Edmund Roßmann

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Edmund Roßmann
11 January 1918(1918-01-11) – 4 April 2004 (aged 86)
Nickname	"Paule"
Place of birth	Caaschwitz district Gera/Thuringia
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Rank	Leutnant
Unit	JG 52, Erg.Gr. Ost
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Edmund "Paule" Roßmann ( 11 January 1918 – 4 April 2004) was a German World War II fighter ace and was credited with 93 aerial victories achieved in 640 combat missions, among the numerous ground attack missions. He is also noted as being Erich Hartmann's, histories leading fighter ace, early mentor.

Unteroffizier "Paule" Roßmann was transferred to 7./JG 52 on 1 March 1940 and participated in the Battle of France and Battle of Britain. He was credited with six aerial victories in the western theatre before JG 52 was deployed to Operation Barbarossa.

By the end of 1941 he had accumulated 32 aerial victories. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross after 250 combat missions and 49 aerial victories. From March to June 1942 he was posted to Erg.Gr. Ost as fighter pilot instructor and returned to his Staffel afterwards. Nevertheless he almost doubled his score by the end of 1942 and claimed his 80th victory on 29 November 1942.

On 9 July 1943 Roßmann attempted to rescue a crash landed fellow pilot behind Russian lines. At this moment the Russian Infantry arrived and LeutnantSeyler was shot and Roßmann was wounded. Roßmann was taken prisoner of war and was released in October 1949.

[edit] Awards

• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (6 November 1941)
• Iron Cross 2. and 1. class
• German Cross in Gold (24 July 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (19 March 1942)

[edit] References