Otto Koennecke
| Otto Könnecke | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 December 1892 Strassberg, Saxony-Anhalt |
| Died | 25 January 1956 (aged 63) Bad Aibling |
| Allegiance | Germany |
| Years of service | 1911–1918 |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | Jasta 25, Jasta 5 |
| Awards | Pour le Merite, Golden Military Merit Cross, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Iron Cross |
| Other work | Helped found both Deutsche Luft Hansa and the Luftwaffe |
Leutnant Otto Könnecke (20 December 1892 – 25 January 1956) Pour le Merite, Golden Military Merit Cross, Knight's Cross with Swords of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Iron Cross, was a leading German ace of World War I with 35 victories. He was one of only five pilots to receive Germany's highest decorations for both enlisted pilot and officer. He later became one of the founding pilots of Deutsche Luft Hansa and assisted in development of the new Luftwaffe.
Otto Könnecke was of humble origin, born in Straßberg, a carpenter's son. He attended the Building Trade School in Frankfurt am Main and became an apprentice carpenter. He became bored with this life by his late teens and in 1911 enlisted in Railroad Regiment 3, which was at Hanau. In 1913, he applied for pilot training and as an NCO, trained with FEA 4 at Metz and received his pilot's wings. He served in various units and capacities, ending up in Jagdstaffel 25 (Squadron 25).
At the outbreak of war he was serving as an instructor, and did not see action until December 1916, when he was sent as a Vizefeldwebel to Macedonia as part of Jasta 25. He had an unconfirmed victory on 9 January 1917 and finally scored on 5 February 1917. He scored again the following day.
At the end of April, he was transferred to Jasta 5 on the Western Front. He did not have another victory until 28 May. He accumulated single victories over enemy aircraft until his score stood at 11 by the end of 1917. He often flew in conjunction with two other non-commissioned officers, Fritz Rumey and Josef Mai. The three aces, dubbed the Golden Triumvirate because all three had won the Golden Military Merit Cross, would eventually total 108 victories among them, or more than 40% of the Jasta's triumphs.
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