(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generalmajor Karl Hentschel
Born: 23 Sep 1899 in Neudamm by Königsberg, East Prussia
Died: 12 Dec 1956 in Münster, Westphalia
Promotions:
Gefreiter (27 Jan 1915); Unteroffizier (25 Aug 1915); Sergeant (31 Mar 1919); Polizei-Unterwachtmeister (08 Apr 1920); Polizei-Wachtmeister (01 Feb 1921); Polizei-Oberwachtmeister (01 Dec 1923); Polizei-Leutnant (29 Apr 1927); Polizei-Oberleutnant (26 Mar 1929); Polizei-Hauptmann (01 Jul 1934); Hauptmann (01 Oct 1934); Major (01 Jan 1939); Oberstleutnant (01 Oct 1941); Oberst (01 Apr 1943); Generalmajor (01 Dec 1944)
Career:
Entered the Army as a Soldier in the 151st Infantry-Regiment (28 Sep 1914-20 Nov 1914)
Soldier, Gefreiter and CUbteroffizier in the 59th Infantry-Regiment (20 Nov 1914-1916)
In Russian Captivity (1916-00 Jul 1918)
Released (00 Jul 1918)
With District-Command Deutsch-Eylau (01 Nov 1918-30 Apr 1919)
With Air-Base Königsberg (01 May 1919-29 Feb 1920)
Retired (29 Feb 1920)
Entered Police Service with the Air-Police in Berlin and Kiel (08 Apr 1920-31 Mar 1928)
Leader of the Police-Flight-Watch Osnabrück (01 Apr 1928-31 Jul 1929)
Leader of the Police-Flight-Watch Kassel (01 Aug 1929-31 Dec 1930)
Leader of the Air-Police-Glider-School Zierenberg, Hessen (01 Jan 1931-31 Mar 1934)
Detached to Flying-Group W, Schleißheim (01 Apr 1934-30 Sep 1934)
Transferred to Luftwaffe Service and Briefing with Flying-Group W, Schleißheim (01 Oct 1934-31 Oct 1934)
Leader of Flying-School Gablingen (01 Nov 1934-31 Mar 1934)
Fighter-Training at the Flying-School Schleißheim (01 Apr 1935-30 Jun 1935)
Briefing as Squadron-Captain in Fighter-Wing Richthofen (1/II) (01 Jul 1935-31 Oct 1935)
Detached to Air-District-School Gatow (01 Nov 1935-31 Mar 1936)
Squadron-Captain in Fighter-Wing 165, Kitzingen (01 Apr 1936-30 Sep 1936)
Detached to Air-Technical Academy, Gatow (01 Oct 1936-31 Dec 1937)
Squadron-Captain in the Reconnaissance-[Squadron A/88 – Legion Condor (01 Jan 1938-15 Apr 1938)
Chief Of Operations (Ia) in the Staff of the 3rd Flying-Division (15 Apr 1938-25 Sep 1939)
Chief Of Operations (Ia) in the Staff of the General with Special Duties 4 then 2 (26 Sep 1939-31 Mar 1940)
Commander of II. Group of Fighter-Wing 77 (01 Apr 1940-13 Jan 1941)
Training with the Staff of Fighter-Leader 3 (14 Jan 1941-08 May 1941)
With the Staff of Flying-Special-Command Iraq (Oberst Junck) (09 May 1941-15 Jun 1941)
Chief Of Operations (Ia) in the Staff of Air-Region-Command South-East, Athens (16 Jun 1941-22 Dec 1941)
Chief Of Operations (Ia) in the Staff of Fighter-Leader 3 (23 Dec 1941-16 Aug 1942)
Fighter-Leader 2 – Deutsche Bucht (17 Aug 1942-30 Sep 1943)
Commander of the 3rd Fighter-Division (01 Oct 1943-29 Dec 1943)
Commander of the 5th Fighter-Division (30 Dec 1943-14 Feb 1945)
Commander of the 16th Fighter-Division (15 Feb 1945-09 Apr 1945)
Commander of the 7th Fighter-Division (10 Apr 1945-30 Apr 1945)
Commander of Engagement-Formation Hentschel (01 May 1945-08 May 1945)
In Western Allied Captivity (08 May 1945-00 Jul 1948)
Released (00 Jul 1948)

Decorations & Awards:
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold: am 09.11.1942 als Oberst i.G. und Ia im Stab des Jagdfliegerführers 3
- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
- Medalla de la Campaña de España
- Cruz de Guerra de España
- Kgl. Spanischen Flugzeugführer-Abzeichen
- Spanienkreuz
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 01.10.1938
- Luftwaffe Gemeinsames Flugzeugführer- und Beobachter-Abzeichen
- Kgl. Italien. Flugzeugführer-Abzeichen
- 1939 EK I
- 1939 EK II


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