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Peter Spoden

1921 – 2021

German air force pilot

Military aviatorAirline Captain
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About Peter Spoden

Lived 1921 – 2021 (aged 100). Peter Spoden was a German military aviator and airline Captain.

Peter Spoden (8 November 1921 – 9 December 2021) was a German night fighter ace during World War II.

Biography Spoden was born in Borken. He was credited with 24 night victories and bearer of the German Cross in Gold. Spoden was member of night fighter units NJG 5 and NJG 6 and appointed to Gruppenkommandeur of I./NJG 6 at the end of war. In 1945, despite orders to hold Schleißheim Airfield in ground combat against the advancing Allies, he surrendered the installation to US forces, pre-empting a devastating artillery strike and ground battle.

After 1 April 1955, with the re-establishment of the now West German airline Lufthansa on 6 January 1953, he became Captain on the DC-3 and the famous Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation, later on Boeing 720, Boeing 707 and Boeing 747. He trained hundreds of commercial pilots until his retirement in 1981. In May 1999, Spoden revealed that a historian once showed him the passenger lists of his wartime victories. He spoke of his "horror" when realising that many of the men he killed were no older than his own sons.

Spoden turned 100 in November 2021, and died the following month.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Military aviator, Airline Captain
Nationality
Awards
German Cross

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Peter Spoden's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Peter Spoden?

German air force pilot

When was Peter Spoden born?

Peter Spoden was born on 8 November 1921 in Borken.

When did Peter Spoden die?

Peter Spoden died on 9 December 2021.

What was Peter Spoden's occupation?

Peter Spoden was a military aviator and airline Captain.

What nationality was Peter Spoden?

Peter Spoden was German.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Peter Spoden

· Wikidata: Q22115625

· DBpedia: Peter Spoden

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Peter Spoden. https://biography.guide/peter-spoden/

MLA: "Peter Spoden." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/peter-spoden/.

Chicago: "Peter Spoden." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/peter-spoden/.

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