Gotthard Sachsenberg
| Gotthard Sachsenberg | |
|---|---|
September 1918. (1) Leutnant d. R. [Theodor Osterkamp]; (2) Leutnant z. S. [Gotthard Sachsenberg]
|
|
| Born |
6 December 1891 Dessau, Duchy of Anhalt, German Empire |
| Died | 23 August 1961 (aged 69) Bremen, Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, West Germany |
| Allegiance |
 German Empire
|
| Service/branch |
 Marinefliegerkorps
|
| Years of service | 1913–1920 |
| Rank | Oberleutnant zur See |
| Unit |
SMS Hertha SMS Pommern II. Marine-Feldflieger-Abteilung |
| Commands held | Marine Feld Jasta I Marine jagdgruppe Flanders Kampfgeschwader Sachsenberg |
| Battles/wars | First World War |
| Awards |
Pour le Merite Royal House Order of Hohenzollern Iron Cross |
| Relations | Heinz Sachsenberg |
| Other work | Pioneered civil aviation and hydrofoils. |
Gotthard Sachsenberg (6 December 1891 – 23 August 1961) was a German World War I fighter ace with 31 victories who went on to command the world's first naval air wing. In later life, he founded the airline Deutscher Aero Lloyd, became an anti-Nazi member of the German parliament, and also became a pioneering designer of hydrofoils.
Gotthard Sachsenberg was born on Rosslau Mountain, north of the Elbe River, in Dessau, Germany. After his initial schooling, he attended the gymnasium in Eisenach for secondary schooling preparatory to entering university. His major was economics.
He volunteered for seagoing service and became a sea cadet on the cruiser SMS Hertha on 1 April 1913. In 1914, promotion to Fähnrich zur See and transfer to the battleship SMS Pommern followed. He received the Iron Cross First Class in August, 1915 as an officer candidate, for his excellence as an artillery spotter. On 18 September 1915, he received his leutnant's (lieutenant's) commission.
However, he was fascinated by aircraft and in December 1915 transferred to the air service. He was posted to Marine Feldflieger Abteilung II as a Fähnrich zur See observer.
He then served as an instructor for observers. He underwent pilot training at Johannisthal, qualifying as a pilot. Returning to MFA II to fly a Fokker Eindekker.
On 1 February 1917, Sachsenberg succeeded Oberleutnant von Santen as commanding officer of Marine Feld Jasta I. MFJ II was organized somewhat later, and the two were combined into a larger unit, Marine Jagdgruppe Flandern. Leutnant zur See Sachsenberg was appointed its commanding officer. His friend and rival ace Theo Osterkamp became commander of MGJ II.
MFJ III was later raised and added to the larger unit. Still later, two more MFJs were raised and added to the parent unit, bringing its strength up to about 50 fighter planes, comparable to an army Jagdgeschwader. Stationed on North Sea coastal airfields, the MFJ units often fought against Royal Naval Air Service aircraft who were stationed in similar circumstances.
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