Alexander Löhr

Alexander Löhr
Alexander Löhr in October 1939
Born	(1885-05-20)20 May 1885
Died	26 February 1947(1947-02-26) (aged 61)
Place of birth	Turnu-Severin, Kingdom of Romania
Place of death	Belgrade, FPR Yugoslavia
Allegiance	Austria-Hungary (to 1918) First Austrian Republic (to 1938) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer Luftwaffe (1938-1945)
Years of service	1906-1945
Rank	Generaloberst
Commands held	Luftflotte 4 Heeresgruppe E
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Signature

Alexander Löhr (20 May 1885 – 26 February 1947) was an Austrian Air Force (Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte) commander during the 1930s and, after the "Political Union of Germany and Austria" (Anschluss), he was a German Air Force (Luftwaffe) commander. Löhr served in the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. Löhr was one of three former Austrians who rose to the rank of Generaloberst (Colonel General) within the German Wehrmacht. The other two were Erhard Raus and Lothar Rendulic.

Early years

Löhr was born in Turnu-Severin, Kingdom of Romania to the family of a naval captain from Mainz and a nurse of Russian descent. His parents raised him in the Greek Uniate faith [1].

Early career

Löhr served as Platoon Commander of a Pioneer battalion in the 85th Infantry Regiment of the Austro-Hungarian army in World War I.

By 1921 Löhr had reached the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel (Oberstleutnant). Between 1921 and 1934 he held many staff positions in the military, including Director of the Air Force in the Federal Armies Ministry. In 1934, he was made Commander of the small Austrian Air Force, a position which he held until the Anschluss in 1938.

Luftwaffe

Warsaw burning, September 1939

On 15 March 1938, Löhr was transferred to the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) where he became commander of the German Air Force in Austria. By then he had been promoted to Lieutenant-General (Generalleutnant). He was commander of Luftflotte (Air Fleet) 4 in the East from May 1939 until June 1942. Luftflotte 4 carried out the bombing of Warsaw, Poland in September 1939 and of Belgrade, Yugoslavia in April 1941. Löhr had developed a plan to bomb Belgrad with incendiary bombs first, that the fires help the nightly second attack to find the targets. This costs thousands of people their lives. He was promoted to Colonel General effective 3 May 1941. Löhr commanded the 12th Army from July 12, 1942 through to December 1942. From 1 January to 23 August 1943, Löhr was Commander-in-Chief of the South East. He was also the Commander-in-Chief of Army Group E from 1 January up to the end of the war. As Commander-in-Chief of Army Group E, Löhr oversaw the successful Dodecanese Campaign. He surrendered on 9 May 1945 to Yugoslav Partisans at Topolšica, Slovenia, Yugoslavia.

Imprisonment, trial, and death

Löhr was imprisoned by the Yugoslavs from 15 May 1945 to 26 February 1947. He was found guilty of war crimes, and executed on 26 February 1947. Specifically, Lohr was executed by firing squad in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, for his role as the commander of the Luftwaffe units involved in the Bombing of Belgrade in 1941.

Portrayal in right wing publications

In 2004 an abstract of his biography was published in the book Helden der Wehrmacht - Unsterbliche deutsche Soldaten [Heroes of the Wehrmacht - Immortal German soldiers]. This abstract whitewashes his role in the war crimes and depicts him as victim of unjust Allied victor's justice. This book was classified as a far-right wing publication by Claudia Fröhlich and Horst-Alfred Heinrich.^{[Clarification needed]}

Decorations

• Iron Cross (1939) 1st and 2nd Classes
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 30 September 1939 as General der Flieger and chief of Luftflotte 4
  • 705th Oak Leaves on 20 January 1945 as Generaloberst and commander-in-chief of Heeresgruppe E
• Austro-Hungarian Order of Franz Joseph, Knight's Cross with War Decoration
• Austro-Hungarian Military Merit Cross 3rd Class with War Decoration and Swords
• Austro-Hungarian Bronze Military Merit Medal ("Signum Laudis") on the War Ribbon with Swords
• Austro-Hungarian Silver Military Merit Medal ("Signum Laudis") on the War Ribbon with Swords
• Austro-Hungarian Wound Medal with four stripes (four wounds)
• Bavarian Military Merit Order 4th Class with Swords
• Mentioned eleven times in the Wehrmachtbericht (12 April 1941, 23 April 1941, 8 August 1941, 11 October 1941, 12 October 1941, 19 May 1942, 20 May 1942, 30 May 1942, 26 June 1944, 19 January 1945 and 9 May 1945)

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
Saturday, 12 April 1941	Die Luftwaffe war mit Verbänden des General der Flieger Löhr im Südostraum gestern besonders erfolgreich.	Luftwaffe forces under the command of General der Flieger Löhr were especially successful in the south-eastern area of operations yesterday.
Wednesday, 23 April 1941	Verbänden des General der Flieger Löhr haben an den großen Erfolgen be der Bekämpfung der feindlichen Schiffahrt in den griechischen Gewässern besonderen Anteil.	Forces under the command of General der Flieger Löhr contributed substantially to the great success against the enemy shipping in the Greek waters.
Friday, 8 August 1941 (extra)	Die sowjetische 6. und 12. Armee sowie Teile der sowjetischen 18. Armee, im ganzen etwa 25 Schützen-, Gebirgs- und Panzerdivisionen, wurden, wie soeben von der Heeresgruppe des Generalfeldmarschalls von Rundstedt gemeldet wird, im Zusammenwirken mit der Luftflotte des Generalobersten Löhr vernichtet.	The Soviet 6th and 12 Army as well as parts of the Soviet 18th Army, in total roughly 25 infantry, mountain and tank divisions, were, as just reported by the Army Group under the command of Field Marshal von Rundstedt, destroyed in cooperation with the Air Fleet of Colonel General Löhr.
Saturday, 11 October 1941 (extra)	Die Schlacht am Asowschen Meer ist abgeschlossen. Im Zusammenwirken mit der Luftflotte des Generaloberst Löhr hat die Armee des Generals der Infanterie von Manstein, die rumänische Armee des Korpsgenerals Dumitrescu und die Panzerarmee des Generaloberst von Kleist die Masse der 9. und 18. sowjetischen Armee geschlagen und vernichtet.	The battle at the Sea of Azov has finished. The Army of General der Infantery von Manstein, the Romanian Army of Corps General Dumitrescu and the Panzer-Army of von Kleist in combination with the Air Fleet of Generaloberst Löhr, defeated and annihilated the bulk of the Soviet 9th and 18th Army.
Sunday, 12 October 1941	Wie die gestrige Sondermeldung bekanntgab, ist die Schlacht am Asowschen Meer abgeschlossen. Im Zusammenwirken mit der Luftflotte des Generaloberst Löhr hat die Armee des Generals der Infanterie von Manstein, die rumänische Armee des Korpsgenerals Dumitrescu und die Panzerarmee des Generaloberst von Kleist die Masse der 9. und 18. sowjetischen Armee geschlagen und vernichtet.	As reported in yesterdays special report, the battle at the Sea of Azov has finished. The Army of General der Infantery von Manstein, the Romanian Army of Corps General Dumitrescu and the Panzer-Army of von Kleist in combination with the Air Fleet of Generaloberst Löhr, defeated and annihilated the bulk of the Soviet 9th and 18th Army.
Tuesday, 19 May 1942 (extra)	An diesem gewaltigen Erfolg haben starke Luftwaffenverbände unter der Führung der Generalobersten Löhr und Freiherr von Richthofen hervorragenden Anteil.	Strong Luftwaffe forces under the leadership of Generoberst Löhr and Freiherr von Richthofen had contributed outstandingly in this success.
Wednesday, 20 May 1942	Wie durch Sondermeldung bekanntgegeben, haben deutsche und rumänische Truppen unter dem Oberbefehl des Generalobersten von Manstein, unterstützt von starken Luftwaffenverbänden unter Führung der Generalobersten Löhr und Freiherr von Richthofen, in der Verfolgung des geschlagenen Feindes die Meerenge von Kertsch in ganzer Breite erreicht und die letzten stark befestigten Brückenköpfe beiderseits der Stadt nach erbittertem Widerstand genommen.	As announced by special message, German and Romanian troops under the command of General von Manstein, supported by strong air forces under the command of Generoberst Löhr, and Freiherr von Richthofen, in pursuit of the defeated enemy, reached the Strait of Kerch in full-width and took the remaining strong fortified bridgeheads after fierce resistance on both sides of the city.
Saturday, 30 May 1942	Die Luftwaffenverbände des Generalobersten Löhr und des Generals der Flieger Pflugbeil unterstützten in schonungslosem Einsatz die Kämpfe des Heeres in der Abwehr wie im Angriff und schlugen die feindliche Luftwaffe aus dem Felde.	The Luftwaffe forces under the leadership of Generoberst Löhr and General der Flieger Pflugbeil supported in ruthless commitment the defensive as well as offensive combat of the Army and forced the enemy air force from the battle area.
26 June 1944	Auf dem Balkan haben unter dem Oberbefehl des Generalobersten Löhr stehende Truppen eines Gebirgskorps in dreiwöchigen schweren Kämpfen in den Bergen Südalbaniens kommunistische Bandengruppen zerschlagen.	In the Balkans, mountain corps troops under the command of Colonel General Löhr have smashed in fierce fighting communist gang groups in southern Albanian mountains.
19 January 1945 (extra)	Unter der sicheren Führung des Generalfeldmarschalls Freiherr von Weichs und des Generalobersten Löhr haben Truppen aller Waffengattungen des Heeres und der Waffen-SS in vorbildlicher Kampfgemeinschaft mit Verbänden der Luftwaffe und Kriegsmarine erst bei tropischer Hitze und dann in Schneestürmen der kroatischen Berge, die besonderen Schwierigkeiten dieses Gebirgs- und Bandenkrieges gemeistert und sämtliche gegen Flanken und Rücken ihrer Bewegungen gerichteten feindlichen Angriffe erfolgreich abgewehrt.	Under the secure leadership of Field Marshal von Weichs and Colonel General Löhr, troops of all branches of the Army and the Waffen-SS in an exemplary combat alliance with forces of the Air Force and Navy, at first in tropical heat and then into snow storms of the Croatian mountains, have overcome the particular difficulties of this mountain- and partisan-war, and successfully defended all hostile attacks against their flanks and rear movements.
9 May 1945	Meldungen über die Lage bei den Heeresgruppen Löhr, Rendulic und Schörner liegen beim Oberkommando der Wehrmacht zur Stunde noch nicht vor.	Reports regarding the situation of the army groups Löhr, Rendulic and Schörner are unavailable to the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht to this hour.

See also

• Yugoslav People's Liberation War
• Dodecanese Campaign

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 (in German). Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Fröhlich, Claudia; Heinrich, Horst-Alfred (2004) (in German). Geschichtspolitik: Wer Sind Ihre Akteure, Wer Ihre Rezipienten? [Politics of History: Who are their Actors, who their Recipients?]. Stuttgart, Germany: Franz Steiner Verlag. ISBN 978-3-515-08246-4. 
• Schaulen, Fritjof (2004). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe II Ihlefeld - Primozic (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 3-932381-21-1.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in Germany). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, 1. September 1939 bis 31. Dezember 1941 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.
• Frey, Gerhard; Herrmann, Hajo: Helden der Wehrmacht - Unsterbliche deutsche Soldaten (in German). München, Germany: FZ-Verlag GmbH, 2004. ISBN 3-924309-53-1.

External links

• Alexander Löhr in the German National Library catalogue