

It was then tasked to form "Gefechtsverband Hozzel" from parts of the Stuka-Geschwaders 1, 2 and 77 participating in the battles around Dnipropetrovsk. Hozzel was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 14 April 1943. He finished the war in a staff position of Luftflotte 1. He had been tasked with its leadership in the Courland Pocket and went into Soviet captivity as a prisoner of war. He was repatriated on 16 January 1956.

Later in 1956 he joined the Bundeswehr and retired as Brigadegeneral on 30 September 1969.

Awards edit

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Brütting 1992, p. 155.
  2. ^ Obermaier 1976, p. 610.
  3. ^ Haarr 2010, Chapter 8.
  4. ^ Weal 1997, p. 37.
  5. ^ a b Thomas 1997, p. 305.
  6. ^ a b Scherzer 2007, p. 406.
  7. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 236.
  8. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 68.

Bibliography edit

  • Ansel, Walter (1972). Hitler and the Middle Sea. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-0224-7.
  • Bergström, Christer (2007a). Barbarossa - The Air Battle: July–December 1941. Hinkley: Midland Puplishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-270-2.
  • Bergström, Christer (2007b). Stalingrad – The Air Battle: 1942 through January 1943. Hinkley: Midland Puplishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-276-4.
  • Bergström, Christer (2015). The Battle of Britain: An Epic Conflict Revisited. Oxford, UK: Casemate. ISBN 978-1612-00347-4.
  • Bishop, Ian (2010). Battle of Britain: A Day-to-Day Chronicle, 10 July – 31 October 1940. London, UK: Quercus Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84916-989-9.
  • Boog, Horst; Gerhard Krebs; Vogel Detlef (2006). Germany and the Second World War: Volume VII: The Strategic Air War in Europe and the War in the West and East Asia, 1943–1944/5. Oxford University Press. ISBN 1-55750-571-3.
  • Bungay, Stephen (2000). The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain. London, UK: Aurum Press. ISBN 978-1-85410-721-3.
  • Brütting, Georg (1992) [1976]. Das waren die deutschen Stuka-Asse 1939 – 1945 [These were the German Stuka Aces 1939 – 1945] (in German) (7th ed.). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch. ISBN 978-3-87943-433-6.
  • Corum, James (2008). Wolfram von Richthofen: Master of the German Air War. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas. ISBN 978-0-7006-1598-8.
  • Corum, James (1997). The Luftwaffe: Creating the Operational Air War, 1918–1940. Kansas University Press. ISBN 978-0-7006-0836-2.
  • Cull, Brian; Lander, Bruce; Weiss, Heinrich (1999). Twelve Days in May. London: Grub Street Publishing. ISBN 978-1-90230-412-0.
  • de Zeng, H.L.; Stankey, D.G.; Creek, E.J. (2009). Dive-Bomber and Ground-Attack Units of the Luftwaffe, 1933–1945: A Reference Source, Vol. 1. Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-9065-3708-1.
  • Dildy, Douglas (2015). Fall Gelb 1940 (2): Airborne assault on the Low Countries. London, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4728-0274-3.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [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] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Goss, Chris (2018). Knights of the Battle of Britain — Luftwaffe Aircrew Awarded the Knight's Cross in 1940. Yorkshire, UK: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-52672-651-3.
  • Haarr, Geirr H. (2010). The Battle for Norway: April–June 1940. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-057-4.
  • Hooton, E.R. (1994). Phoenix Triumphant; The Rise and Rise of the Luftwaffe. London: Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 978-1-85409-181-9.
  • Hooton, E.R. (1999). Eagle in Flames: The Fall of the Luftwaffe. London: Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 978-1-86019-995-0.
  • Hooton, E.R. (2007a). Luftwaffe at War; Gathering Storm 1933–39: Volume 1. London: Chevron/Ian Allan. ISBN 978-1-903223-71-0.
  • Hooton, E.R. (2007b). Luftwaffe at War; Blitzkrieg in the West: Volume 2. London, UK: Chevron/Ian Allan. ISBN 978-1-85780-272-6.
  • James, T.C.G.; Cox, Sebastian (2000). The Battle of Britain. London: Frank Cass. ISBN 978-0-7146-8149-8.
  • Jackson, Robert (1974). Air War Over France, 1939-1940. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0510-9.
  • MacLean, French L (2007). Luftwaffe Efficiency & Promotion Reports: For the Knight's Cross Winners. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7643-2657-8.
  • Mason, Francis (1969). Battle Over Britain. London, UK: McWhirter Twins. ISBN 978-0-901928-00-9.
  • Obermaier, Ernst (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Band II Stuka- und Schlachtflieger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe 1939–1945 Volume II Dive Bomber and Attack Aircraft] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-021-3.
  • Rohwer, Jürgen; Hümmelchen, Gerhard (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea, 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two. Annapolis: US Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-119-8.
  • Saunders, Andy (2010). Convoy Peewit: August 8, 1940: The First Day of the Battle of Britain?. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-906502-67-6.
  • Saunders, Andy (2013). Stuka Attack! The Dive-Bombing Assault on England During the Battle of Britain. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-908117-35-9.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). 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 [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] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Shores, Christopher F.; Massimello, Giovanni; Guest, Russell (2012). A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940–1945 Volume 2: North African Desert, February 1942 – March 1943. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-909166-12-7.
  • Shores, Christopher; Cull, Brian; Malizia, Nicola (1987). The Hurricane Years (1st ed.). London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-06-9.
  • Shores, Christopher F.; Cull, Brian; Malizia, Nicola (1992). Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete: 1940–41. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-07-6.
  • Smith, Peter (2007). Naval Warfare in the English Channel: 1939–1945. London, UK: Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-844155-804.
  • Smith, Peter (2011). The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka: A Complete History. London, UK: Crecy Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-0-85979-156-4.
  • Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
  • Ward, John (2004). Hitler's Stuka Squadrons: The Ju 87 at war, 1936–1945. London: Eagles of War. ISBN 978-1-86227-246-0.
  • Weal, John (1997). Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader 1937–41. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-636-1.
  • Weal, John (1998). Junkers Ju 87 Stukageschwader of North Africa and the Mediterranean. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-722-1.
  • Weal, John (1996). Junkers Ju 87 over the Mediterranean. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-8-48372-208-4.

External links edit

  • Conference transcript of Paul Werner Hozzel, discussing his war experiences and ground attack tactics, at the National War College USA, November, 1978 transcript
  • "Bei mir stehen 600 Papp-Soldaten stramm". Bild (in German). 17 October 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
Military offices
Preceded by
Oberstleutnant Oskar Dinort
 Commander of Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 Immelmann
16 October 1941 – 13 February 1943 		Succeeded by
Oberstleutnant Dr. Ernst Kupfer
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