Hans-Günter von Kornatzki was born on 22-6-1906 in Liegnitz in the Ost-Preußen region, the son of Paul Friedrich Wilhelm von Kornatzki (1868 – 1928) and his wife Gertrud Hermine Marie Ida Lida (von Briesen) von Kornatzki — married 07-12-1895 in Berlin, Brandenburg…
Hans Günther joined the Reichswehr on 09-05-1928. Von Kornatzki was transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1933 and began his training as a pilot in Schließheim. On 01-04-1934, he completed his training at the Fliegergruppe Werneuchen. In June, von Kornatzki was transferred to the Reklamestaffel Mitteldeutschland des DLV Mitteldeutschland, which had just been formed in Döberitz. In July, the unit becomes the hard core of the future I./Jagdgeschwader 132, under command of Major Johann Raithel in which von Kornatzki will serve as Gruppenadjutant. Major Raithel, later a Generalleutnant, survived the war and died 29-01-1961 (aged 63) in Hamburg. In March 1935, II./JG 132 was created in Jüterborg-Damm and von Kornatzki was assigned to this new squadrone with the rank of Hauptmann. He was then transferred to I./JG 334, based in Wiesbaden, where he served again as Gruppenadjutant then to I./JG 138, based in Jever in 1938.
On 13-09-1939, von Kornatzki was promoted to Gruppenkommandeur of the newly formed II./JG 52 based in Böblingen. He led the Gruppe during the French Campaign and the Battle of Britain from the French base at Peuplingue. The Gruppe was returned to rest in Jever on 18-08-1940. Von Kornatzki was then transferred to the Jagdfliegerschule 1 Staff, based in Werneuchen, on 26-08-1940 as chief instructor. He then held a number of staff positions, notably as operations officer of X. Fliegerkorps under command of General der Flieger Hans Geisler, before serving on the staff of Jagdfliegerführer West in February 1943. Major von Kornatzki, in front of the growing number of bombers allies who bombarded German cities, proposed the establishment of specialized, heavily armed units known as the Sturmstaffel. During the second half of 1943, he spent some time in the Eprobungskommando 25, a unit specially trained to tackle American heavy bomber formations. Based in Achmer, this unit is particularly responsible for testing new weapons and developing effective tactics to combat the hordes of four-engined aircraft. In October 1943, von Kornatzki was promoted to Staffelkäpitan from Sturmstaffel 1, based in Achmer, to put these new tactics into practice. He won a victory with this unit by shooting down a B-17 (Herauschuss) on 23-03-1944 for his 5th individual victory. Sturmstaffel 1 was dissolved at the end of April 1944. In May 1944, Oberstleutnant von Kornatzki was promoted Gruppenkommandeur du II. (Sturm) / JG 4 based in Salzwedel. Although nearly 400 vehicles were claimed destroyed, losses during the month inevitably emasculated of the JG 4 unit, with some 57 aircraft lost, with 26 pilots killed or missing and 14 wounded
Death and burial ground of Koranatzki, Hans-Günther.
On 12-09-1944, von Kornatzki led the II. (Sturm) / JG 4 against a B-17 formation near Magdeburg. He manages to shoot down one of the bombers before being chased by the fighter escort. Von Kornatzki then attempted an emergency landing at Zilly near Halberstadt but crashed and was killed aboard his Fw 190 A-8 / R2 (W.Nr. 681 424) “Green 3” Hans-Günter von Kornatzki was credited with 6 victories. Oberstleutnant Kornatzki is buried with his wife Ursula, born Grundtmann, who died already in 1942, young age 39, on the Invaliden Cemetery in Berlin.
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