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Hitler was the first politician to campaign by air travel, deciding that travel by plane was more efficent than travel by railway. Baur first piloted him during the 1932 General Election.<ref name="Klee34"/>
Hitler was the first politician to campaign by air travel, deciding that travel by plane was more efficent than travel by railway. Baur first piloted him during the 1932 General Election.<ref name="Klee34"/>


Hitler obtained his first private airplane, a [[Junkers Ju 52|Junkers Ju-52/3M]] with tail number DC2600 (Works No. 4021), in February 1933. Powered by [[BMW]] license built [[Pratt and Whitney]] engines, it was named ''Immelmann I'' after WW1 pilot [[Max Immelmann]],<ref name="FindaGrave"/>
Hitler obtained his first private airplane, a [[Junkers Ju 52|Junkers Ju-52/3M]] with tail number DC2600 (Works No. 4021), in February 1933. Powered by [[BMW]] license built [[Pratt and Whitney]] engines, it was named ''Immelmann I'' after WW1 pilot [[Max Immelmann]].<ref name="FindaGrave"/> The ''Fuehrermaschine'' had a small folding table in Hitler's favourite seat on the right, with a clock, altimeter and airpseed indicator on the bulkhead just in front.


Baur had just became an "air millionaire“ of Lufthansa, having flown his millionth [[kilometre]] for Lufthansa.<ref name="xs4"/> As a result of his combination of experience, and Baur's capability to start his engine in combat, which Hitler took as a sign of fate; in February 1933 Hitler personally selected Baur to be his official pilot.
Baur had just became an "air millionaire“ of Lufthansa, having flown his millionth [[kilometre]] for Lufthansa.<ref name="xs4"/> As a result of his combination of experience, and Baur's capability to start his engine in combat, which Hitler took as a sign of fate; in February 1933 Hitler personally selected Baur to be his official pilot.

Revision as of 15:54, 4 May 2009

Johann Peter Baur
Nickname(s)Hans Baur
AllegianceGerman Empire German Empire (to 1918)
Germany Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
Years of service1915-1918, 1933-1945
RankGruppenführer
Commands heldSS
Battles/warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsIron Cross first class
Other workautobiography "Ich flog mit den Mächtigen der Erde,"

General Hans Baur (June 19, 1897 – February 17, 1993) was German dictator Adolf Hitler's pilot during his political campaigns of the 1920s and 1930s. Appointed Gruppenführer in the SS, Baur was later Hitler's personal pilot and leader of the "Reichsregierung" squadron.[1]

Biography

Johann "Hans" Peter Baur was born in Ampfing in Bavaria. Educated at the Erasmus-Grasser-Gymnasium in Sendling-Westpark, Munich.

World War 1

Baur was called up to the Imperial German Army in 1915, and trained in field artillery at the airfield in Augsburg. He then joined the Luftstreitkräfte (air force) as an artillery spotter. During the war he claimed 6 victories, with 3 additionally unconfirmed.[2] During one particular flight, the plane experienced engine failure and subsequently started to nose dive, but Baur was able to restart the engine. For his victories, Baur was awarded the Iron Cross first class for bravery.[3]

Between the wars

Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany had to disband her military air force. Baur joined the Freikorps under Franz von Epp, and in the same year became a courier flier for military air mail in Fürth.

From 1921 to 1923 he was a pilot for Bayrische Luftlloyd, and then Junkers Luftverkehr. In May 1923 Baur flew the opening flight of the Munich-Vienna route in a Junkers F 13. In 1926, Baur became one of Lufthansa Airlines's first six pilots,[3] and in May 1928 flew the opening flight of the Munich-Milan-Rome route.[1]

In 1926, Baur became a member of the NSDAP (No. 48,113).[4] On April 1, 1931 Baur flew the opening flight of the Berlin-Munich-Rome route, known as the Alpine flight, whose passengers included Nuntius Eugenio Pacelli, Arturo Toscanini and tsar Boris of Bulgaria among its passengers.

Pilot to Hitler

Hitler was the first politician to campaign by air travel, deciding that travel by plane was more efficent than travel by railway. Baur first piloted him during the 1932 General Election.[4]

Hitler obtained his first private airplane, a Junkers Ju-52/3M with tail number DC2600 (Works No. 4021), in February 1933. Powered by BMW license built Pratt and Whitney engines, it was named Immelmann I after WW1 pilot Max Immelmann.[1] The Fuehrermaschine had a small folding table in Hitler's favourite seat on the right, with a clock, altimeter and airpseed indicator on the bulkhead just in front.

Baur had just became an "air millionaire“ of Lufthansa, having flown his millionth kilometre for Lufthansa.[3] As a result of his combination of experience, and Baur's capability to start his engine in combat, which Hitler took as a sign of fate; in February 1933 Hitler personally selected Baur to be his official pilot.

Die Fliegerstaffel des Fuehrers

Baur was appointed head of the Hitler's personal squadron, Die Fliegerstaffel des Fuehrers, based at Oberwiesenfeld, Munich.[5] As the Luftwaffe was not then established, and as Hitler wanted Baur to be able to command sufficient power and respect to assure his security, Hitler commissioned Baur Standartenführer in the Schutzstaffel (No. 171,865).[4]

Upon his arrival in Berlin in 1933, Baur's first task was to design a special aircraft for the Fuehrer. With the approval of the Director of the Lufthansa, Erhard Milch, two Ju-52/3M ce were designated to meet with Baur's security requirements, named Oswald Boelche and Richthofen.[5] Hitler's personal Squadron had a special insignia that was painted on the nose of all planes: black eagle head on a white ground, surrounded by a narrow red ring.[5]

In 1936, Baur moved the squadron to Berlin-Tempelhof Airport. Baur was charged to provide flights and pilots for the entire cabinet and generals of the Fuehrer, with eight planes able to carry 17 passengers each at his disposal. D2600 remained Adolf Hitler's primary aircraft, designated "Luftwaffe One":[5]

  • Kurt Schuhmann - personal pilot of Deputy Fuehrer Rudolf Hess
  • Max von Mueller - personal pilot of Reichs Propaganda Minister Dr. Josef Goebbels
  • Peter Strasser - personal pilot for Admiral Erich Roeder
  • Graf Schilly - personal pilot for the Chiefs of Staff General Werner Frengel and General Walter von Braunitsch.

In early 1939, Baur felt that the Fuehrer was much safer in the newly designed Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor.[5] Originally configured as a 26-passenger Lufthansa transport, registered as D2600, the plushed up Condor was named "Immelmann III" served Hitler until it was destroyed in an Allied bombing raid on July 18th, 1944.

After Hitler became Führer, he increasingly relied on Baur for advice about air war policy and technical developments. Although Hitler tried to convert Baur to being a vegetarian, for his 40th birthday Hiter invited Baur to the Reich Chancellory for his favourite meal of pork and dumplings, and gave him a Mercedes Benz to replace his personal Ford.

Führerbunker and Soviet detention

On 31 January 1944, Baur was promoted to SS-Brigadeführer and major general of the police; and on February 24, 1945 became an SS-Gruppenführer.[4]

During the last days of the war, Baur was with Hitler in his Führerbunker, staying with him until the end. To plan for Hitler's escape from the Battle of Berlin, Baur put in place a plan to use a Fieseler Fi 156 Storch along an improvised airstrip in the Tiergarten near the Brandenburg Gate.

Although Hitler refused to leave the Führerbunker, the strip was used by Hanna Reitsch to fly in Colonel-General Robert Ritter von Greim, appointed by Hiter as head of the Luftwaffe after Goering's treason. Reitsch flew von Greim out on the same road-strip two days later, and Hitler suggested to Baur that he evacuate himself and Martin Bormann the same way.

After Hitler's suicide, Baur found the improvised road-strip too pot holed for use and over run by the Soviet 3rd Shock Army. Baur, along with a few others including Bormann, tried to escape to the American/British lines. During his escape, after losing touch with Bormann,[3] Baur was shot in the leg, so severely that it was later amputated.[1]

Captured by the Russians in hospital, the Soviets were deeply interested in Baur, thinking he had flown Hitler to safety before the fall of Berlin. He endured ten years of captivity in the USSR before finally being released in 1955.

Later life

Baur returned to West Germany, and wrote in 1957 wrote his autobiography "Ich flog mit den Mächtigen der Erde," which liberally translates as "I flew with the mighty [people] of the Earth." The French translation is more softly titled "J'étais pilote de Hitler / le sort du monde était entre mes mains," which translates to "I was Hitler's pilot / the fate of the world was in my hands."

Baur died in Herrsching, Bavaria of old age ailments. He is interred in the family plot in the Westfriedhof in Munich.[1]

Portrayal in the media

Hans Baur has been portrayed by the following actors in film and television productions.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Gen Hans Peter Baur". findagrave.com. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  2. ^ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/baur.php
  3. ^ a b c d "Hans Baur". E.J. Noomen and Androom Software. 2002. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  4. ^ a b c d Ernst Klee: Das Kulturlexikon zum Dritten Reich. Wer war was vor und nach 1945. S. Fischer, Frankfurt am Main 2007, S. 34.
  5. ^ a b c d e "THE FUEHRER'S PERSONAL AIRCRAFT SQUADRON AND ITS COMMANDER". 2005-02-28. Retrieved 2009-05-04. {{cite web}}: Text "author+Mueller, Walter" ignored (help)
  6. ^ "The Bunker (1981) (TV)". IMDb.com. Retrieved May 8. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameters: |accessdaymonth=, |month=, |accessmonthday=, and |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

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