Josef Veltjens

Josef "Seppl" Veltjens (2 June 1894 – 6 October 1943) was a German World War I fighter ace credited with 35 victories. In later years, he served as an international arms dealer, as well as a personal emissary from Hermann Göring to Benito Mussolini. He was awarded Pour le Mérite, the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, and the Iron Cross.

Early life Josef Veltjens was born in Geldern, Rhineland, Imperial Germany, the son of a factory manager. He attended the Humanistic High School in Berlin, then the Technical University in Charlottenburg, where he read mechanical engineering. His prime interest was internal combustion engines.

He enlisted in the Kaiserin Augusta Guards Regiment Number 4 on 3 August 1914. Four days later, he and his regiment were at the front. When his column was attacked by the French, Veltjens and three others tried unsuccessfully to defend it. The vehicles were set on fire. As a straggler, Veltjens joined Infantry Regiment Number 8. Promotion to Vizefeldwebel (literally vice-sergeant) rapidly followed. After several requests, he was sent for aviation training.

World War I service On 2 December 1915, at Johannisthal near Berlin, Veltjens first soloed in a plane. He took his pilot's examination on 15 December after three solo flights. Without waiting for his official pilot's ticket, he took advantage of the confusion of the holiday season to take himself to Tergnier. By 1 June, he had downed three more SPADs and a Farman.

By 10 August 1918, Veltjens' score had risen to 23. In that day's fighting his score rose two more. Three days later, on 16 August, Veltjens received the "Blue Max", as the Pour le Mérite was nicknamed.

His victory total was 31 when he went on leave, leaving Oscar Freiherr von Boenigk in charge. Upon his return, he resumed command of JG II on 28 September, only to be bumped down once again to command Jasta 15 from 12 October to Armistice Day. During this time, he raised his victory total to 35.

Between the wars Veltjens joined Freikorps Gerstenberg in the aftermath of Germany's defeat. He was wounded three times while commanding an armoured car in a January 1919 assault on Spartakists (German communists) in Bremen.

He followed this with a spell as a merchant sailor on his own sailing ship, the Merkur, a 100-ton vessel. By helping the German Navy to rearm in secrecy, he drifted into arms dealing. This became his lifelong business. He supplied Mustafa Kemal Atatürk for the establishment of the Turkish Republic and Chiang Kai-shek for the unification of a nationalist China.

He joined both the Nazi Party and its Brownshirts (Sturmabteilung, SA) in 1929, as one of the early adherents.

Veltjens was paid by both sides in British pounds sterling. When Hitler later decided to support Franco, he did so in secrecy at first, but Veltjens was allowed by Göring to continue his private dealings, mainly because of his possession of tungsten and molybdenum necessary for the prompt production of his orders.

World War II Veltjens was recalled into the Luftwaffe at the start of World War II.

As a result of the so-called Veltjens-Agreement in 1941, German troops moved into Finland beginning on 8 June 1941.

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