Hans "Assi" Hahn

Infobox Military Person
name=Hans Hahn
lived=14 April, 1914 – 18 December, 1982


caption=Hans "Assi" Hahn
placeofbirth=Gotha
placeofdeath=Munich
allegiance=flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=Heer, Luftwaffe
serviceyears=1934-1945
rank=Major
commands=4./JG 2, III./JG 2, II./JG 54
unit=JG 2, JG 54
battles=World War II
awards=Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
laterwork=
Major Hans "Assi" Hahn (born 14 April, 1914 in Gotha – 18 December, 1982 in Munich) was a German World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace with 108 victories.

World War II

Hahn was born 14 April 1914 at Gotha in Thüringen. A talented athlete, he was selected to participate in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin in the Pentathlon. Unfortunately, he had to withdraw due to illness.

Hahn enlisted in the army in 1934 as an officer candidate in the Infantry. In November 1935, Hahn transferred to the "Luftwaffe", and underwent pilot training. "Leutnant" Hahn was then posted to 4./JG 134, based near Dortmund. On 1 November 1937, Hahn was posted as a flying instructor and "Staffelführer" (flight leader) of 1. "Staffel" at the new ransferred "Jagdfliegerschule" (fighter flying school) at Werneuchen. Promoted to "Oberleutnant" on 1 February 1939, at the outbreak of World War Two, Hahn was assigned to the newly formed II/JG 2, based at Zerbst, being appointed "Staffelkapitän" of 4./JG 2 late in 1939.

Hahn claimed his first two victories on 14 May 1940 during the Battle of France; two Hawker Hurricane fighters. Hahn would claim five victories during the Battle of France, before becoming even more successful in the Battle of Britain. After 20 claims by September 1940, Hahn was awarded the "Ritterkreuz", promoted to the rank of "Hauptmann" and "Gruppenkommandeur" of III/JG 2. "Hauptmann" Hahn was awarded the "Eichenlaub" in August 1941 for 41 victories. Hahn shot down a Supermarine Spitfire on 16 September 1942 to record his 66th victory over the Western Front.

Hahn was then appointed "Gruppenkommandeur" of II/JG 54 "Grünherz", based near Leningrad on the Eastern front, on 1 November 1942. In three months he claimed a further 42 Soviet kills. He recorded his 100th victory on 27 January 1943.

On 21 February 1943, Hahn encountered fighters near Staraya Russa. He shot down a Lavochkin La-5 fighter for his 108th victory before his aircraft received hits in the left wing. Disengaging from combat, Hahn's engine soon began overheating and he force-landed his Bf 109 G-2/R6 in enemy territory. Soviet sources claim Hahn was shot down by Russian ace "Starshiy Leytenant" Pavel Grazhdanikov (13 victories) of 169 IAP.

Hahn was captured and subsequently made a prisoner of war. Hahn's recalcitrant and forceful personality even in the harsh Soviet regime of a prison camp meant he was held captive by the Soviet Union until 1950. After his release Hahn worked at the International Corporation of Bayer Leverkusen. He later became a director of Wano Schwarzpulver Company, which manufactured gunpowder, at Kunigunde near Goslar. He retired in 1977 and lived in southern France. Hahn died on 18 December 1982 in Munich.

Hahn was credited with 108 victories in some 560 missions. He recorded 66 victories over the Western Front, of which 53 were Spitfires. Of the 42 victories he recorded over the Eastern front, at least seven were Il-2 Sturmovik ground-attack aircraft.

Awards

* German Cross in Gold (16 July 1942)
* Iron Cross (1939)
** 2nd Class (30 May 1940)
** 1st Class (13 June 1940)
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
** Knight's Cross (24 September 1940)
** 32. Oak Leaves (14 August 1941)

References

*cite web |title=Aces of the Luftwaffe|work=Hans "Assi" Hahn|url=http://www.luftwaffe.cz/hahn.html|accessdate=28 September|accessyear=2007
* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.