Hugo Broch Explained

Hugo Broch
Birth Date:	6 January 1922
Birth Place:	Leichlingen, Rhine Province, Prussia, Weimar Republic
Allegiance:	Nazi Germany
Branch:	Luftwaffe
Serviceyears:	1940–45
Rank:	Leutnant (second lieutenant)
Unit:	JG 54
Battles:	World War II Eastern Front Courland Pocket
Awards:	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Laterwork:	employee with Agfa

Hugo Broch (born 6 January 1922) is a German Luftwaffe ace during the Second World War who is credited with 81 victories in 324 missions, all on the Eastern Front. He is a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and is one of two living recipients of the award. The other recipient is a former Heer officer, .

World War II

Broch is a former World War II Luftwaffe pilot. In January 1943, he arrived on the Eastern Front to serve in World War II as part of Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing), and he claimed his first victory two months later.

Later life

Following World War II, Broch became an employee with Agfa in Leverkusen. He was a prolific autograph signer, and signed many memorabilia items. At age 95, he fulfilled a long-held ambition to fly in a Spitfire, the two seat Tr.9 MJ627.^[1] On 6 January 2022, he turned 100.^[2]

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

Broch was credited with 81 aerial victories claimed in 324 combat missions. All of his victories were recorded over the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 81 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 35 Ost 35371". 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
Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location	Claim	Date	Time	Type	Location
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 4 February – 31 December 1943
	7 March 1943		LaGG-3		23	2 September 1943	10:01	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 35371, west of Yelnya 5km (03miles) southwest of Yelnya
1	13 March 1943	15:18	Il-2	PQ 36 Ost 20122, north of Volkhov west of Volkhov	24	5 September 1943	15:35	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 35372, northwest of Yelnya 5km (03miles) southwest of Yelnya
2	19 March 1943	15:37	Il-2	PQ 36 Ost 00451, northwest of Ulyanovka 15km (09miles) east-southeast of Slutsk	25	7 September 1943	10:55	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 26812, northeast of Dukhovshchina 20km (10miles) north-northwest of Yartsevo
3	21 March 1943	12:00	LaGG-3	PQ 36 Ost 00192, northwest of Kolpino 10km (10miles) north of Pushkin	26	10 September 1943	10:05	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 26813, east of Dukhovshchina 20km (10miles) north-northwest of Yartsevo
4	1 June 1943	05:10	LaGG-3	PQ 36 Ost 20123, northwest of Volkhov west of Volkhov	27	14 September 1943	12:05?	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 35372, northwest of Yelnya 5km (03miles) southwest of Yelnya
5	16 July 1943	04:35	LaGG-3	west of Bolkhov	28	14 September 1943	16:37	Pe-2	PQ 35 Ost 25672, west of Shatalovka 10km (10miles) southeast of Shatalovka
6	21 July 1943	13:34	Yak-7	PQ 35 Ost 64794, east of Oryol 25km (16miles) east-northeast of Oryol	29	15 September 1943	08:44	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 26813, east of Dukhovshchina
7	22 July 1943	15:21	Yak-7	southwest of Troitskoye Oryol	30	15 September 1943	13:13	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 35511, southwest of Yelnya 15km (09miles) southwest of Yelnya
8	2 August 1943	08:54	Il-2	PQ 36 Ost 10172 vicinity of Mga	31	15 September 1943	17:35	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 35512, west of Yelnya 15km (09miles) southwest of Yelnya
9	12 August 1943	08:00	Yak-7	PQ 35 Ost 54763, east-northeast of Kirov 25km (16miles) east of Karachev	32	25 October 1943	15:34	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 10132 east of Shlisselburg
10	12 August 1943	12:50	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 35621, southeast of Kijuschki 20km (10miles) west-northwest of Spas-Demensk	33	26 October 1943	14:50	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 10131 east of Shlisselburg
11	14 August 1943	05:02	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 45752, northwest of Kirov 5km (03miles) northwest of Kirov	34	26 October 1943	15:02	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 11783 over Lake Lagoda
12	19 August 1943	16:25	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 45744, northwest of Kirov 15km (09miles) west of Kirov	35	28 October 1943	12:07	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 01474 65km (40miles) northeast of Zelenogorsk
13	19 August 1943	16:38	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 35864 25km (16miles) west of Kirov	36	28 October 1943	12:15	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 01623 60km (40miles) north-northeast of Leningrad
14	21 August 1943	16:46	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 43813, northwest of Sevsk 10km (10miles) northeast of Sevsk	37	29 October 1943	09:09	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 01663 60km (40miles) northeast of Leningrad
15	22 August 1943	13:05	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 43223, southwest of Rushnoje 15km (09miles) west-southwest of Tschaikowka	38	2 November 1943	13:20	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 10123 east of Shlisselburg
16	22 August 1943	16:23	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 43823, east-northeast of Sevsk 15km (09miles) east-northeast of Sevsk	39	2 November 1943	15:07	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 01441 Lake Lagoda
17	23 August 1943	18:39	LaGG-3	PQ 35 Ost 44664 25km (16miles) north-northwest of Karachev	40	2 November 1943	15:12	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 01413
18	24 August 1943	07:03	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 44481, east of Kalino 25km (16miles) south of Sevsk	41	5 November 1943	10:46	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 01561 45km (28miles) northeast of Zelenogorsk
19	24 August 1943	14:43	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 54553, east of Krassnaja 30km (20miles) north-northeast of Karachev	42	5 November 1943	10:50	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 01564 45km (28miles) northeast of Zelenogorsk
20	28 August 1943	11:49	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 43683, northeast of Sevsk 20km (10miles) northeast of Sevsk	43	5 November 1943	13:05	Il-2	PQ 35 Ost 01533 55km (34miles) northeast of Zelenogorsk
21	31 August 1943	15:33	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 35523 5km (03miles) south of Yelnya	44	6 November 1943	15:20	Yak-9	PQ 35 Ost 01564 45km (28miles) northeast of Zelenogorsk
22	31 August 1943	17:43	La-5	PQ 35 Ost 35384, southwest of Yelnya 5km (03miles) southeast of Yelnya
– 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 16 August – 30 September 1944
45	17 August 1944	13:09	La-5	southeast of Melikorna Lake Peipus	53	14 September 1944	18:42?	Yak-9	west of Priipalu 20km (10miles) north of Walk
46	21 August 1944	18:11	La-5	south of Antsla 20km (10miles) west-southwest of Võru	54	16 September 1944	17:35	Pe-2	west of Engekarti 40km (30miles) north-northwest of Kreutzburg
47	21 August 1944	18:15	La-5	east of Antsla south of Võru	55	16 September 1944	17:39	Pe-2	west of Engekarti 40km (30miles) north-northwest of Kreutzburg
48	25 August 1944	09:33	Yak-9	west of Ruli	56	16 September 1944	18:00	La-5	south of Lake Kalu 40km (30miles) north of Kreutzburg
49	25 August 1944	09:34	Il-2	southwest of Ruli	57	20 September 1944	11:42	Il-2	PQ 69116 25km (16miles) east-northeast of Weissenstein
50	30 August 1944	17:55	La-5	west of Tartu 15km (09miles) west of Tartu	58	23 September 1944	12:35	La-5	PQ 58625 west of Jēkabpils
51	6 September 1944	12:55	Yak-9	northwest of Kaarli northeast Tartu	59	30 September 1944	12:22	La-5	PQ 57115 10km (10miles) southeast of Mālpils
52	14 September 1944	18:41?	Yak-9	north-northwest of Soe 20km (10miles) north of Walk
– Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 1 – 31 October 1944
60	10 October 1944	10:18	Pe-2	east of Tilti 15km (09miles) southeast of Liepāja	63	28 October 1944	11:46?	Il-2	west of Liepāja
61	22 October 1944	14:25	Yak-9	northeast of Alpeni 20km (10miles) south of Liepāja	64	28 October 1944	15:15	Il-2	south of Priekule 30km (20miles) southeast of Liepāja
62	28 October 1944	11:46	Il-2	west of Libau
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — November 1944 – 8 May 1945
65	14 December 1944	12:22	Il-2	south of Liepāja	74	20 January 1945	14:42	Yak-9	west of Skrunda
66	14 December 1944	12:23	Il-2	southwest of Liepāja	75	26 January 1945	09:40	P-39	PQ 27397
67	15 December 1944	10:58	Pe-2	east of Tilti	76	29 January 1945	12:15	Il-2	PQ 17569
68	15 December 1944	11:00	P-39	south of Tilti	77	21 February 1945	12:33	Pe-2	PQ 17611
69	21 December 1944	11:58	Il-2	south of Gubas	78	23 March 1945	16:14	Yak-9	PQ 17478
70	22 December 1944	11:46	Yak-3	west of Bernali	79	23 March 1945	16:19	Il-2	PQ 17479
71	26 December 1944	12:29	Il-2	southwest of Frauenstadt	80	26 March 1945	08:02	Yak-3	PQ 07732
72	20 January 1945	14:26	Pe-2	southeast of Skrunda	81	26 March 1945	08:03	Yak-3	PQ 07733
73	20 January 1945	14:29	Yak-9	west of Skrunda

Awards and decorations

• Aviator badge (28 November 1941)
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
  • in Bronze (26 March 1943)
  • in Silver (10 June 1943)
  • in Gold (23 August 1943)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (7 April 1943)
  • 1st Class (11 August 1943)
• Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 8 November 1943 as Unteroffizier and pilot
• German Cross in Gold on 26 November 1943 as Unteroffizier in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 54
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 12 March 1945 as Feldwebel and pilot in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 54
• Courland Cuff Title (20 April 1945)

References

Bibliography

• Web site: Bergström . Christer .

  sv:Christer Bergström

  . Identifying a Luftwaffe Planquadrat . Bergström Black Cross/Red Star website . 3 July 2021 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20181222042030/http://www.bergstrombooks.elknet.pl/bc-rs/planquadrat.htm . 22 December 2018 . dead.
• Book: Cronauer , Peter . 2014 . Der Falle entkommen. FLUGZEUG CLASSIC 2/2014 . Escaped from Trap. FLUGZEUG CLASSIC (German Magazine for Aviation History) No 2/2014 . de . München, Germany . GeraMond Verlag.
• Book: Fellgiebel , Walther-Peer .

  de:Walther-Peer Fellgiebel

  . 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 . de . Friedberg, Germany . Podzun-Pallas . 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• News: Hagenberg-Miliu . Von Ebba . 3 February 2014 . Abiturient arbeitet Hitler-Zeit auf . 1 May 2017 . General-Anzeiger.
• News: Harvey . Neil . 4 December 2008 . Skies remembered: A World War II ace reunites with friends and foes . Roanoke Times . McClatchy - Tribune Business News . .
• Book: Keurajian , Ron . 2016 . Collecting Historical Autographs: What to Buy, What to Pay, and How to Spot Fakes . McFarland . 978-1-4766-6415-6.
• Book: Mathews . Andrew Johannes . Foreman . John . 2014 . Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims – Volume 1 A–F . Walton on Thames . Red Kite . 978-1-906592-18-9.
• Book: Obermaier , Ernst . 1989 . Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 . The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945 . de . Mainz, Germany . Verlag Dieter Hoffmann . 978-3-87341-065-7.
• Book: Patzwall . Klaus D. . Scherzer . Veit . 2001 . Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II . The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 . de . Norderstedt, Germany . Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall . 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Book: Patzwall . Klaus D. . 2008 . Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg . The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War . de . Norderstedt, Germany . Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall . 978-3-931533-08-3.
• Book: Prien . Jochen . Stemmer . Gerhard . Rodeike . Peter . Bock . Winfried . 2012 . Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945—Teil 12/III—Einsatz im Osten—4.2. bis 31.12.1943 . The Fighter Units of the German Air Force 1934 to 1945—Part 12/III—Action in the East—4 February to 31 December 1943 . de . Eutin, Germany . Buchverlag Rogge . 978-3-942943-07-9.
• Book: 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 . de . Jena, Germany . Scherzers Militaer-Verlag . 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Book: Schumann . Ralf . Mehwitz . Rolf . 2018 . Hugo Broch - 'Ein Grünherzjäger' - Ritterkreuzträger-Profile Nr. 18 . Hugo Broch - 'Fighter of the Green Hearts' - Holders of the Knight's Cross - Profiles No. 18 . de . Stengelheim, Germany . UNITEC-Medienvertrieb.
• Book: Scutts , Jerry . 1992 . JG 54: Jagdgeschwader 54 Grünherz: aces of the Eastern Front . Shrewsbury . Airlife . 978-1-85310-120-5 . en.
• Book: Spick , Mike . 1996 . Luftwaffe Fighter Aces . New York . . 978-0-8041-1696-1 . registration .

Notes and References

1. News: Luftwaffe ace flies in Spitfire. 28 June 2017. 28 June 2017. BBC.
2. Web site: Hugo Broch, el último as alemán de la Segunda Guerra Mundial que aún vive. Defensa Y Aviacion. 2022-06-11. es.