Gustav Kastner-Kirdorf

Gustav Kastner-Kirdorf
Chief of the Luftwaffe Personnel Office
In office 29 April 1945 – 8 May 1945
Preceded by	Robert Ritter von Greim
Succeeded by	Bruno Loerzer
Personal details
Born	(1881-02-02)2 February 1881 Trumpfsee-Warnitz, German Empire
Died	4 May 1945(1945-05-04) (aged 64) Berchtesgaden, Nazi Germany
Cause of death	Suicide
Military service
Allegiance	German Empire Nazi Germany
Branch/service	Luftstreitkräfte Luftwaffe
Rank	General der Flieger
Battles/wars	World War I World War II

Gustav Kastner-Kirdorf (born 2 February 1881 in Trumpfsee-Warnitz; died 4 May 1945 in Berchtesgaden) was a German aviator who served in the Luftwaffe during the first and second World Wars.

Early years

In 1899, he became a member of the Burschenschaft Hevellia Berlin. Kirdorf occurred on 5 February 1904, as Fahnenjunker in the Infantry Regiment Lutzow Nr. 25. There he was first a company officer, later an adjutant of the first battalion and last regimental adjutant until 21 March 1914. Then he was from 22 March to 3 August 1914, company officer in the infantry regiment Graf Barfuß No. 17. Here he made in July 1914 a pilot training.

World War I

With the outbreak of First World War Kirdford acted from 4 August to 15 September 1914, as General Staff Officer and leader of the flyer Detachment Deputy of the XIV Corps (German Empire). He acted on several positions and was not wounded. From January 1919 to June 1919 he was commander of the Neuruppin airport. He left the army on 8 June 1919.

Reichswehr

On 1 August 1927 Kirdorf was employed by the Reichswehr as a civilian employee and graduated in that capacity until the end of September 1930 a secret aviator training in the Soviet Union. After returning to Germany, he became the head of the advertising department of the German Air Sports Association. He held this function from 1 October 1930 until the end of March 1934.

Luftwaffe

From 1 April 1934 to the end of June 1938 Kirdorf became head of the flight readiness of the Ministry of Aviation (Nazi Germany). After some other positions he became, on 1 February 1939, head of the staff-office of the Luftwaffe. In April 1943 he received another position.

Death

On 4 May 1945 Kastner-Kirdorf committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. In his book, Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters, Richard Winters recounts finding Kastner-Kirdorf's body in Goering's private compound at Berchtesgaden.

Promotions

• 19 February 1904, Fahnenjunker - Gefreiter
• 30 May 1904, Fahnenjunker - Unteroffizier
• 15 September 1904, Fähnrich
• 15 November 1904, Lieutenant
• 19 November 1911, Lieutenant
• 28 November 1914, Captain
• 20 October 1919, as a character Major
• 1 April 1934, Lieutenant Colonel
• 1 October 1935, Colonel
• 1 June 1938, Major general
• 1 January 1940, Lieutenant General
• 1 July 1941, General der Flieger

Further reading

• Bradley, Dermot (Hrsg.), Karl Friedrich Hildebrand: Die Generale der deutschen Luftwaffe 1935–1945. Die militärischen Werdegänge der Generale, sowie der Ärzte, Veterinäre, Intendanten, Richter und Ministerialbeamten im Generalsrang. Band 2: Habermehl–Nuber. Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 1991, ISBN 3-7648-1701-1, p. 153–154.
• Dvorak, Helge: Biographisches Lexikon der Deutschen Burschenschaft. Band I: Politiker, Teilband 7: Supplement A–K, Winter, Heidelberg 2013, ISBN 978-3-8253-6050-4. p. 527–528.