Most people today have not even heard of the existence of such a person as Lothar von Richthofen. This is sad. Although he was at one time an enemy of the allies of the Russian Empire, at the same time, this German officer was distinguished by courage, skill and dedication. And such qualities should be appreciated at all times, regardless of whether their carrier was a friend or an enemy.
What is he known for
A person who is interested in history will confidently say that aces of such a class as Lothar von Richthofen, the First World War knew very little. Indeed, he was a pilot of the highest category, which earned him the love and respect of friends, making his enemies tremble with fear.
In those days, aircraft were very unreliable designs. Raising them in the air was already a real feat. The complete absence of any electronics and the simplest possible instruments completely transferred all responsibility to the pilot. In such circumstances, Chief Lieutenant von Richthofen fought, so he deserves to be told more about him.
short biography
Lothar von Richthofen was born in the city of Breslau, located in modern Poland. At the end of the 19th century, this land was part of Germany. His name tells us that he was from a baronial family.
When the First World War began, he was 20 years old, and, as it should be for a nobleman, he immediately volunteered for the front, leaving school at the prestigious Danzig Cadet School.
At first he was assigned to the cavalry, successfully fought on both the Western and Eastern fronts. However, in May 1915, his older brother advised him to go to aviation, where a German officer showed all his originality.
Success on the battlefield
At first, he flew on a light reconnaissance aircraft, collecting valuable information that allowed the high command to draw up an optimal plan of action, to choose directions for attack or defense.
However, the ardent heart of the nobleman wanted more, so he soon transferred to the department of fighter pilots. It was during the service here that he entered his name in gold letters in the book of glory of German soldiers.
I had to fight with the English pilots - one of the best at that time. But even the greatest English aces of the First World War could not compare with him - Lothar was a real virtuoso, surprisingly subtly felt the car, able to instantly make the right decisions.
During the service, he shot down forty enemy aircraft. Moreover, it was impossible to call him lucky. During the sorties, he was wounded three times and spent most of the war in the hospital. Nevertheless, he shot down 33 out of 40 aircraft in just three months! 15 English pilots died at his hand in April 1917, 8 in May of that year, and another 10 in August 1918.
For such outstanding achievements, the lieutenant was repeatedly awarded the highest military awards: twice with the Iron Cross, the Order of the Royal House of Hohenzollern, the Order of Military Merit, the Hanseatic Cross, the Liaquate Medal (Ottoman, it should be noted, an award!), A Gallipoli star and some by others. All medals and orders were deserved - for them he generously paid with his blood and the blood of the enemy.
Who is the Red Baron?
Any connoisseur of history, having barely heard the name Lothar von Richthofen, will immediately be interested in: was he not a relative of Manfred von Richthofen? Indeed, they were siblings, Manfred was two years older. It was he who persuaded Lothar to abandon the cavalry and plow with him the sky over Europe, fighting on equal terms with the Entente pilots.
Apparently, their passion for flying and amazing talent were family-friendly, because during the First World War Manfred shot down 80 enemy planes, having received the unofficial title of “Aces from Aces”. However, given that Lothar spent most of his time in the hospital, recovering from injuries, it turns out that during the month of service he shot down even more aircraft than his older brother.
Enemies were really afraid of Manfred von Richthofen. He did not fly on a standard airplane of those times, but on the Fokker Dr.I triplane - an experimental model, which was released relatively few. He was distinguished by increased speed, but demanded from the pilot special composure and excellent response.
Manfred painted the fuselage of his triplane in red, and since he came from a noble family, he received the nickname Red Baron.
Premature death
But back to Lothar. After the war ended, he left the service and first went into farming. In 1919, he married a girl from the count's family - Doris von Keyserlink. She bore him two children - the son of Wulf Manfred and daughter Carmen Viola. But the sky constantly attracted Lothar. Unable to work on the ground, he hired to work for an airline on commercial flights - transporting mail and passengers. Alas, on July 4, 1922, the engine of his personal plane stalled in flight for unknown reasons.
A common malfunction did what the English aces could not do. Lotaru was only 27 years old at the time of his death. He survived his brother Manfred only for a couple of years - he died in April 1918 at the age of 25.
The former lieutenant just crashed, while two of his passengers survived and fully recovered after a year of treatment in the hospital.
The land where he was buried, according to the results of the Second World War, went to Poland. The cemetery was leveled and a football field was built on it. Cruel joke of fate ...
Conclusion
This concludes our article. Now you know who Lothar von Richthofen was, thanks to what merits he became popular, as well as some of his personal life. Yes, he was an enemy, but he was a worthy enemy who is respected and remembered.