Werner Streib

Werner Streib
Werner Streib
Born	13 June 1911(1911-06-13) Pforzheim
Died	15 June 1986(1986-06-15) (aged 75) München
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany
Service/branch	Heer (1934–1935) Luftwaffe (1935–1966)
Years of service	1934–1945 1956–1966
Rank	Oberst Brigadegeneral
Unit	NJG 1
Commands held	NJG 1
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland (1939) Defense of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Other work	Bundeswehr

Werner Streib (13 June 1911 in Pforzheim – 15 June 1986 in München) was a German Luftwaffe fighter ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Military career

Often called 'Father of the Nachtjagd' Streib helped develop the operational tactics used by the NachtJagd during the early to mid-war years, and along with the likes of Wolfgang Falck made the Luftwaffe's nightfighter arm an effective fighting force against the RAF bombing offensive.

Werner Streib was born on June 13, 1911 in Pforzheim Germany. After a spell in banking and finance, he joined the Wermacht as an infantryman. A transfer to the Luftwaffe, as an observer in a reconnaissance unit followed, and later he trained as a fighter pilot. In 1937, he was assigned to JG 2 Richthofen at Jüterbog-Damm. He then became a Bf-110 Zerstorer pilot in Wolfgang Falck's ZG 1 as the war began.

His first victory and only daylight victory was over a RAF Bristol Blenheim on 10 May 1940. In May 1940 the creation of the Nachtjagd was commenced, and on 20 July, as part of 2./NJG 1, Werner Streib claimed his first night victory (and the first official Nachtjagd victory) over a RAF Whitley.

By October 1940 Streib was commanding of I gruppe, NJG 1, based at Venlo, Holland in order to more easily intercept the known RAF bomber routes into targets in the Ruhr. He would be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 October 1940 as an Oberleutnant with eight victories claimed. By May 1941 he had 26 confirmed victories. He was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knights Cross on 26 February 1943 as a Major and Kommodore of NJG 1 with 42 confirmed victories.

On the night of 11–12 June 1943, Werner Streib flew a prototype version of the Heinkel He 219 and claimed to have shot down 5 Lancaster bombers within just 30 minutes. However, when returning to Venlo Streib misjudged the landing approach and used the flaps at too high a speed. The Heinkel crashed and was written off on upon landing, Streib and his Bordfunker (radio or wireless operator) escaping with slight injuries.

On March 11, 1944 he was awarded the Swords to his Knights Cross for 66 confirmed victories.

On March 23, 1944 he was made Inspector of Night Fighters and he would stay in this post as Oberst until the end of the war.

Werner Streib was officially credited with shooting down 66 enemy aircraft, with 65 claimed at night. He was the first night fighter pilot to be honoured with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

After the war he worked in the grocery business before joining the Bundeswehr in 1956, where he attained the rank of Brigadegeneral.

He died on 15 June 1986 and is buried in Munich, Germany.

Awards

• Wound Badge in Black
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (13 September 1940)
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
• Combined Pilots-Observation Badge
• German Cross in Gold (26 February 1942)
• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 6 October 1940 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 2./NJG 1
  • 197th Oak Leaves on 26 February 1943 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./NJG 1
  • 54th Swords on 11 March 1944 as Major and Geschwaderkommodore of NJG 1
• Mentioned four times in the Wehrmachtbericht (1 October 1940, 15 March 1941, 5 July 1941 and 31 May 1942)

References in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
Tuesday, 1 October 1940	Als Nachtjäger zeichnete sich Oberleutnant Streit ganz besonders aus. Er brachte allein drei feindliche Flugzeuge zum Absturz.	Oberleutnant Streib distinguished himself as a night fighter pilot. He alone brought down three enemy aircraft.
Saturday, 15 March 1941	Bei Nachtjagd schoß Hauptmann Streib seinen zehnten Gegner ab.	Hauptmann Streib shot down his tenth opponent as a night fighter.
Saturday, 5 July 1941	Hauptmann Streib errang in der Nacht zum 4. Juli seinen 15. Nachtjagdsieg.	Hauptmann Streib achieved his 15th nocturnal aerial victory in the night to July 4.
Sunday, 31 May 1942	Ein Nachtjagdverband unter Führung des Generalleutnants Kammhuber erzielte hierbei seinen 600. Nachtjagdabschuß, Hauptmann Streib seinen 25. und 26. und Oberleutnant Knacke seinen 20. Nachtjagdsieg.	A night fighter unit under the leadership of Generalleutnant Kammhuber achieved hereby their 600th aerial victory at night, Hauptmann Streib achieved his 25th and 26th and Oberleutnant Knacke his 20th nocturnal aerial victory.

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Berger, Florian (2000). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges. Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 - 1945 (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 3-87341-065-6.
• Schaulen, Fritjof (2005). Eichenlaubträger 1940 - 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe III Radusch - Zwernemann (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 3-932381-22-X.
• 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 German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Scutts, Jerry (1998). German Night Fighter Aces of World War 2. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-696-5.
• 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.

External links

• "Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945". Werner Streib. http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Luftwaffe/S/St/Streib-Werner.htm. Retrieved 27 April 2007. 

Military offices
Preceded by Oberst Wolfgang Falck	Commander of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 July 1, 1943–March, 1944	Succeeded by Oberleutnant Hans-Joachim Jabs