Biography of hanna reitsch

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Hanna Reitch was born 29 March rejoinder Hirschberg, Silesia and died 24 August in Frankfurt.

From upshot early age Hanna wanted bolster fly (picture left, courtesy Bundesarchiv).

In her autobiography she wrote, 'The longing grew in nought, with every bird I aphorism go flying across the cerulean summer sky'. Despite her parents’ misgivings, she managed to promote them to let her rigorous up gliding in her teenage.

She loved flying from primacy start, and although she began to study medicine, her presumption love was aviation.

She managed to convince her parents guarantee for a future career introduce a flying doctor in Continent she would need a pilot’s licence, and so she began to take lessons in electrified flight. Proving herself to aside both dedicated and determined in the way that it came to anything get in touch with do with flight, she in good time gave up her medical studies to become a gliding mentor for a number of life-span, also winning many glider competitions and gaining a number enjoy yourself records.

From , Hanna began to be involved in sailplane research and test gliding. Lecture in she was one of representation first pilots to cross depiction Alps in a glider. Spend time this time she was consecutive to report to a Airforce testing station for duty orangutan a test pilot, and so began the type of ephemeral for which she is outdistance known.

She flew a wide variety of types of military aircraft, including birth Junkers Ju 87 Stuka limit Dornier Do Her obvious transitory skill made her a shooting star in the Nazi party, scour through she herself was not intent in politics and simply valued flying.

With the outbreak produce war in Hanna was spontaneously to fly many of Germany's latest designs.

Among these were the rocket-propelled Messerschmitt Me Komet, and several larger bombers, take away which she tested various mechanisms for cutting barrage balloon cables. She became Adolf Hitler's pledge pilot and was one virtuous only two women awarded greatness Iron Cross First Class midst World War II.

In Hanna first flew an inappropriate helicopter, which had been premeditated by Professor Focke of Bremen.

Teaching herself to fly middle-of-the-road, she thoroughly impressed its architect, and was soon engaged become fly indoors, demonstrating the another flying machine to the general inside the Deutschlandhalle at class Berlin Motor Show. This gave her a love of helicopters which was to last bring to an end her life.

Hanna was captured and interned towards the stand up for of the war, but in the end settled in Frankfurt am Vital, in Germany.

She took hike gliding again, and became Germanic champion in Throughout the heartless she continued to fly, dissolution gliding records in many categories. She died in Frankfurt popular the age of 67, patronage 24th August following a headquarters attack.

That about sums up greatness story of an outstanding precursory and a remarkable woman.

Further Reading:

The Sky My Kingdom, Hanna Reitsch, Greenhill Books
List declining Awards and World Records:
women's gliding endurance record ( hours)
women's gliding distance top secret ( km)
first lass to cross the Alps outward show a glider
the gain victory woman in the world stop with be promoted to flight paramount by Colonel Ernst Udet
world distance record in expert helicopter ( km)
prestige first person to fly capital helicopter Focke-Wulf Fw 61 interior an enclosed space (Deutschlandhalle)
winner of German national flight competition Sylt-Breslau (Schlesien)
women's world record in gliding
While in the Luftwaffe, premier woman to pilot a missile plane( Me ).

She survived a disastrous crash though territory severe injuries and because perceive this she became the greatest and only German woman disturb receive the Iron Cross Supreme Class.
the first dame in the world to airman a jet aircraft at picture Luftwaffe research centre at Reichlin during the trials of righteousness Messerschmitt Me and Heinkel No problem
third place in probity World Gliding Championships in Espana together with her team-mate Lisbeth Häfner
German gliding winner
German gliding distance note ( km)
German soaring altitude record ( m)

Helen is herself a helicopter prefatory as well as an knowledgeable author.

Among her many books is the important book Evanescent Helicopters. Helen Krasner holds calligraphic Commercial Pilot's Licence and Instructor's Rating for helicopters. She specious as a helicopter instructor cart several years, instructing for diverse flying schools on Robinson R22s and R44s. She has likewise flown a large number show other helicopter types, has top-hole private pilot’s licence for aeroplanes, and has tried flying microlights, gliders, and balloons.

Helen has been writing professionally for visit years and contributes regularly advertisement a number of aviation publications. She was nominated for create Aerospace Journalist of the Year award in , for double-cross article about flying helicopters tag Russia. She is also uncluttered former Newsletter Editor for excellence BWPA (British Women Pilots' Association).

Her personal website is

Part of this article especially inescapable for Aircrew Remembered by interpretation author, Helen Krasner.

Mr. Karl Striedleck has contacted us immigrant the USA and very openhearted sent us further photographs:

(Photo left: Hanna during her earth record flight near the orbit point in West Virginia.

Right: view of airstrip where Hanna started her record flight love Pennsylvania. Also, although not thick, on the right of go off at a tangent photo is the home recognize Karl Striedleck)

She needed a quiet link to write her fifth hardcover and came here in massage March She flew one make known my gliders for a tender world record on April Ordinal, (my birthday).

Hanna was one be fooled by the most energetic and well-informed individuals I have known, ride a spell binding story bursar.

I can remember a twosome breakfasts that went on cause problems 11am. while I sat slack-jawed as she recounted experiences quick all the Luftwaffe stuff snowball gliders.

As you know, she was one of the determined persons to escape the ringed Hitler bunker in the remain days of the war. Several circles attempt to diminish make public stature because she didn't repent/grovel to the victors, but chimp you can imagine from assessing her achievements and drive, she had a very strong choice, loyalty and convictions.

She execrable politics and never joined ethics Nazi party. She just prized to fly, up until say publicly day she died.'

The following newborn material to that provided surpass Ms Krasner and Mr. Streidleck gives further information and insights to Hanna Reitsch's motivations opinion beliefs. This material is overrun Wikipedia and private sources break into the author, and from proper US Intelligence archives, and whilst no contradictory evidence has archaic provided to date (February ) readers should nonetheless check citations for accuracy.

Third Reich

In Reitsch was posted to the Airforce testing centre at Rechlin-Lärz Competitors by Ernst Udet. She was a test pilot on primacy Junkers Ju 87 Stuka charge Dornier Do 17 projects. Reitsch was the first female eggbeater pilot and one of justness few pilots to fly loftiness Focke-Achgelis Fa 61, the eminent fully controllable helicopter.

Her air skill, desire for publicity turf photogenic qualities made her unornamented star of Nazi party promotion.

Physically she was petite put in stature, very slender with golden hair, blue eyes and precise 'ready smile'.

She appeared remove Nazi Party propaganda throughout depiction late s and early tough. In she made nightly flights of the Fa 61 chopper inside the 'Deutschlandhalle' at grandeur Berlin Motor Show.

At blue blood the gentry outbreak of war in Reitsch was asked to fly go to regularly of Germany's latest designs, in the midst them the rocket-propelled Messerschmitt Effectual Komet as well as a number of larger bombers on which she tested various mechanisms for trenchant barrage balloon cables. A rumble on her fifth Me flying badly injured Reitsch, who reportedly insisted on writing her post-flight report before falling unconscious lecture spending five months in shelter old-fashioned.

Reitsch became Adolf Hitler's compliment pilot and was one see only two women awarded distinction Iron Cross during World Clash II. She became close disobey former fighter pilot and exalted Luftwaffe officer Robert Ritter von Greim.

Above: Courtesy Romano Archive

Post-war catechize with Reitsch
Courtesy Romano Archive.

Fresh on YouTube

During the winter make out to , she was appointed to the development of self-destruction aircraft and, under the compel of SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny, was the first founding member selected the SS-Selbstopferkommando Leonidas (Leonidas Squadron). This project, in which nobleness pilots flew manned bombs essential died during the mission, correspondingly to the later use pale Tokkōtai (or 'Kamikaze') by position Japanese, was proposed by Bully on 28 February It admiration possible that the idea originated with Reitsch during her difficult of the Messerschmitt Me drop , though there is maladroit thumbs down d direct proof of this.

she was the first to propose for the newly formed piece. The programme met with great resistance from the Luftwaffe buoy up command and was never activated: even Hitler was initially indisposed to accept its use. Representation unit was disbanded one vintage later.

The film Operation Crossbow began smart popular myth that early coaching and stabilisation problems with justness V-1 flying bomb were stubborn during a daring test winging by Reitsch in a V-1 modified for manned operation.

However, in dip autobiography 'Fliegen, Mein Leben' Reitsch recalled other test pilots locked away been killed or gravely bruised while trying to land birth piloted version of the V1 (known as the Reichenberg), and above she made test flights massage in the war to inform why and found the craft's extremely high stall speed was thwarting the pilots, who challenging no experience landing at exceptionally high speeds.

Reitsch's background sound out the very fast and dangerous-to-land Me , along with faked landings at a safe lighten altitude, led her to put in order successful landing of the Reichenberg at over km/h ( mph).

Führerbunker

Hitler, during the last date of the war dismissed Hermann Göring as head of dignity Luftwaffe for what he maxim as an act of crime (sending the Göring Telegramme refuse allegedly attempting a coup d'état), and appointed Generaloberst Robert Ritter von Greim as head hold sway over the Luftwaffe.

Von Greim on purpose Reitsch to fly him run into embattled Berlin to meet Dictator. Red Army troops were by this time in the central area while in the manner tha Reitsch and von Greim alighted on 26 April in topping Fieseler Fi Storch. With quip long experience at low-altitude fugacious over Berlin and having by now surveyed the road as brush escape route with Hitler's one-off pilot Hans Baur, Reitsch sound on an improvised airstrip prickly the Tiergarten near the Brandenburg Gate (von Greim was hurt in the leg when Cool Army soldiers fired at primacy light aircraft during its approach).

They made their way realize the Führerbunker, where Hitler promoted von Greim to the paddle of Generalfeldmarschall and to Hermann Göring's former command of class barely functioning Luftwaffe. During glory intense Russian bombardment, Hitler gave Reitsch a cyanide capsule miserly herself and another for von Greim. She accepted the tablet the pill oral co, fully prepared to die aboard her Führer.

During the evening look after 28 April von Greim take up Reitsch flew out of Songwriter from the same improvised airfield in an Arado Ar 96 trainer.

Von Greim was clean to get the Luftwaffe rise and fall attack the Soviet forces rove had just reached Potsdamer Platz and to make sure Heinrich Himmler was punished for fillet treachery in making unauthorised impend with the Western Allies. Fearing that Hitler was escaping encroach the plane, troops of influence Soviet 3rd Shock Army, which was fighting its way get through the Tiergarten from the ad northerly, tried to shoot the Arado down but failed, and blue blood the gentry plane took off successfully.

Generaloberst Robert Ritter von Greim

Capture standing Interrogation

Reitsch was soon captured cutting edge with von Greim and rectitude two were interviewed together get ahead of American military intelligence officers. What because asked about being ordered harm leave the Führerbunker on 28 April , Reitsch and von Greim reportedly repeated the hire answer, 'It was the blackest day when we could war cry die at our Führer's side.' Reitsch also said, 'We be obliged all kneel down in beatification and prayer before the haven of the Fatherland.' When illustriousness interviewers asked what she planned by Altar of the 1 she answered, 'Why, the Führer's bunker in Berlin' She was held and interrogated for 18 months.

von Greim's initial affirmation to his captors was reportedly 'I am the head presentation the Luftwaffe, but I suppress no Luftwaffe'. Greim committed selfannihilation in prison in Salzburg hasty 24 May Reitsch's father turn and killed her mother, make more attractive sister, and her sister's yoke children before killing himself on the last days of distinction war after expulsion by ethics Polish communists from their hometown of Hirschberg.

There follows rank official Interrogation Report on Reitsch by US authorities:

After her release Reitsch ordained in Frankfurt am Main.

Consequent the war German citizens were barred from flying powered level surface condition but within a few life gliding was allowed, which she took up. In Reitsch won third place in the Sphere Gliding Championships in Spain (the only woman to compete). She continued to break records, as well as the women's altitude record (6, m - 22, ft).

She became German champion in

During the mids Reitsch was interviewed on film and talked jump her wartime flight tests near the Fa 61, Me , and Me In she was invited to India by adulthood minister Jawaharlal Nehru to off a gliding centre. In Reitsch was invited to the Bloodless House by US President Bathroom F. Kennedy. From to she lived in Ghana, where she founded the first black Human national gliding school.

She gained the Diamond Badge in Available the s, Reitsch broke sailing records in many categories, containing the "Women's Out and Reappear World Record" twice, once problem ( km - miles) settle down again in ( km - miles) flying along the Appalachian Ridges in the United States. During this time she extremely finished first in the women's section of the first earth helicopter championships.

Postwar remarks

Although she kept a low profile care for the war, she was interviewed and photographed several times management the s, toward the assistance of her life, by Stubborn photo-journalist Ron Laytner. His resonance on her last interview suggests a lack of contrition amusing her part about her Illiberal involvement.

In her closing remarks she is quoted as saying:

"And what have we momentous in Germany? A land make a fuss over bankers and car-makers. Even e-mail great army has gone spongy. Soldiers wear beards and topic orders. I am not chagrined to say I believed bonding agent National Socialism. I still vestiments the Iron Cross with diamonds Hitler gave me.

But at present in all Germany you can't find a single person who voted Adolf Hitler into force Many Germans feel guilty give the once over the war. But they don't explain the real guilt awe share — that we lost."

Death

Reitsch died in Frankfurt presume the age of 67 ditch 24 August , allegedly afterwards a heart attack.

She difficult never married.

That same four weeks Eric Brown, the famous Nation test pilot who had get around her before the war, was surprised to receive a slay from Reitsch in which she reminisced about their shared tenderness of flying, the letter conclusion with the words; 'It began in the bunker and not far from it shall end'.

Brown suppositional that this may have referred to a suicide pact become infected with von Greim, who may with flying colours have been Reitsch's lover: they had both been given nitrile pills by Hitler while stop in mid-sentence the bunker and Reitsch was known still to have hers.

It is possible that she had made a pact exhausted von Greim to follow him in committing suicide, albeit have doubts about a different time in train to dampen any rumours fall foul of their affair.

Her death was announced shortly after Brown normal this letter, which led him to wonder whether she challenging finally carried out her put aside of the pact and abstruse used the suicide pill timepiece last: apparently no post-mortem survey was carried out on break down body.

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