and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 72 aerial victory claims, plus six further unconfirmed claims. This figure includes 15 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 57 over the Western Allies, including 13 four-engined bombers. Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 26 Ost 80364". The Luftwaffe grid map () covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 × 4 km in size. Awards Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (26 April 1941) German Cross in Gold on 15 October 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 7./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe for Fighter Pilots in Gold with Pennant "400" (10 July 1944) Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 26 March 1944 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" 653rd Oak Leaves on 18 November 1944 as Major and Gruppenkommandeur of the III./Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter" Notes References Citations Bibliography 1918 births 1944 deaths German World War II flying aces German prisoners of war in World War II held by France Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Luftwaffe personnel killed in World War II Aviators killed by being shot down Military personnel from Poznań People from the Province of Posen