Trying to research Hans Kögler, an officer in the Luftwaffe - where to start?

[Rylan]

Hello everyone,

I trying to find out information on a German Luftwaffe officer, any ideas relating to how I could find out more about him would be greatly appreciated. Or if you may know any information relating to him I would be most interested. I will start with a bit of background information:

A few years ago my father's friend gave me a Luftwaffe officer's visor cap. It is this very cap that sparked my interest in german militaria, and the history behind these items.

After receiving the cap, and thanking him for what was the best present I have ever gotten in my life. I wanted to know who the cap had belonged to. It was his uncle who was a pilot in the Luftwaffe... Hans Kögler.

I have tried to find out as much as I can through the family, but if possible I would like to find out some military information about him. Anything really... but this is what I do know:

-His name was Hans Kögler and his nickname was "Bochi".
-He was a pilot in the Luftwaffe, flying over the English channel, where he was shot down at least twice.
-He was definitely an officer, but I have reason to believe his rank was an Oberstleutnant, although he might have been a Major or Oberst.
-When he was shot down for the 2nd or 3rd time he was captured and remained a POW for the rest of the war. I am assuming he was captured in 1940 if he crashed in the UK. Apparently it was wire from a British balloon that cut through his wing and sent him down for the final time.

Here is his visor cap...

[Wijtman01]

[Larry deZeng]

KOGLER, Johann (Hans). (DOB: 30.06.11). (DKG). 03.03.37 appt Staka 5./JG 134 (to 10.38). 1940 Hptm., Staka in Zerstörerschule 1. 11.08.40Hptm., Staka in I./ZG 26. 11.40 Hptm., appt Kdr. I./Zerstörerschule 1 (to 08.41). 07.41 appt Kdr. Erg.Gr./ZG 76 (to 09.41) or ZG 26 (to 10.41)?. 01.04.42 promo to Maj. 20.08.42 appt Kdr. Zerstörerschule 2 (to 19.03.43). 20.03.43 appt Kommodore ZG 101 (to 14.01.44). 02.44 appt Kdr. III./ZG 26 (to 06.44). 06.44 Maj., appt Kommodore ZG 26 (to c.07.09.44). c.07.09.44 appt Kommodore JG 6. 01.12.44 promo to Obstlt. 01.01.45 Kommodore JG 6 PoW – his Fw 190 A-9 shot down by AA fire NW of Venlo during the Operation Bodenplatte New Year’s Day airfield attacks. 01.01.45 awarded the DKG for his prior service commanding Zerstörer units.


Kogler was a prize catch for the Allies because he was a Geschwader-Kommodore. There are a number of ADI(K) interrogation reports on him as well as Air Ministry special security (i.e., hidden microphone) reports. You can also find a well-researched account of his activities on that fateful day he was captured - New Year's Day 1945 in this recent book:

Manrho, John and Ron Pütz. Bodenplatte: The Luftwaffe’s Last Hope – The Attack on Allied Airfields New Year’s Day 1945. Crowborough (East Sussex): Hikoki Publications Ltd., 2004. ISBN: 1 902109 40 6. Hb. Dj. Oversize. 304p. Profusely illustrated. Appendices. Glossary. Index.

You could also try and obtain copies of his personnel records from BA-MA Freiburg, although you will have to be untruthful about why you want them (BA-MA will not usually deal with collectors when it comes to personnel records).

Larry

[Rylan]

Thank you very much for that information Larry. But I don't think that is the right Hans. Because he was captured in the UK around the time of the battle of Britain it couldn't be after 1941.

By chance is there a website where you can simply search the names of German soldiers?

Also, a few days ago I got an e-mail from the nephew of Hans with this little bit of information:

Before the war Hans was a carrier officer in the German army. After the warhe run a large Peugeot French car dealership in Klagenfurt Austria. He diedwhen he fell asleep on a hunting trip and his gun discharged into his armand he bled to death before someone could find him.

[Larry deZeng]

Sorry, Rylan, but in a data base of c.25,000 Luftwaffe officers in the rank of Oberleutnant and above, he is the only Kogler. There are no others. The one I gave you was also an Austrian, IIRC.

Worse yet, I have complete indexes (indices) of all German air crew, irrespective of rank, who were KIA, MIA, WIA or captured in action over or around the United Kingdom from 1 July 1940 to 5 June 1944 and there is no one by that name.

But like we do when we have serious medical problems, why not go to this web site, register, and pose your question there? The site membership is packed full of Luftwaffe and Air Offensive Against England specialists who will be delighted to share their knowledge with you.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/forumdisplay.php?f=8

Good luck!

Larry
Author of:
deZeng, Henry L. IV and Douglas G. Stankey. Bomber Units of the Luftwaffe 1933-1945: A Reference Source. Volumes 1 (ISBN 10 1 903223 72 5) and Volume 2 (ISBN 10 1 903223 87 3). Hersham (Surrey): Ian Allan Publishing, 2007 and 2008.

[Larry deZeng]

A quick postscript, Rylan. Johann (Hans) Kogler was definitely Austrian (what are the odds of that?) and the John Manrho book has a photo of him on page 119. It's a beautiful book and his story there would enhance the value of your hat, if sold together when that time comes. I have been a researcher, historian and author of the Luftwaffe since 1965 and I am sure this is your man. Incidently, his name is KOGLER, not KÖGLER. I also checked other possibilities, such as KOEGLER, KÄHLER, etc., but none of them fit.

Larry

[Rylan]

Hello Larry,

Now you have got me thinking, maybe this is my man... because I do know that Hans Kogler was Austrian. So maybe it is him... But I was also told that he was a POW. So I will have to look into this a bit further.

[Rylan]

Update!

Well I have just confirmed with a member of his family that this is in fact him! Thank you very much Larry, your help is most appreciated.

I will try to obtain his personal records. Also I am glad to hear he was awarded the DKIG, very cool!

Interestingly enough, I found out that after he was captured, Major Gerhard Barkhorn was the man who replaced him. A neat little fact.

3. Kommandeure:

Geschwaderkommodore:

Oberstleutnant Johann Kogler, Juli 1944

Major Gerhard Barkhorn, 16. Januar 1945

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...der/Inhalt.htm

[Larry deZeng]

That's great news, Rylan, and I am glad to have helped. Here is a little biographical sketch on Barkhorn that might be of interest:


BARKHORN, Gerhard. (DOB: 20.05.19 in Königsberg/East Prussia). (RES, DKG). 1937 entered the Luftwaffe as a Fahnenjunker. 03.38 began flying training. 1940 flight instructor, promo to Lt. and trf to JG 2 for the air offensive against England. 01.08.40 trf from 3./JG 2 to 6./JG 52. 01.11.41 promo to Oblt. 01.03.42 Staka 4./JG 52 (to at least 03.02.43). 20.07.42 Oblt., awarded Ehrenpokal. 21.08.42 Oblt., awarded DKG, 4./JG 52. 23.08.42 Oblt., awarded Ritterkreuz, Staka 4./JG 52. 11.01.43 Oblt., awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz, Staka 4./JG 52. 01.04.43 promo to Hptm. 01.06.43 promo to Hptm. 01.09.43 Hptm., appt Kdr. II./JG 52 (to 15.01.45). 02.03.44 Hptm., awarded the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz, Kdr. II./JG 52. 01.05.44 promo to Maj. c.01.01.45 appt Kommodore JG 6 (to c.20.04.45). c.20.04.45 joined JV 44 at Munich-Riem. 09.45 released from American captivity. Credited with 301 air victories in 1,104 combat missions. † 08.01.83.

Larry

[MauserKar98k]

Amazing piece of history you have there Rylan. Even better, now you have the story to go along with it.

[Rylan]

Amazing piece of history you have there Rylan. Even better, now you have the story to go along with it.

Thanks, I too am very glad to now know more about the man who owned this cap. I was actually even able to get a photo of Hans... but unfortunately I am not allowed to show it here The person who owns the photos has copyright of them, and says I must $10 per photo if I want any more of the photos that Hans originally gave to him.

I'm still working on it.

[Wijtman01]

so frustrating that people choose money over history

[Larry deZeng]

That's not sad, Rylan, that's infuriating! What an SOB! It's unusual to run into private individuals (non-dealers) on these web sites who are too selfish to share just one photo.

[Rylan]

That's not sad, Rylan, that's infuriating! What an SOB! It's unusual to run into private individuals (non-dealers) on these web sites who are too selfish to share just one photo.

Larry, believe me it is infuriating. That "Chris Goss" guy who is holding back on the photos seems to be a bit of a selfish and greedy bastard. Especially since Han's nephew, Alex seemed interested in seeing more photos.

Other than him, everyone else on the 12 o'clock high forum seems very nice and open to sharing any information they may have.

[Larry deZeng]

WoW! That's a shocker, Rylan! We can never tell a book by its cover. I have two of Chris Goss' books and the first one is pretty good and quite well researched (Bloody Biscay). I have never seen him do that on 12 O'Clock High before so I cannot imagine his motive. He is 47-years-old, born in Wales, and it is my understanding that he is a serving RAF officer or perhaps recently retired from the RAF. He has an MA in history from a university in the U.K. So, with all that in mind, it is difficult to see why he would want to nickel and dime someone over a photo that can easily be scanned and attached to an e-mail.

Larry
Puzzled in Florida