Loerzer, Bruno

Loerzer, Bruno, born in Berlin, was a prewar army officer who learned to fly in 1914. (see Did you know) (see Hermann Goering)  (see Peter Goering)  (see Emmy Sonnemann)  and (see Carin Fock)  flew as Loerzer’s observer from 28-10-1914 until late June 1915. Transferring to fighters, Loerzer flew with two Jagdstaffeln, Fighters Squadrons,  in 1916 before joining Jagdstaffel 26 in January 1917. As one of the original German fighter squadrons, the unit would score 177 verified aerial victories, including four observation balloons destroyed. The jasta would pay a bloody price for its success: five pilots killed in action, nine wounded in action, and one prisoner of war.  By then Loerzer had scored two victories over French aircraft. His tally reached 20 victories at the end of October and he received the Pour le Mérite in February 1918. The same month, he took command of the newly formed Jagdgeschwader III, nicknamed , Ernst Udet   the third of Germany’s famed “flying circuses.” His aces included his brother Fritz, who claimed 11 victories. Leading Jasta 26 and three other squadrons, with Hermann Dahlmann’s  support as adjutant and wingman, Loerzer proved a successful wing commander. Dahlmann died old age 85 on 21-01-1978 in Riemsteig. Equipped with the new BMW-engined Fokker D.VII,  JG III cut a wide swath through Allied formations in the summer of 1918, and his own score mounted steadily. He achieved his last ten victories in September when he reached his final score of 44 victories.

   Loerzer here in the middle shortly before the armistice, was promoted to Hauptmann. Loerzer irregularly fought with Freikorps anti-communist paramilitary units from December 1918 until March 1920, helping to create an atmosphere of chaos and lawlessness in Germany. He commanded FA 427 in the Baltic area, supporting the Eiserne Division in the tactical air role. During the 1930s he was a leader in various civil aviation organizations as the National Socialist Flying Corps: NSFK, and rejoined the Luftwaffe in 1935 with the rank of Oberst. Loerzer benefited from his long friendship with Goering  , becoming Inspector of Fighters with rank of Generalmajor in 1938. When Loerzer married Elsa Wulf in 1933, Goering was his best man.  During the early war years he was commander of II Fliegerkorps, Air Corps, being awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross in May 1940. His II Air Corps participated in the invasion of Russia in the summer of 1941, as a section of Albert Kesselring’s   2^nd Air Fleet—in support of Fieldmarshall Fedor Bock.   His unit was transferred to Messina, Sicily in October 1941, and he remained there until the middle of 1943, when his section returned to the Italian mainland. Goering promoted Loerzer to Generaloberst in February 1943 and in June 1944 was Chief of the National Socialist Leadership Branch of the Luftwaffe. 

 For Bruno Loerzer here with Field Marshal of the Luftwaffe, Wolfgang Freiherr von Richthofen, this position was a little too heavy and overburdened he was exempted on 20-12-1944 and landed in the Führer Reserve. He was retired in 29-04-1945 and was able to escape to Bavarian, but was captured in Berchtesgaden by the American forces. He was kept in a military prisoner’s camps until 1947, one of which was Dachau the famous death camp, converted to house German military personnel. In 1947 as a civilian he settled in Hamburg.

Death and burial ground of Loerzer, Bruno.

  Bruno Loerzer died there on 23-08-1960, at the age of 69 and is buried with his wife Elsa, born Wulf, who died age 76 in 1976, on the Nienstedten Friedhof in Hamburg, Field 2-corner left. The grave pictures were kindly sent by Wolfgang Linke, a friend from Frankfurt am Main.

Cemetery location of Loerzer, Bruno