Leutnant Karl Allmenröder (3 May 1896 – 27 June 1917), Pour le Merite, Knights Cross of Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Iron Cross First and Second Class, was a German World War I flying ace.[1]
| Karl Allmenröder | |
|---|---|
| 3 May 1896 – 27 June 1917 | |
| Nickname | Karlchen |
| Place of birth | Wald, Germany |
| Place of death | Zillebeke, Belgium |
| Resting place | Evangelical Cemetery, Wald, Germany |
| Allegiance | German Empire |
| Service/branch | Artillery, Air Service |
| Years of service | 1914 - 1917 |
| Unit | Field Regiments 62 & 20, Jagdstaffels FA 227 & 11. |
| Commands held | Jagdstaffel 11 |
| Awards | Pour le Merite, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Iron Cross |
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Allmenröder was born in Wald, the son of a Lutheran minister.[1] He was interested in the practice of medicine and was a medical student in Marburg. His reputation became one of a quiet, good natured, dutiful young man.[2]
Allmenröder was only 18 when the war began. He became an artilleryman, joining Field Regiment 62 for training, and being transferred to Field Regiment 20 for duty. While serving in Poland fighting against the Russian Imperial Army, he was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class in March, 1915. He also was promoted to Oberleutnant on 30 March 1915.[2]
Allmenröder transferred to the air service on 16 March 1916, at the same time as his brother. He trained at Halberstadt. He flew two-seaters as an artillery spotter in Jasta FA 227 before joining Jagdstaffel 11 in November 1916.[2] After Manfred von Richthofen assumed command in January, 1917, Jasta 11 became one of the premier squadrons of the German Flying Service. Allmenröder rose in the pantheon of Jasta 11 stars. His career as a fighter ace was spectacular but short.[3] He achieved his victories flying a scarlet Albatros D.III with white nose and elevators.[4][5]
"Karlchen" scored his first win on 16 February 1917. He scored four more victories the following month and became an ace on 30 March.[1] In March, he was also awarded the Iron Cross First Class.
He had achieved nine victories by the end of April 1917, and took his tally to thirteen in May. On 13 May, he was promoted to acting Jasta leader, a prestigious honor for a young man just turned 21. He was lightly wounded on 25 May though this did not prevent him shooting down a New Zealand air ace, Captain Alan Scott, on 28 May 1917.[1]
On 9 June 1917, Allmenröder was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Hohenzollern Order and, on 14 June, he received the Pour le Mérite. The following day, the man who had appointed him acting commanding officer, Manfred von Richthofen, returned from leave and reassumed command for the next nine days.[6] Richthofen not only entrusted Allmenroeder with command, he would even fly wingman in patrols led by Karl.
Allmenröder was also busy scoring eight more victories during June. His 29th, and penultimate victory, was scored on 25 June against Canadian ace Flight Lieutenant Gerald Nash, who became a prisoner.[1] He had succeeded to permanent command of Jasta 11 on that day, when von Richthofen had been promoted to command of Germany's first fighter wing, Jagdgeschwader 1, commonly called "The Flying Circus".[7]
Allmenröder reached 30 victories before being shot down on 27 June. The cause of Allmenröder's death is debatable. It has been said that Allmenröder was shot down by Canadian ace Raymond Collishaw[8] but the Canadian's victory list skips the 27th.[9] Collishaw had fired a long range burst at an Albatros on the 27th, but staked no claim.[10] The time of day of Collishaw's sortie also doesn't match.[11]
Allmenröder has also been reported to have been shot down by Allied aircraft, with no further details.[12] Another report insists anti-aircraft fire hit him. In any event, he died from wounds after crashing near Zillebeke. German infantry soldiers went into no man's land and retrieved his body the night he was killed.[2] It was a ghoulish detail; the crashed Albatros was so embedded in a hasty cemetery of casualties from the year before that it took two hours to disinter Allmenröder from the decomposing bodies around him.[13]
He was popular with his squadron mates and was widely mourned. He was just 21 years old at his death.
He was interred in the Evangelical Cemetery in Wald. His brother Willi married Karl's fiancee, Helene Kortenbach, after Karl's death.[14]
His reputation was marred by Nazi usage of his name and reputation for propaganda purposes. For this reason, streets named after him have been renamed and he is not honored in memoriam in his hometown.[2]
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