Hugo Broch

Hugo Broch (6 January 1922 – 31 May 2026) was one of the last living German Luftwaffe flying aces of the Second World War, along with Norbert Schücking. He was credited with 81 victories in 324 missions, all on the Eastern Front. Broch was the last living recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Early life A childhood interest in planes led Broch to join the Aviation Hitler Youth near Solingen. He assisted in the assembly of the school's SG38 glider, and flew it before graduating to a Piper.

World War II Broch joined Luftwaffe Construction Company 42/XII of Luftflotte 3 on 15 January 1940, and subsequently received basic training in the Fluganwärter Battalion. From 19 November 1940 to 29 October 1941, he attended the A/B 63 Aircraft Pilot School at Marienbad and Karlsbad in the Sudetengau, and at Vilseck in the Upper Palatinate. From 18 November 1941 to 10 February 1942, he attended the Fighter Pilot Pre-School at Kamenz in Saxony, where he earned an Aircraft Pilot Badge. Broch was trained as a fighter pilot from 27 May to 2 November 1942 at Fighter Pilot School 2 in Zerbst. In January 1943, he arrived on the Eastern Front to serve in World War II as part of Jagdgeschwader 54 (54th Fighter Wing), and he claimed his first victory two months later.

In late November 1944, a newly formed 8. Staffel of JG 54 was formed at Heiligenbeil, now Mamonovo, and placed under command of Leutnant Hermann Schleinhege. Broch, who was assigned to the Staffel, claimed an Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack aircraft shot down south of Liepāja on 14 December.

Aerial victory claims According to U.S. historian David T. Zabecki, Broch was credited with 82 aerial victories. Spick lists him with 81 aerial victories claimed in 324 combat missions. All of his victories were recorded over the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 81 aerial victory claims, all on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map reference, for example "PQ 35 Ost 35371" (PQ = ) The Luftwaffe grid map covered all of Europe, western Russia, and North Africa, and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54Eastern Front: 4 February – 31 December 1943 7 March 1943 LaGG-3 23 2 September 1943 10:01 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 35371, west of Yelnya southwest of Yelnya 1 13 March 1943 15:18 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 20122, north of Volkhovwest of Volkhov 24 5 September 1943 15:35 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 35372, northwest of Yelnya southwest of Yelnya 2 19 March 1943 15:37 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 00451, northwest of Ulyanovka east-southeast of Slutsk 25 7 September 1943 10:55 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 26812, northeast of Dukhovshchina north-northwest of Yartsevo 3 21 March 1943 12:00 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 00192, northwest of Kolpino north of Pushkin 26 10 September 1943 10:05 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 26813, east of Dukhovshchina north-northwest of Yartsevo 4 1 June 1943 05:10 LaGG-3 PQ 36 Ost 20123, northwest of Volkhovwest of Volkhov 27 14 September 1943 12:05? La-5 PQ 35 Ost 35372, northwest of Yelnya southwest of Yelnya 5 16 July 1943 04:35 LaGG-3 west of Bolkhov 28 14 September 1943 16:37 Pe-2 PQ 35 Ost 25672, west of Shatalovka southeast of Shatalovka 6 21 July 1943 13:34 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost 64794, east of Oryol east-northeast of Oryol 29 15 September 1943 08:44 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 26813, east of Dukhovshchina 7 22 July 1943 15:21 Yak-7 southwest of TroitskoyeOryol 30 15 September 1943 13:13 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 35511, southwest of Yelnya southwest of Yelnya 8 2 August 1943 08:54 Il-2 PQ 36 Ost 10172vicinity of Mga 31 15 September 1943 17:35 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 35512, west of Yelnya southwest of Yelnya 9 12 August 1943 08:00 Yak-7 PQ 35 Ost 54763, east-northeast of Kirov east of Karachev 32 25 October 1943 15:34 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 10132east of Shlisselburg 10 12 August 1943 12:50 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 35621, southeast of Kijuschki west-northwest of Spas-Demensk 33 26 October 1943 14:50 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 10131east of Shlisselburg 11 14 August 1943 05:02 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 45752, northwest of Kirov northwest of Kirov 34 26 October 1943 15:02 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 11783over Lake Ladoga 12 19 August 1943 16:25 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 45744, northwest of Kirov west of Kirov 35 28 October 1943 12:07 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 01474 northeast of Zelenogorsk 13 19 August 1943 16:38 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 35864 west of Kirov 36 28 October 1943 12:15 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 01623 north-northeast of Leningrad 14 21 August 1943 16:46 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 43813, northwest of Sevsk northeast of Sevsk 37 29 October 1943 09:09 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 01663 northeast of Leningrad 15 22 August 1943 13:05 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 43223, southwest of Rushnoje west-southwest of Tschaikowka 38 2 November 1943 13:20 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 10123east of Shlisselburg 16 22 August 1943 16:23 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 43823, east-northeast of Sevsk east-northeast of Sevsk 39 2 November 1943 15:07 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 01441Lake Ladoga 17 23 August 1943 18:39 LaGG-3 PQ 35 Ost 44664 north-northwest of Karachev 40 2 November 1943 15:12 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 01413 18 24 August 1943 07:03 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 44481, east of Kalino south of Sevsk 41 5 November 1943 10:46 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 01561 northeast of Zelenogorsk 19 24 August 1943 14:43 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 54553, east of Krassnaja north-northeast of Karachev 42 5 November 1943 10:50 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 01564 northeast of Zelenogorsk 20 28 August 1943 11:49 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 43683, northeast of Sevsk northeast of Sevsk 43 5 November 1943 13:05 Il-2 PQ 35 Ost 01533 northeast of Zelenogorsk 21 31 August 1943 15:33 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 35523 south of Yelnya 44 6 November 1943 15:20 Yak-9 PQ 35 Ost 01564 northeast of Zelenogorsk 22 31 August 1943 17:43 La-5 PQ 35 Ost 35384, southwest of Yelnya southeast of Yelnya 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54Eastern Front: 16 August – 30 September 1944 45 17 August 1944 13:09 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 79814, southeast of MehikoormaLake Peipus 53 14 September 1944 18:42? Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 68113, west of Priipalu north of Walk 46 21 August 1944 18:11 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 68274, south of Antsla west-southwest of Võru 54 16 September 1944 17:35 Pe-2 PQ 25 Ost 57258, west of Engekarti north-northwest of Kreutzburg 47 21 August 1944 18:15 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 68282, east of Antslasouth of Võru 55 16 September 1944 17:39 Pe-2 PQ 25 Ost 57259, west of Engekarti north-northwest of Kreutzburg 48 25 August 1944 09:33 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 67116, west of Ruli 56 16 September 1944 18:00 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 57267, south of Lake Kalu north of Kreutzburg 49 25 August 1944 09:34 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 67119, southwest of Ruli 57 20 September 1944 11:42 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 69116 east-northeast of Weissenstein 50 30 August 1944 17:55 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 69568, west of Tartu west of Tartu 58 23 September 1944 12:35 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 58625west of Jēkabpils 51 6 September 1944 12:55 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 69632, northwest of Kaarlinortheast Tartu 59 30 September 1944 12:22 La-5 PQ 25 Ost 57115 southeast of Mālpils 52 14 September 1944 18:41? Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 68115, north-northwest of Soe north of Walk Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54Eastern Front: 1 – 31 October 1944 60 10 October 1944 10:18 Pe-2 PQ 25 Ost 17528, east of Tilti southeast of Liepāja 63 28 October 1944 11:46? Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 07495, west of Liepāja 61 22 October 1944 14:25 Yak-9 PQ 25 Ost 17543, northeast of Alpeni south of Liepāja 64 28 October 1944 15:15 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 17642, south of Priekule southeast of Liepāja 62 28 October 1944 11:46 Il-2 PQ 25 Ost 07492, west of Libau 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54Eastern Front: November 1944 – 8 May 1945 65 14 December 1944 12:22 Il-2 south of Liepāja 74 20 January 1945 14:42 Yak-9 west of Skrunda 66 14 December 1944 12:23 Il-2 southwest of Liepāja 75 26 January 1945 09:40 P-39 PQ 27397 67 15 December 1944 10:58 Pe-2 east of Tilti 76 29 January 1945 12:15 Il-2 PQ 17569 68 15 December 1944 11:00 P-39 south of Tilti 77 21 February 1945 12:33 Pe-2 PQ 17611 69 21 December 1944 11:58 Il-2 south of Gubas 78 23 March 1945 16:14 Yak-9 PQ 17478 70 22 December 1944 11:46 Yak-3 west of Bernali 79 23 March 1945 16:19 Il-2 PQ 17479 71 26 December 1944 12:29 Il-2 southwest of Frauenstadt 80 26 March 1945 08:02 Yak-3 PQ 07732 72 20 January 1945 14:26 Pe-2 southeast of Skrunda 81 26 March 1945 08:03 Yak-3 PQ 07733 73 20 January 1945 14:29 Yak-9 west of Skrunda

Later life and death Following World War II, Broch worked for Agfa in Leverkusen. He was a prolific autograph signer, and signed many memorabilia items. At age 95, he fulfilled a long-held ambition to fly in a Spitfire, the two seat Tr.9 MJ627. Broch died on 31 May 2026, at the age of 104.

Awards and decorations Aviator badge (28 November 1941) Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Bronze (26 March 1943) in Silver (10 June 1943) in Gold (23 August 1943) Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (7 April 1943) 1st Class (11 August 1943) Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 8 November 1943 as Unteroffizier and pilot German Cross in Gold on 26 November 1943 as Unteroffizier in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 54 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 12 March 1945 as Feldwebel and pilot in the 8./Jagdgeschwader 54 Courland Cuff Title (20 April 1945)