What do you think?
Rate this book
I Flew for the Führer: The Memoirs of a Luftwaffe Fighter Pilot
Heinz Knoke was one of the outstanding German fighter pilots of the Second World War. This vivid first-hand record of his experiences has become a classic among aviation memoirs and is a fascinating counterbalance to the numerous accounts written by Allied pilots.
Knoke joined the Luftwaffe on the outbreak of war, and eventually became commanding officer of a fighter wing. An outstandingly brave and skillful fighter, he logged over two thousand flights and shot down fifty-two enemy aircraft. He had flown over four hundred operational missions before being wounded in an astonishing 'last stand' towards the end of the war. He was awarded the Knight's Cross for his achievements.
In a text that reveals his intense patriotism and discipline, he describes being brought up in the strict Prussian tradition, the rise of the Nazi regime and his own wartime career set against a fascinating study of everyday life in the Luftwaffe. He also reveals the high morale of the force until its disintegration.
His memoirs are both a valuable contribution to aviation literature and a moving human story.
Knoke joined the Luftwaffe on the outbreak of war, and eventually became commanding officer of a fighter wing. An outstandingly brave and skillful fighter, he logged over two thousand flights and shot down fifty-two enemy aircraft. He had flown over four hundred operational missions before being wounded in an astonishing 'last stand' towards the end of the war. He was awarded the Knight's Cross for his achievements.
In a text that reveals his intense patriotism and discipline, he describes being brought up in the strict Prussian tradition, the rise of the Nazi regime and his own wartime career set against a fascinating study of everyday life in the Luftwaffe. He also reveals the high morale of the force until its disintegration.
His memoirs are both a valuable contribution to aviation literature and a moving human story.
- GenresMilitary HistoryHistory
190 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 14, 2020
5 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 28, 2020
This e-book I enthusiastically requested for, and was subsequently given to me by the publisher Pen & Sword through NetGalley, and was written by Heinz Knoke, a Luftwaffe fighter ace pilot during World War 2. Minor spoilers ahead.
Where to start?
There is some allure, when it comes to books that are for one reason or another controversial, or from “the other” side of any war which makes them fascinating to me, since they give a perspective of certain events that differs from the dominating one, regardless of whether it is being perceived as a righteous one or not. Such books described the Crusades from Arab point of view, Napoleonic wars, American Civil War etc. This one in particular, is a compilation of memoirs, given from a perspective of a pilot who fought basically through all phases of World War 2 against the enemies of his Fatherland.
As such, the author, who always had a thing for writing, gives a perfect picture, maybe even too good, of a man, a pilot, fueled by hatred and propaganda of the day, while expressing full joy of killing enemy soldiers. That said, not all enemies were perceived equally, showing some regard and respect towards Western Allies, while simultaneously treating Soviet forces on the Eastern front as lower beings, vermin, disease, and Germans were in his perception the protectors of Europe from the effect of bolshevism.
But, as the war progressed, we could see the situation turning grim in the West, where he built his piloting career in combat. Stalingrad was lost, his comrades were dying left and right around him, yet he still flew steadily, still victorious. That is where the most powerful part of the book is: Knoke looking at the pictures of his fallen comrades, remembering fond memories of them, contemplating on life, luck and fate, all of which served him well.
D-Day happens, and the feeling of despair alongside a long, slow and painful defeat that is looming on the horizon create a very dark and emotional picture of a man that had to embrace the reality of the situation.
That things are not to be the way he hoped for.
That a dream is crushed.
Under the Soviet boot.
All in all, this book is a fantastic account from a soldier luckier than most, led by his own convictions, and is something I can thoroughly recommend to those who are interested in memoirs and World War 2 experiences.
Where to start?
There is some allure, when it comes to books that are for one reason or another controversial, or from “the other” side of any war which makes them fascinating to me, since they give a perspective of certain events that differs from the dominating one, regardless of whether it is being perceived as a righteous one or not. Such books described the Crusades from Arab point of view, Napoleonic wars, American Civil War etc. This one in particular, is a compilation of memoirs, given from a perspective of a pilot who fought basically through all phases of World War 2 against the enemies of his Fatherland.
As such, the author, who always had a thing for writing, gives a perfect picture, maybe even too good, of a man, a pilot, fueled by hatred and propaganda of the day, while expressing full joy of killing enemy soldiers. That said, not all enemies were perceived equally, showing some regard and respect towards Western Allies, while simultaneously treating Soviet forces on the Eastern front as lower beings, vermin, disease, and Germans were in his perception the protectors of Europe from the effect of bolshevism.
But, as the war progressed, we could see the situation turning grim in the West, where he built his piloting career in combat. Stalingrad was lost, his comrades were dying left and right around him, yet he still flew steadily, still victorious. That is where the most powerful part of the book is: Knoke looking at the pictures of his fallen comrades, remembering fond memories of them, contemplating on life, luck and fate, all of which served him well.
D-Day happens, and the feeling of despair alongside a long, slow and painful defeat that is looming on the horizon create a very dark and emotional picture of a man that had to embrace the reality of the situation.
That things are not to be the way he hoped for.
That a dream is crushed.
Under the Soviet boot.
All in all, this book is a fantastic account from a soldier luckier than most, led by his own convictions, and is something I can thoroughly recommend to those who are interested in memoirs and World War 2 experiences.
February 14, 2025
2.5 🌟. Honestly this was such a disappointment for me and reallllly dragged. It was very much “we did this, and then we did this” and it felt like I was reading the same story over and over again.
Despite this, it was incredibly insightful to read a war book from the viewpoint of a German soldier and understand the struggles they went through too. Especially in this case, where it seems they had no idea what was really going on, regarding concentration camps and the horrific Jewish treatment
Despite this, it was incredibly insightful to read a war book from the viewpoint of a German soldier and understand the struggles they went through too. Especially in this case, where it seems they had no idea what was really going on, regarding concentration camps and the horrific Jewish treatment
February 23, 2023
Memoirs of a German pilot and his service in the war and after. He mentions meeting Herman Goring and noticing Goring's use of cosmetics and pearl grey uniform. He manages to keep his family together and overcome his injuries.
March 14, 2024
A typical tale of fighter pilot derring-do - except this one's an unrepentant Nazi. A fascinating view from 'the other side' and a good insight into the impact of the Allied strategic bombing campaign on the Luftwaffe.
September 16, 2021
A fantastic read! Beautifully detailed first person account of the air war from the defeated side.
March 5, 2025
Fascinating! 2000 missions as fighter pilot.
Shot down numerous times and back in the cockpit.
An amazing first hand account of a genuine hero.
Shot down numerous times and back in the cockpit.
An amazing first hand account of a genuine hero.
May 30, 2025
I would have given it 5 stars but he cucked out after the war. I can't imagine the amount of psychological abuse he received to come to the conclusion he wrote in the final chapter.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews