Richthofen, Manfred Albrecht von

Fighter pilot

born: 02.05.1892 in Breslau

died: 21.04.1918 in Vaux-sur-Somme

In keeping with family tradition, Richthofen chose a military career and joined the "Kaiser Alexander III" Uhlan Regiment No. 1 in 1911. As a cavalry lieutenant, he witnessed the outbreak of the First World War and joined Flieger-Ersatzabteilung 7 in Cologne in 1915.

Transferred to Ostende to a squadron of large combat aircraft, Richthofen had his first combat flight on 01.09.1915. At Christmas 1915, he passed his third examination in Döberitz and was initially deployed in France. In June 1916, he was transferred to Russia to bomb enemy supply facilities. From September 17, 1916, Richthofen fought in France again. His bright red "triplane" (a Fokker Dr. I) and 80 kills of enemy aircraft earned Richthofen the nickname "Le Diable Rouge" ("Red Devil") and the Order Pour le Mérite.

On April 21, 1918, Richthofen was hit in the chest by an enemy machine gunner's bullet in aerial combat and crashed. The funeral took place in the village of Bertangles in France. After being reburied several times, his body was finally laid to rest on February 11, 1975 next to the grave of his brother Bolko in the Südfriedhof cemetery in Wiesbaden.