Gustav Kastner-Kirdorf | |
---|---|
Chief of the Luftwaffe Personnel Office | |
In office 29 April 1945 –8 May 1945 | |
Preceded by | Robert Ritter von Greim |
Succeeded by | Bruno Loerzer |
Personal details | |
Born | Trumpfsee-Warnitz,German Empire | 2 February 1881
Died | 4 May 1945 64) Berchtesgaden,Nazi Germany | (aged
Cause of death | Suicide |
Military service | |
Allegiance | German Empire Nazi Germany |
Branch/service | Luftstreitkräfte Luftwaffe |
Rank | General der Flieger |
Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
Gustav Kastner-Kirdorf (born February 2,1881,in Trumpfsee-Warnitz;died May 4,1945,in Berchtesgaden) was a German aviator who served in the Luftwaffe during the first and second World Wars.
In 1899,he became a member of the Burschenschaft Hevellia Berlin. [1] Kirdorf occurred on February 5,1904,as Fahnenjunker in the Infantry Regiment Lutzow Nr. 25. There he was first a company officer,later an adjutant of the first battalion and last regimental adjutant until March 21,1914. Then he was from March 22,to August 3,1914,company officer in the infantry regiment Graf BarfußNo. 17. Here he made in July 1914 a pilot training.
With the outbreak of First World War Kirdford acted from August 4 to September 10,1914,as General Staff Officer and leader of the flyer Detachment Deputy of the XIV Corps (German Empire). He acted on several positions and was not wounded. From January 1919 to June 1919 he was commander of the Neuruppin airport. He left the army on June 8,1919.
On August 1,1927,Kirdorf was employed by the Reichswehr as a civilian employee and graduated in that capacity until the end of September 1930 a secret aviator training in the Soviet Union. After returning to Germany,he became the head of the advertising department of the German Air Sports Association. He held this function from October 1,1930,until the end of March 1934.
From April 1,1934,to the end of June 1938 Kirdorf became head of the flight readiness of the Ministry of Aviation (Nazi Germany). After some other positions he became on February 1,1939,head of the staff-office of the Luftwaffe. In April 1943 he received another position.
On May 4,1945,Kastner-Kirdorf committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. In his book,Beyond Band of Brothers:The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters,Richard Winters recounts finding Kastner-Kirdorf's body in Goering's private compound at Berchtesgaden.
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