Buttlar-Brandenfels, Horst Julius Ludwig Otto Baron Treusch von
Buttlar-Brandenfels, Horst Julius Ludwig Otto Freiherr Treusch von
Officer, airship commander
born: 14.06.1888 in Hanau
died: 03.09.1962 in Berchtesgaden
Buttlar-Brandenfels (also Butler, Buttler or Treusch von Buttlar-Brandenfels) is the name of an Upper Franconian-Hessian noble family. Buttlar-Brandenfels, who came from a family of officers, joined the Imperial Navy and was first a sea cadet, then a naval officer. He served on the SMS Hohenzollern.
During the First World War, he was lieutenant commander of naval airships. He was initially stationed at the newly established airship airport in Hage, East Frisia. One of the first airships stationed there was the LZ 31 (L6). Under Buttlar-Brandenfeld's command, it undertook a total of 36 reconnaissance flights over the North Sea and two attacks on targets in England up to August 4, 1915. LZ 31 came under artillery fire several times and was damaged. A short time later, the now obsolete ship was transferred to Dresden and converted into a school airship. This was followed by squadron attacks on targets in England, in which LZ 41 under Buttlar-Brandenfels was also involved. The extensive bombing of cities from the air was possible for the first time with zeppelins and has been part of warfare ever since.
On October 19, 1917, Buttlar-Brandenfels commanded a squadron attack on London with eleven military airships from Tondern in Belgium. The attack became known at the time as the "Silent Raid", as no engine noise could be heard on the ground due to the altitude of well over 5,000 meters. On April 9, 1918, Buttlar-Brandenfels was awarded the "Pour le Mérite" medal. He was also awarded the Iron Cross (1914) II and I Class, the Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords and the Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg.
He published his war experiences in the book "Zeppelins against England" in 1931.
During the Second World War, Buttlar-Brandenfels was airport commander of the Frankfurt am Main air force. Buttlar-Brandenfels last lived in Wiesbaden, where he was also buried.