Heinz Marquardt Explained

Heinz Marquardt
Birth Date:29 December 1922
Birth Place:Braunsberg, East Prussia, (now Poland)
Death Place:Hammersbach
Placeofburial:New cemetery in Marköbel, suburb of Hammersbach
Nickname:"Negus"
Allegiance: (to 1945)
Branch:
German Air Force
Serviceyears:1939–1945
1956–1973
Rank:Leutnant (Wehrmacht)
Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Unit:Jagdgeschwader 51
Jagdgeschwader 73
Battles:World War II
Awards:Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Laterwork:Condor

Heinz "Negus" Marquardt (29 December 1922 – 19 December 2003) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Marquardt was credited with 121 aerial victories—that is, 121 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—with a further 16 unconfirmed victories in 320 combat missions. All but one of his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front.

World War II

Marquardt was born on 29 December 1922 in Braunsberg, present-day Braniewo in Poland, at the time in East Prussia a province of the Weimar Republic's Free State of Prussia. On 15 September 1941, he was posted to the Jagdfliegerschule 5 (JFS 5—5th fighter pilot school), stationed at the Le Havre – Octeville airfield in France. As of 1 February 1942, he served as a fighter pilot instructor and flew a number of operational sorties on the Channel Front with the operational squadron of JFS 5.

Eastern Front

On 1 August 1943, Marquard was transferred to the 11. Staffel (11th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 51 "Mölders" (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) operating on the Eastern Front. His transfer to JG 51 occurred during the Soviet Belgorod-Kharkov Offensive Operation where it supported the 8th Army. The Staffel was commanded by Hauptmann Adolf Borchers and subordinated to IV. Gruppe of JG 51 headed by Major Hans-Ekkehard Bob. According to Obermaier, Marquardt claimed his first aerial victory on 2 October, shooting down an Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft.

On 22 June 1944, Soviet forces launched Operation Bagration, the strategic offensive operation against Army Group Centre. In consequence, IV. Gruppe was moved to Mogilev that day and to an airfield named Bayary located 92abbr=offNaNabbr=off northeast of Minsk and 13abbr=offNaNabbr=off east of Barysaw. Following the German retreat, the Gruppe moved to an airfield at Lida, which is 150abbr=offNaNabbr=off west of Minsk, on 3 July. On 14 August, Marquardt claimed a Yakovlev Yak-9 fighter near Osowiec Fortress. Later that day, IV. Gruppe retreated to an airfield at Tilsit, present-day Sovetsk located on the south bank of the Neman River. The next day, as part of the group expansion from three Staffeln per Gruppe to four Staffeln per Gruppe, 10. Staffel was re-designated and became the 13. Staffel while 11. Staffel became the 14. Staffel of JG 51. Marquardt was then transferred and served with 13. Staffel which was commanded by Leutnant Peter Kalden. On 28 August, IV. Gruppe moved to Modlin Airfield located approximately 35abbr=offNaNabbr=off northwest of Warsaw. Here, the Gruppe predominately flew combat missions to the area north and northeast of Warsaw. The next day, Marquardt claimed a Yak-9 fighter shot down northeast of Warsaw. On 10 September, Marquardt was awarded German Cross in Gold (German: Deutsches Kreuz in Gold). Following a brief period of little combat in central Poland, Marquardt became an "ace-in-a-day" on 7 October, claiming two Il-2 ground-attack aircraft and a Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber, also known as Boston, on the first mission of the day.

Marquard and his Gruppenkommandeur (group commander), Hauptmann Heinz Lange, both received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 18 November for 89 and 70 aerial victories respectively. On 14 April 1945, Marquardt was credited with his 100th aerial victory. He was the 102nd Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. On a transfer flight of new Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 to his unit, he was credited with four aerial victories over Yakovlev Yak-3 on 25 April 1945. On 30 April, Marquardt accidentally ran his Fw 190 D-9 into a drainage ditch on a transfer flight. Due to lack of spare parts, the damage was not reparable and the aircraft was blown up to prevent it from falling to the enemy.

On 1 May 1945 Marquardt became Jagdgeschwader 51s last casualty of the war when he was shot down by Royal Air Force Spitfires north of Berlin. Marquardt had led a flight of six Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 on an escort mission of 12 Fw 190 F-8 ground attack aircraft from Redlin on a mission to Berlin. After completing the mission the aircraft returned to Schwerin. During the landing approach the flight came under attack of 6 Spitfire Mk XIV from No. 41 Squadron. Marquardt ordered his flight to cover the landing of the ground attack fighters while he and his wingman, Feldwebel Radlauer, attacked the Spitfires from below. Marquardt claimed one of the attackers but was shot down as well along with two other Fw 190s. Radlauer saw Marquardt's Fw 190 crash in flames but did not observe any sign of life. Marquardt was initially reported as killed in action but he had bailed out injured and was taken to a hospital in Schwerin, where he was taken prisoner of war shortly after.

Later life

Following World War II, Marquardt served in the newly established German Air Force of West Germany with the rank of Leutnant (Second Lieutenant) on 16 August 1956. He served with Jagdgeschwader 73 (JG 73—73rd Fighter Wing) and Leichtes Kampfgeschwader 42 (LeKG 42—42nd Light Combat Wing). Marquardt retired on 30 September 1973, having risen to the rank of Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel). Following his retirement, he became good friends with former Flight Lieutenant Peter Cowell who had shot him down on 1 May 1945. Marquardt died on 19 December 2003 in Hammersbach.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Marquardt was credited with 121 aerial victories. His aerial victories were claimed on 320 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and state that Marquardt was credited with more than 121 aerial victories, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 34 Ost 39551". The Luftwaffe grid map (German: Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360sqmi. These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3x in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories
ClaimDateTimeTypeLocationClaimDateTimeTypeLocation
– 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
117 October 194309:32Yak-1southwest of St. Budniza276 July 194410:25Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 65531
20km (10miles) northeast of Telchje
228 October 194306:40Yak-1west of Pjatichatki286 July 194410:29Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 65534
40km (30miles) east-southeast of Navahrudak
321 November 194309:50Il-2Loschkarewka299 July 194419:13Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 54852
20km (10miles) east of Slonim
422 November 194314:32Il-2 m.H.Pavlovskoye309 July 194419:17Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 54845
15km (09miles) west of Baranavichy
511 December 194311:07Yak-1PQ 34 Ost 39551
35km (22miles) west Borovichi
3117 July 194417:47Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 41881
20km (10miles) west of Brody
610 January 194411:19Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 80681
25km (16miles) southeast of Vinnytsia
3220 July 194414:35Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 40565
20km (10miles) south-southwest of Ternopil
710 January 194411:21Yak-1PQ 25 Ost 80681
25km (16miles) southeast of Vinnytsia
3321 July 194414:49Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 50517
15km (09miles) east of Berezhany
89 April 194413:32La-5PQ 25 Ost 50731
southeast of Ternopil
3424 July 194407:46P-39PQ 25 Ost 20265
15km (09miles) northeast of Sanok
929 April 194410:30R-5PQ 24 Ost 59354
20km (10miles) northeast of Kolomyia
3531 July 194410:35Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 36859
20km (10miles) southwest of Kėdainiai
1029 April 194410:31R-5PQ 24 Ost 59354
20km (10miles) northeast of Kolomyia
3631 July 194413:16Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 46777
15km (09miles) west of Ukmergė
1129 April 194410:32R-5PQ 24 Ost 59363
25km (16miles) east-northeast of Kolomyia
371 August 194406:23Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 35321
20km (10miles) northwest of Marijampolė
122 May 194405:44Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 40261
10km (10miles) north of Zolochiv
381 August 194410:48Il-2PQ 25 Ost 35314
20km (10miles) north-northwest of Marijampolė
132 May 194405:45Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 50141
15km (09miles) northeast of Zolochiv
391 August 194410:58Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 35347
20km (10miles) west-northwest of Marijampolė
1410 May 194407:10R-5PQ 24 Ost 59287
60km (40miles) northeast of Kolomyia
402 August 194408:00Il-2PQ 25 Ost 25429
15km (09miles) east-southeast of Blumenfeld
1510 May 194407:11R-5PQ 24 Ost 59264
55km (34miles) northeast of Kolomyia
412 August 194408:02Il-2PQ 25 Ost 25438
15km (09miles) east-southeast of Blumenfeld
1618 May 194408:20Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 50474
vicinity of Ternopil
424 August 194407:52Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 36599
30km (20miles) west of Kėdainiai
1723 May 194411:09La-5PQ 25 Ost 50386
25km (16miles) west of Ternopil
435 August 194408:08Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 36731
35km (22miles) southeast of Nemakščiai
1828 May 194406:35La-5PQ 25 Ost 50512
15km (09miles) east of Berezhany
445 August 194408:10Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 36729
30km (20miles) west-southwest of Kėdainiai
198 June 194411:20Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 50183
25km (16miles) south-southeast of Brody
457 August 194413:30Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 25433
25km (16miles) east-southeast of Blumenfeld
208 June 194411:23Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 50164
25km (16miles) south-southeast of Brody
468 August 194411:05Yak-1PQ 25 Ost 36544
20km (10miles) east-southeast of Nemakščiai
218 June 194411:30Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 50168
25km (16miles) east of Zolochiv
478 August 194411:10Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 36575
20km (10miles) southeast of Nemakščiai
2217 June 194413:21La-5PQ 25 Ost 50882
55km (34miles) south-southeast of Ternopil
488 August 194411:12Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 36573
20km (10miles) southeast of Nemakščiai
234 July 194420:55Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 65661
20km (10miles) north-northwest of Maladzyechna
499 August 194411:56Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 35388
25km (16miles) west-northwest of Marijampolė
244 July 194420:57Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 65623
20km (10miles) north-northwest of Maladzyechna
509 August 194414:51Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 35334
15km (09miles) north of Marijampolė
254 July 194420:58Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 65622
20km (10miles) north-northwest of Maladzyechna
519 August 194414:54Il-2 m.H.?PQ 25 Ost 25466
20km (10miles) west of Marijampolė
264 July 194420:59Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 65625
10km (10miles) north of Maladzyechna
5214 August 194410:55Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 24619
45km (28miles) northeast of Łomża
– 13. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –
5316 August 194417:22Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 26627
vicinity of Nemakščiai
72?13 October 194409:26Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 03639
5417 August 194410:51Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 26631
10km (10miles) east of Nemakščiai
7313 October 194412:11Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 13511
20km (10miles) north of Warsaw
5517 August 194410:54Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 26635
10km (10miles) east of Nemakščiai
7413 October 194415:26Boston?PQ 25 Ost 13517
20km (10miles) north of Warsaw
5629 August 194409:56Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 13523
25km (16miles) north-northeast of Warsaw
7515 October 194411:42Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 13573, Jabłonna
15km (09miles) north of Warsaw
571 September 194413:44Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 13519
25km (16miles) north-northeast of Warsaw
7615 October 194411:46Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 13546
15km (09miles) north of Warsaw
584 September 194417:18Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 13259
15km (09miles) south of Ostrołęka
7717 October 194414:52Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 13341
15km (09miles) southwest of Modlin
594 September 194417:21Il-2PQ 25 Ost 13219
20km (10miles) northwest of Ostrów
7817 October 194414:53?Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 03446
20km (10miles) east of Nasielsk
604 September 194417:25Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 13245
15km (09miles) northwest of Ostrów
7919 October 194410:12Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 13344
20km (10miles) northeast of Nasielsk
615 September 194418:42La-5PQ 25 Ost 13344
20km (10miles) east of Nasielsk
8019 October 194410:14Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 13347
20km (10miles) east of Nasielsk
6211 September 194415:23Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 13722
15km (09miles) east of Warsaw
8119 October 194410:15Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 13378
20km (10miles) east of Nasielsk
6315 September 194412:26P-39PQ 35 Ost 03699
10km (10miles) west of Warsaw
8221 October 194415:15Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 13316
20km (10miles) northeast of Nasielsk
64♠7 October 194412:54Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 13373
15km (09miles) southwest of Modlin
8323 October 194409:25Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 03493
15km (09miles) northwest of Warsaw
65♠7 October 194412:58Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 13348
15km (09miles) southwest of Modlin
84♠24 October 194408:40P-39PQ 25 Ost 03469
15km (09miles) southwest of Modlin
66♠7 October 194413:04BostonPQ 25 Ost 13555
15km (09miles) southwest of Modlin
85♠24 October 194411:18Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 03498
10km (10miles) northwest of Warsaw
67♠7 October 194416:10Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 03461
15km (09miles) southwest of Modlin
86♠24 October 194413:52Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 13171
30km (20miles) east of Ciechanów
68♠7 October 194416:11Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 03465
20km (10miles) east of Nasielsk
87♠24 October 194413:54Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 13147
30km (20miles) east of Ciechanów
69♠7 October 194416:14Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 03469
20km (10miles) east of Nasielsk
88♠24 October 194413:57Il-2 m.H.PQ 25 Ost 13142
25km (16miles) northeast of Nasielsk
70♠7 October 194416:16Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 03463
20km (10miles) east-southeast of Nasielsk
8925 October 194412:23Yak-9PQ 25 Ost 13177
25km (16miles) northeast of Nasielsk
71♠7 October 194416:17Il-2PQ 25 Ost 03567
15km (09miles) northeast of Warsaw
According to Mathews and Foreman, aerial victories 89 to 98 were not documented. The author Prien, Stemmer, Balke and Bock state that the aerial victory records of IV. Gruppe dated later than November 1944 are incomplete.
9914 April 194509:00+Yak-310818 April 1945Yak-3
10014 April 194509:00+Yak-310918 April 1945Il-2
10115 April 1945P-3924 April 1945Yak-3
10215 April 1945P-3924 April 1945Yak-3
10315 April 1945Yak-324 April 1945Yak-3
10416 April 1945Yak-324 April 1945Yak-3
10516 April 1945Yak-327 April 1945Yak-3
10618 April 1945Il-212029 April 1945Il-2
10718 April 1945Yak-31211 May 1945SpitfireLake Schwerin

Awards

References

Bibliography