Am Himmel Frankreichs – Die Geschichte des JG 2 "Richthofen" Band 7:1945

A day by day chronicle of the dramatic year of 1945

Several decades had to pass before a detailed chronicle of the German Air Force's 2nd Fighter Wing could be published.

Despite the heavy losses that the "Richthofen" had to endure and despite the many years that have passed since then, during the 30-year research I was able to identify more than a hundred former squadron members and numerous family members of fallen or now deceased pilots, who, through their personal reports and private documents, give this chronicle a touching human element.

The seventh and final volume describes in detail the last eight months of the "Richthofen Squadron" from its return to German soil in September 1944 to the surrender of the German army. That was exactly 80 years ago! This period was marked by desperate battles, especially over the Remagen Bridge and the ruins of Berlin, as well as deadly missions such as the famous "Bodenplatte" operation. They caused a shockingly high number of losses among the young pilots of JG 2. The memories of the active participants allow the reader to take part in the collapse of the Reich and to accompany the endless beating of concentration camp prisoners during their evacuation in the tragic operation "Night and Fog". Thus, he can see that an entire generation was sacrificed.