Gustav Kastner-Kirdorf

Gustav Kastner-Kirdorf
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	2 February 1881; Trumpfsee-Warnitz, German Empire
Died	4 May 1945 (aged 64); Berchtesgaden, Nazi Germany
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.

Early years[]

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 Barfuß No. 17. Here he made in July 1914 a pilot training.

World War I[]

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.

Reichswehr[]

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.

Air Force and World War II[]

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.

Promotions[]

February 19, 1904, Fahnenjunker - Gefreiter
May 30, 1904, Fahnenjunker - Unteroffizier
September 15, 1904, Fähnrich
November 15, 1904, Lieutenant
November 19, 1911, Lieutenant
November 28, 1914, Captain
October 20, 1919, as a character Major
April 1, 1934, Lieutenant Colonel
October 1, 1935, Colonel
June 1, 1938, Major general
January 1, 1940, Lieutenant General
July 1, 1941, General der Flieger

References[]

^ (Hrsg.): Burschenschafter-Stammrolle. Verzeichnis der Mitglieder der Deutschen Burschenschaft nach dem Stande vom Sommer-Semester 1934. Berlin 1934, S. 235.