Bodenschatz, Karl-Heinrich.

Bodenschatz, Karl-Heinrich, born 10-12-1890, in Renau, Germany. After graduating from high school, Karl-Heinrich Bodenschatz enlisted in the Royal Bayerisches 8. Infanterie-Regiment “Großherzog Friedrich II. von Baden” on 27-07-1910, age 19 and was a cadet at the War Academy in Metz. On 12-03-1911 he became Fähnrich and on October 28-10-1912 Leutnant. Following the German entry into World War I he saw active infantry service on the Western Front and participated in the Battle of Verdun. After being wounded four times, in 1916 he transferred to the Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte.  Bodenschatz served as an adjutant in Jagdstaffel 2 (“Jasta Boelcke”) command Oswald Boelcke

and then in Jagdgeschwader 1 , under command of Manfred von Richthofen (de “Rode Baron”) (The Red  Baron),  based at Avesnes-le-sac. Bodenschatz was adjutant to Manfred von Richthofen and later, after the deaths of Manfred von Richthofen and his successor Wilhelm “Willy” Reinhard , to Hermann Göring,  who took over command of the fighter wing in June 1918.

At the outbreak of World War I, Karl-Heinrich and his regiment were deployed to the Western Front. On March 16-03-1916, he was promoted to Oberleutnant. From July 15 to August 20, 1916, he trained as an observer with the Flug-Ersatz-Bataillon in Schleißheim.

After the war, Bodenschatz was carried over into the Reichswehr as a regular officer and served in the 21st (Bavarian) Infantry Regiment from 1919 until April 1933. He, with his back to the camera had maintained a friendship with Göring and joined the Luftwaffe as his military adjutant, serving in this capacity until 1938, visiting Britain in November 1938. In 1939, he warned the Polish military attaché in Berlin that Nazi Germany was planning to invade Poland by the end of the year.

During World War II he was the liaison officer between Hitler’s headquarters and the Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe until he was seriously injured in 1944 by the 20 July,1944 plot bomb, by Oberst der Panzertruppen, Chef des Stabes Claus von Stauffenberg at the Wolf’s Lair headquarters in Rastenburg, East Prussia. Bodenschatz was fortunate to survive the explosion as two officers immediately to his left and one to his right were killed. Oberst Heinz Brandt, and Günther Korten (Generaloberst ‘der Flieger’).

Death and burial ground of Bodenschatz, Karl-Heinrich.

Karl-Heinrich was captured at Reichenhall on 05–05-1945 and served two years in prison. In 1946 he was called as a witness at the Nuremberg Trials of major Nazi war criminals. Karl-Heinrich passed away 25-08-1979 (aged 88) in Erlangen, Bavaria, West Germany. Bodenschanz was cremated.

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