Horst Tietzen

Horst Tietzen (19 July 1912 – 18 August 1940) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II.

Career Tietzen was born 19 July 1912 at Arnswalde (today Choszczno in Poland). As a Leutnant, Tietzen served with 3. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88 of the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War. He claimed his first air victory on 19 July 1938, downing a Republican I-16. On 1 August, Tietzen made a forced landing northeast of Gandesa. He claimed a further six victories and was awarded the Spanienkreuz in Gold. On 1 November 1939, Tietzen was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the newly created 5. Staffel (5th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). The Staffel had been created in August 1939 as the Reservestaffel (reserve squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 71 (JG 71—71st Fighter Wing).

He shot down a French Bloch MB.174 bomber for his first victory of World War II on 20 April 1940. He recorded his 17th victory on 25 July 1940, a Spitfire near Dover. On 15 August Tietzen shot down three Hurricanes. He became the fourth German fighter pilot to record 20 victories on 18 August. However, on the same day, he was shot down in aerial combat with Royal Air Force Hurricane fighters over the Thames Estuary. His victors were Flying Officer Stefan Witorzenc and Pilot Officer Pawel Zenker from No. 501 Squadron who reported two Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters shot down between Canterbury and Westgate-on-Sea which crashed near the North Goodwin Lightship. His body later washed ashore at Calais in France. Tietzen now rests at the Bourdon German war cemetery. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 August 1940. He was the second recipient of JG 51, after Hauptmann Walter Oesau, to receive this award.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims According to Obermaier, Tietzen was credited with 27 aerial victories, seven in the Spanish Civil War and 20 on the Western Front of World War II. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found documentation for 24 aerial victory claims, plus further three unconfirmed claims. This number of confirmed claims includes seven claims during the Spanish Civil War and 17 over the Western Allies.

Chronicle of aerial victories Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location – 3. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88 –Spanish Civil War 1 19 July 1938 I-16 – 1. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88 –Spanish Civil War 2 20 September 1938 I-16 5 27 September 1938 I-16 3 20 September 1938 I-16 6 21 December 1938 I-16 4 27 September 1938 I-16 7 29 December 1938 I-16 World War II – 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –"Phoney War" — 1 November 1939 – 9 May 1940 1 20 April 1940 11:50 Potez 63 north of Saarburg – 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940 2 14 June 1940 20:15 Battle Évreux – 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 51 –At the Channel and over England — 26 June – 18 August 1940 3 27 June 1940 20:10 Blenheim south of Dover 12 31 July 1940 16:55 Spitfire Dover 4 4 July 1940 14:45 Hurricane northeast of Dover 13 11 August 1940 14:48 Hurricane east of Colchester 5 9 July 1940 17:00 Spitfire northeast of Margate 14 11 August 1940 14:50 Hurricane Thames Estuary 6 13 July 1940 19:30 Hurricane southeast of Dover 15 15 August 1940 12:40 Hurricane Folkestone 7 14 July 1940 16:10 Hurricane southeast of Dover 16 15 August 1940 12:41 Hurricane Folkestone 8 18 July 1940 10:55 Spitfire north of Calais 17? 15 August 1940 Hurricane south of Harwich 9 20 July 1940 19:15 Hurricane southeast of Dover 18 16 August 1940 13:25 Hurricane east of Canterbury 10 25 July 1940 17:10 Spitfire Dover 19? 16 August 1940 Spitfire southwest of Ramsgate 11 29 July 1940 08:35 Spitfire north of Dover 20? 18 August 1940 Hurricane

Awards Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (14 April 1939) Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 August 1940 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of 5./Jagdgeschwader 51