Helmuth Förster

Helmuth Förster
Born	(1889-04-19)19 April 1889 Groß Strehlitz, German Empire
Died	7 April 1965(1965-04-07) (aged 75) Lenggries, Bavaria, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Imperial German Army Reichswehr Luftwaffe
Years of service	1907–19 1934–45
Rank	General der Flieger
Commands	1st Air Corps
Battles / wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Helmuth Förster (19 April 1889 – 7 April 1965) was a German general in the Luftwaffe during World War II. A decorated World War I aviator, he returned to military service in 1934 as an Oberstleutnant in the Luftwaffe. Promoted to Oberst in 1936, he was appointed to command the 4th Bomber Wing. During the invasion of Poland, Förster, by now a Generalmajor, commanded the Luftwaffen-Lehrdivision with significant success. He was then appointed as chief of staff of the 5th Air Fleet during the invasion of Norway. After serving on the German-French Peace Commission, he was appointed as military governor of the German-occupied territory of Serbia from April to June 1941, then commanded the 1st Air Corps during the invasion of the Soviet Union until October 1942. Whilst in command of the 1st Air Corps he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He spent the remainder of the war as chief of administration at the Reich Ministry of Aviation. He was pensioned as an Oberstleutnant in 1952.

Awards and decorations

• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 22 February 1942 as General der Flieger and commander of I. Flieger-Korps

References

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). Eagles of the Third Reich: Men of the Luftwaffe in World War II. Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-4451-5.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.