Herbert Rieckhoff

Herbert Rieckhoff
Born	25 December 1898 Berlin
Died	Esslingen
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Deutsches Heer (1915–18) Reichswehr (1918–20) Luftwaffe (1934–45)
Years of service	1915–20 1934–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	Kampfgeschwader 30 Kampfgeschwader 2
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain Invasion of Yugoslavia Battle of Greece Battle of Crete Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Siege of Leningrad
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other work	Police officer, Author "Trumpf oder Bluff? 12 Jahre Deutsche Luftwaffe" Published by Inter Avia, Geneva, 1945

Herbert Rieckhoff (25 December 1898 – 30 November 1948) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Herbert Rieckhoff was captured by Allied troops in May 1945 and was released in 1948.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (8 January 1944)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 July 1941 as Oberst and Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 2
• German Cross in Gold on 27 July 1943 as Oberst im Generalstab (in the General Staff) of Luftflotte 1

External links

• Herbert Rieckhoff @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived November 17, 2010)
• Herbert Rieckhoff @ World War 2 Awards.com

Military offices
Preceded by Oberstleutnant Walter Loebel	Commander of Kampfgeschwader 30 17 August 1940 – 20 October 1940	Succeeded by Oberstleutnant Erich Bloedorn
Preceded by Generalmajor Johannes Fink	Commander of Kampfgeschwader 2 21 October 1940 – 12 October 1941	Succeeded by Oberst Karl Mehnert
Preceded by Generalmajor Heinz-Hellmuth von Wühlisch	Chief of Staff of Luftflotte 1 12 October 1941 – 23 February 1943	Succeeded by Generalmajor Hans Detlef Herhudt von Rohden