I Flew for the Fuhrer: Memoirs of the Third Reich's Pilot

by Heinz Knocke

Heinz Knoke was one of the outstanding German fighter pilots of World War II and this vivid first-hand record of his experiences has become a classic among aviation memoirs, a best-selling counter-balance 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 crippled by wounds 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 impact of the coming of the Nazi regime, and his own wartime career set against a fascinating study of everyday life in the Luftwaffe, and of the high morale of the force until its disintegration. In a postscript provided for this edition, Heinz Knoke writes of the struggle to survive after the war in Germany, and his building of a new life. Now that the Berlin Wall has been torn down, his memoirs are set in a new perspective, both a valuable contribution to aviation literature and a moving human story.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Aviation, World War II, Military History, Memoir

188 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1952

Reviews

[carl theaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

By time you're finished reading this one, you'll swear you've put some seat time in a ME-109. The matter-of-fact, fast-paced perspective could be attributed to author-pilot Heinz Knoke's pre-war literary aspirations - it is a compelling tale.

The title does have a bit of that tabloid headline ring to it, however since it was published in 1953, you get that right after war perspective. For example, a variety of future Experten all make cameo appearances, Marseille, Rall, Barkhorn, Moritz, long before they became noted in history books for
being aces.

Knoke got around; a short tour on the Russian front before stopping off in Norway, took a ride on the Tirpitz, a phone call from Goring, then spent most his time facing the USAF over Western
Europe. He must have experienced 20 plane crashes, which gave him the clear head for the time when he had to climb back in the flaming cockpit of his plummeting plane to free himself.

His group had some success dropping bombs from their fighters onto the bombers below, there is a mention of the special fighter group 'Rammjaegers', and he spent a week in the Me-262 jet fighter
school. Whatever your nationality you'll be awed at the courage, craziness or futility when he, more than once, leads his small group of 5 ME-109s up against 50 Thunderbolts and Mustangs.

The introduction by USAF Ret. Lieutenant General Quesada is interesting; he praises the book, notes at times there is some influence of leftover Nazi propaganda, and that he does NOT believe any German ace shot down 150 Allied planes.

From what I recall and have read, this was the general attitude until well into the 1960s. Of course it's now known a variety of German aces did shoot down even more than 150.

[KOMET · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Bantam edition of Knoke's military memoirs I read when I was in high school.

The reader immediately feels a part of Knoke’s life in the air. One of the most searing episodes in the book was when Knoke, in advanced flight training, was awaiting his turn, along with his fellow fledglings, to fly for the first time the Messerschmitt 109 (ME-109), then one of the most sophisticated fighter planes in the world. While a very nimble and durable fighter, the ME-109 was very tricky to handle at both take-offs and landings. It had a reputation for being unforgiveable to pilots who failed to handle it with care. In this case, as Knoke watched from the ground, the pilot tried to land the ME-109 once and failed, because of excessive speed. So the trainee pilot made another circuit of the field, cutting his speed, preparatory to trying another landing. This time, the aircraft came in unsteadily, cartwheeled and exploded. The pilot was thrown from the cockpit, minus his legs, howling in agony. He died shortly afterward. Knoke was shaking in his boots. Now it was his turn to fly. Another ME-109 was brought out on the airfield. "If you expect to fly on operations, take her up now. Otherwise, you’ll never be a fighter pilot,” Knoke’s instructor sternly advised. He took the fighter up and put it through its paces. He landed it without mishap, feeling sick.

Eventually, Knoke completes his training and serves first with the 52nd Fighter Wing (JG-52) on the Channel Front in the spring of 1941. There he sees some action over Britain and the Channel before his unit is transferred East, to take part in Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. Less than 3 months later, Knoke is returned to the West, this time to serve with another fighter group, flying operations over the North Sea and Northern Germany. The following spring, Knoke is sent to Norway, where he shoots down his first enemy plane, a British Bristol Blenheim twin-engined bomber. Knoke grows in experience and is transferred back to Germany, where he spends the next couple of years mainly taking on the U.S. Eighth Air Force heavy bombers over the Reich. His war is a long one and the reader will feel in every page, the intensity of it.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading a ripsnorting account by an American pilot who flew for both the Brits and the Yanks Fighter Pilot: The First American Air Ace of World War II , I wanted an account from the other side. Knoke gives it to you raw and straightforward. He is unapologetically supportive of the war, especially against the Soviets. Most of his flights are in Western Europe with brief excursions to Norway and Russia. He admires the courage of the RAF and USAAF opponents even as he tries to kill them. It’s a desperate fight against ever increasing odds. He alone survives from his pilot training class. Shot down many times by fighters and by gunners on B-17s and B-24s. He has some success against the bombers early in the war but once the escort fighters show up, it’s very hard to successfully attack the bomber stream. He has swarms of allied fighters on his tail. A worthwhile book to read. 3 Stars

The Allied bomber offensive is unstoppable:

“Enemy concentrating in sector Dora-Dora,” reports the operations room.

At 1038 hours we take off.

“Climb to 25,000 feet over Rheine,” run my orders. Specht is ill, and I am temporarily in command of the formation.

25,000 feet over Lake Dummersee we sight the enemy.

It is a truly awe-inspiring spectacle which confronts us. There are approximately 1,000 of the heavy bombers flying eastwards along a wide frontage with a strong tighter escort. I have never before seen such a mighty air armada: the target obviously is Berlin. Including the fighter escort the total American strength I estimate at 1,200.

Against them we are forty aircraft. Yet even if we were only two, we should still have to engage the enemy.

I pick a group of Fortresses flying on the left hank of the main body and close in for a frontal attack. The Americans apparently guess my intention. At the critical moment they alter course slightly, and thus my attack is in vain.

Swinging off to the right and round in a wide are, I wait until we are again flying ahead of the enemy, and then come round for a second frontal attack. With my forty Messerschmitts in a tight Vic-formation I want to cut a swath through the ranks of the enemy.

[Elliot Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Flew for the Fuhrer by Heinz Knoke is the most captivating book about the war I have read to date. It's simply impossible to put down. Knoke briefly documents his childhood and upbringing before getting into the main part of his story which starts with the following diary entries:

"August 31,1939
The Polish atrocities against the German minority make horrible reading today. Thousands of Germans are being massacred daily in territory which had once been part of Germany. Thousands more arrive every hour in the Reich, each refugee with another tale of horror."

"September 1,1939
At 0540 hours this morning the German armies move across the border into action. That means war. Thus ends the last summer of my boyhood. Thus a humble, insignificant individual is caught in the relentless path of the giant wheel of Time. I must be prepared for war to descend like an avalanche upon my head. I shall have to become as tough as steel, or be crushed. My most ardent desire now is to become a soldier."

Reading about the war for the first time not from a historians perspective or that of a very high ranking commander but rather from the perspective of an "everyday" soldier gives great new insight into the conflict. It may also of helped that this was the first book I've read written by a German, from a German point of view.

Knoke ends this fantastic book simply and powerfully:

"The war is lost. The armistice is signed. Does this mean that there will be peace?"

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look into the mind of "the Other" from the Second World War. My largest take away that as a "front lines" airman, Knoke saw the war as defending the Western world from "the evils of Bolshevism" rather than an expansion of German influence. Very interesting all through

[Stanislav Stanchev · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are many accounts of the air war over Europe in the period 1939–1945. However, the vast majority are written by Allied pilots of both fighter and bomber aircraft. Having read a number of those accounts, I was interested in seeing the perspective from the losing side, and I found Heinz Knoke’s memoir from 1952.

The subtitle is incredibly apt: The Memoirs of a Luftwaffe Fighter Pilot, and the book delivers exactly what it says on the tin. The format is explicitly that of a diary, with the date in question opening each and every segment. We follow young Heinz through his school years, through joining the Hitler-Jugend, and eventually into the Luftwaffe as a cadet. Political comments are relatively few and far between, but there is a sense of honest recollection to a large extent. For example, Nazi propaganda justifying the invasion of Poland is reproduced as a young, proud, and patriotic Hitler-Jugend youth would conceivably have believed it: verbatim.

Flight school is tough, and Knoke again seems honest about his struggles to get to grips with flying, giving the reader a sense that this is not an easy task. When the combat missions start, the reader has the feeling of “learning as we go,” just as Knoke does. Air combat is not easy, and we are reminded once more that this is not Hollywood. That first aerial victory is elusive. And missions involve much more than just shooting down other planes. Finding the enemy, navigating, manoeuvring, staying in touch with one’s unit — all of these aspects are showcased in a vivid and action-packed manner.

We follow Knoke through an impressive career in which he eventually obtains 33 confirmed aerial victories and a further 19 unconfirmed ones in the course of over 2,000 flights. From Germany to France to the Soviet Union, to the English Channel, to Norway, to Normandy, the account is never boring. The career of a fighter pilot is exhibited in all its thrills and glory, as well as danger and loss. Friendly comrades who fall are mourned. Even enemy airmen are often treated not just with respect but also with sympathy. I was shocked by the sheer number of times Knoke himself was forced to bail out, make an emergency landing, or survive extremely difficult predicaments. The action is only broken up by short passages with Knoke’s wife and family, or when fallen comrades (whose numbers increase as the war rages on) are remembered fondly.

Aside from the non-stop aerial action — that reads as well as the accounts of famous Western aces like Pierre Clostermann — the book provides something truly unique: not just the recollections of the noble Prussian knight in the sky, but also those of a Luftwaffe pilot convinced by the righteousness of his Reich’s mission. It is fascinating to read such a first-hand account. French and Czech resistance fighters are invariably termed “terrorists.”

Tommies and Yanks might be treated with respect, but the Russian “Ivans” are described with nothing short of utter contempt. It is clear to see the effectiveness of Nazi propaganda in labelling Soviet Bolshevism as an inevitable, sinister, and dangerous threat — and thus the role of the Wehrmacht as the “noble defenders of Western Civilization.” Knoke looks with despair at a British plane he helped shoot down, hoping that the parachute opens in time and the “chap” survives. On the other hand, bombing, strafing, and killing Ivans is described not only with precision but with relish and even joy.

This juxtaposition makes it very clear that the Soviet Union was always deemed Nazi Germany’s primary enemy abroad. That Bolshevism and the “Jewish question” were linked goes a long way toward explaining the appalling atrocities committed by the Third Reich against the Jews of Europe and the Soviets on the Eastern Front.

When read dispassionately, one appreciates Knoke’s honesty — both regarding his own failings and his disagreements with higher-ranking officers — but also his unvarnished hatred of Russia. It makes the account that much more valuable. Yet, at the end of the book, he reproduces the myth that the Holocaust was the product of fanatical Nazis and the SS, while the “fighting German soldiers” were appalled and called for punishment of the perpetrators. I could not help but raise my eyebrows in scepticism at this passage. As the foreword to the book notes, the myth of the “noble” Wehrmacht has been debunked by historians in the decades since Knoke’s memoir was published in 1952. The regular German army also played its part in the extermination of millions of Jews and other “undesirables.” Whether Knoke was personally involved or not is unclear. Yet dispelling the idea that “the fighting German soldiers” were the noble counterpoint to the vicious SS is worth stating clearly, and I am happy that Richard Overy does so explicitly in the introduction to the book.

It was also interesting to find out — again in the introduction — that Knoke very much felt justified in his views (expressed in the memoir) that the West and Germany should have allied against the USSR. The early Cold War gave credence to his belief that the Bolsheviks were hell-bent on world domination, and that Nazi Germany had been prevented from its altruistic campaign to eliminate this threat through a pre-emptive strike. True to his beliefs, Knoke joined the neo-Nazi Socialist Reich Party and even got elected to the legislature of Lower Saxony in 1951 — one year before the Supreme Court of West Germany deemed the party illegal. Knoke’s own postscript, written in 1991, focuses more on the long task of reconstruction and ends with a touching focus on the family he and his wife, Lilo, built.

All in all, this rather short, to-the-point, and mostly unvarnished account is definitely worth a read. For those interested in history but less so in military aviation, the many exciting air operations might feel repetitive, but there are still nuggets to be found in the way a typical German officer saw the war — distorted as it was by Nazi propaganda. For those with an interest in military aviation, the account is nothing short of a must-read — and a worthy counterpart to other classic memoirs like Clostermann’s The Big Show.

[Pierce Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting first hand account from a German fighter pilot and his time in the air from 1940-late 1944. A good reminder that War is hell for a all participants and all sides while the difficulties of losing comrades hurts everyone. His tales from the cockpit are fascinating depicting aerial battles and interactions between fighters. It becomes sad as the germans lose air superiority and Heinz details friendly pilots failing to return from missions more frequently coupled with the bombing of German cities with little resistance. On the shorter side but definitely worth picking up if you have any interest in aerial combat.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great first hand account of a German fighter pilot in WWII. Well worth the read. The book is primarily a diary of his wartime missions.

[Ronnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating memoir from the German side , fighter ace Heinz Knoke's story grips You from page one . Though his politics are anathema , his bravery is beyond question. 5 stars

[Iain McLachlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was told about this book, one review stated 'that if you delete German and insert British' it would read like any other bio from that period'

and I agree, I really liked it, it is from the view point of a pilot who flew planes for his country. It is a day to day account of his experiences, the problems on the ground, the higher chain of command getting in the way and having no idea what was happening 'on the ground', I have read many exasperations from books by British and American pilots who flew at the same time period.

It is a very good book,

def worth a read. the Author survived the war and died in 1993.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read this book I was a teenager and and at that time the most interesting aspect of Knoke’s narrative was his account of aerial combat as part of the Luftwaffe. Even though he was flying for Nazi Germany, through younger eyes his story of dogfighting Spitfires, B-17s and other Allied aircraft was fascinating, excit8ng, highly dramatic. Now that I am much older I can see how twisted Knoke was as a narrator of his own contribution to the war crimes of the Third Reich. ‘I Flew for the Fuhrer’ is a highly appropriate title because at heart he was a willing participant engaged in a war that was instigated by Hitler and those like Knoke who supported him.

Now why I have I given this book four stars if it is in toto a self-serving autobiography of a Nazi? My positive review is based on the clear and obvious manner in which Knoke details his Nazi sympathies, thus allowing the reader to see exactly what kind of mentality helped create and support Hitler’s regime during its rule over Germany. Knoke’s political language is redolent of the social and political culture inherent to Nazism; from references to “Asian Bolshevik hordes” to “stabs in the back” the text of ‘I Flew for the Fuhrer’ is a primer in Nazi ideology, as it informed one of its defenders. There is no doubt left in the reader’s mind that the writer shares the Weltschauung that Hitler, Goebbels et al propagated throughout the war. It would also come as no surprise to learn that after the war Knoke adhered to his Nazi influenced political beliefs.

The other reason for my positive review of the book is that it is an informative autobiography about the experiences of a combat pilot during World War Two. Knoke writes with clarity and detail when recounting his dogfights, and as a result the reader is given a realistic and at times exciting impression of war in the air. It has to be said that Knoke rarely reflects on the moral aspect of his air-to-air combat; when he does recount the cost of battle it’s invariably focused on the death of his fellow Luftwaffe pilots. Surprisingly he doesn’t speak to much about the morality of the Allied bombing campaign against the Third Reich; perhaps this is because he holds little sympathy with German civilians (an attitude that is quite clear at times in his narrative).

When it comes to World War Two memoirs ‘I Flew for the Fuhrer’ is one of the most iconic and important due to those aspects I have discussed above. The prose is clear and generally free from too much military jargon. I assume the translation is more than satisfactory, and at under 190 pages Knoke’s text is easily read. For military aviation buffs and anyone interested in what it was like for those who fought for Nazism in the Second World War there are few if any better books than Knoke’s.

[Jawad Usman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know why such books need to have an introduction from anyone, let alone some idiot... In this case the idiot said something to the affect of "I don't believe any German ace shot 150 Allied aircraft." Firstly even the Soviets were Allies, but I know he meant Western Allies (Brits and Americans). But I'll leave that hanging in the air... He doesn't seem to understand if "beliefs" changed facts, we'd all be speaking German today. Knoke does come across as an enthusiastic and devoted Hitler follower during the war but that ought to come as no surprise. He also mentions towards the end about how in his opinion the worst punishment for the Nazi leaders responsible for crimes and dishonoring the German soldier, would have been to hand them all to the soldiers who unknowingly became their instruments.

With that rant out of the way, I wish I can have a list of all such books that are written in such a way... Purely how the life of a pilot in war was. Excellent read... One that finishes too quick... one you just don't want to end.

[Big H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very persuasive. I walked into this book thinking, "Pish, posh! Germans in WWII? I have no sympathy." I especially expected this, being a WWII British re-enactor. But I found myself CONSTANTLY cheering the main character--a German Pilot--on, hoping he knocked those damn Tommies to the ground! (And the Yanks...and the Bolsheviks...and the Frenchies...) It really turned me on my head, and was a refreshing re-look at WWII; it was good for me to see it from a different perspective, methinks. (NOTE: I'm still all-British, all the way, in regard to re-enacting; I don't plan on switching over anytime soon, no matter how good this book was.) <3 This book also taught me a lot about WWII-era aircraft, believe it or not. Definitely a good read for those people interested in WWII/history/airplanes.

[Sarah Bierle · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting primary source introducing the German aviation side of World War II. I enjoyed this journal for its details on flight and strategy, though - being American - it was different to have the Americans and English constantly called the enemy. Good to read the other side's perspective and motivations and understand how the regular German military had no idea of Hitler's atrocities.

There is some bad language in the book (mostly mild) and some harsh realities of fatal crashes. Probably not a good book to hand to young children, but might be a good supplemental resource for high school age students.

[Michael Sloan · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best autobiographies to come from the German point of view. Knocke was an outstanding fighter pilot, with over 50 kills, and was able to survive the war.

His descriptions of air combat are riveting. His discussions of the morale and motivations of the pilots of the German Air Force offer an insight not seen elsewhere. His noting of the inevitable losses among his comrades is heartfelt.

A number of pilots, from all sides, contributed to the literature of the war. This is certainly on of the better ones.

[Jbussen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book very much in the same style as -Stuka Pilot: Hans Ulrich Rudel- It reads like a flight log at many points, but unlike Stuka as a diary at others. I read this and "Iron Coffins" as I wanted to view the war from a different point of view. The view of the loser is bleak. People fighting valiantly as they dwindle in number until they are not just too few to make a difference but must undertake suicide missions as commands. Not necessarily a must read but if you want a different view, than I recommend.

[TheIron Paw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this as part of the WWII Group's April read. This was written shortly after the war (the edition I had was published in 1951) and provides a somewhat different German perspective on the war compared to present day's historical perspectives. However, the book touches on politics only tangentially and is primarily about the author's experience as a day fighter pilot in a thoroughly readable style.

[Deckmaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Много добро описание на живота на един пилот в Луфтвафе през войната. Кноке описва на кратко, но по интересен начин през какво са преминали тези момчета от първите години на сблъсъка до горчивия му край. Показателно е как е намирал сили да продължава да се качва в самолета въпреки няколкото тежки ранявания и загубата на почти всичките си приятели. Авторът директно пише как към края се чувствал, че щом затвори фанара на кабината си все едно е затварял капака на ковчега си. Поне според мен Германия трябва да се гордее с тези хора. След всичко преживяно почти 6 години не спират да се бият. Малко други народи биха го постигнали. Ако и самият той да споменава моралния упадък на тиловаците, особено по време на отстъплението през Франция. Въпреки всичко армията не се разпада, което е показателно.

Хубавото на книгата е, че е издадена сравнително рано още през 50-те и го няма това непрекъснато мрънкане: "ама ние не знаехме, ама той Хитлер е виновен" и т.н., което се забелязва в по-късните мемоари. Затова силно я препоръчвам на всеки любител на военните мемоари.

Последно искам да спомена отвратителния превод. Нашите издатели удрят дъно след дъно. Как да им отадеш покрепа, като не могат една книга да преведат като хората. Прилагам и следния цитат, придружен с част от английската версия на книгата, за да илюстровам думите си. А има още много такива неточности!

"За пореден път се убедих, че не съм дете чудо. Дълго време вече бях ефрейтор и в един момент реших, че ако някога бъде произведен в унтерофицер, ще напусна службата и ще се откажа от коледните подаръци за седем години. На безкрайните тренировки си представях как ще ударя с приклада по главата някой умник."

Английски вариант:
"It is once again apparent that I am not a prodigy. Indeed,
my N.C.O. even goes so far as to say that if I am ever commissioned
as an officer he will apply for discharge from the
Service and give up all Christmas presents for seven years.
During the monotonous drill parades I like to imagine myself
bashing that so-and-so over the head with a rifle-butt."

Кой ги превежда тези книги изобщо?! Пак казвам, че има още такива неточности. Просто трагично. Книгата, която си е 5/5, е съсипана от такива грешки!

[Krisley Freitas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Escrito em forma de diário, o livro conta a trajetória de um piloto alemão, Heinz Knoke, em sua carreira na Luftwaffe durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Usando uma narrativa descontraída o autor fala de sua infância, seus casos amorosos, as dificuldades enfrentadas na escola de pilotagem, sua entrada na Luftwaffe e a guerra. Ele também faz várias indagações e críticas sobre a guerra, seus superiores e o que acontecia ao seu redor, não só descrevendo o que aconteceu, mas expondo seus pensamentos.

Heinz Knoke atuou em vários cenários da guerra, como Inglaterra, Rússia, Ucrânia, Noruega, Holanda e Alemanha, transmitindo uma ideia de como eram as táticas, as formações, treinamento e as disparidades de pessoal e de material entre os diversos lados envolvidos na guerra aérea.

Para quem gosta de ação esse livro é um prato cheio, com manobras, perseguições, fogo antiaéreo, saltos de paraquedas, acidentes e as inúmeras batalhas sensacionais com as fortalezas voadoras - B-17.

As questões técnicas também não são deixadas de lados, a evolução dos aviões, as diferentes munições e armamentos, as altitudes em que as batalhas eram travadas, os códigos de orientação e comunicação são bem explorados e sem perder a fluidez do texto ou ficar cansativo.

Ótimo livro, recomendadíssimo para quem se interessa pela Segunda Guerra, ainda mais pelo número baixíssimo de publicações brasileiras de relatos do lado alemão da guerra.

Obs: No Brasil, publicado em 1965, o livro foi traduzido numa época em que a ortografia da língua portuguesa fazia uso indiscriminado do acento circunflexo (êle, vêzes, contrôle, gêlo, sêco, cêrca...), entre outras mudanças, mas nada que comprometa a leitura.

[Jimmy Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Heinz Knoke's book to be surprisingly well written and interesting. I personally couldn't tell the difference between a Thunderbolt and a Stinger; I've read a little about RAF aerial photography, but this was a new layer to the story for me. Fortunately Knoke's writing never became overpowering in the detail or the vernacular - it was just plain exciting.

We follow Knoke from his youth, when by his own admission he couldn't be troubled to attend all his school courses, to his desire to fly after one experience in a plane, to his rather shaky start as a flyer, to his development as a strong pilot in the Luftwaffe. He doesn't speak much to politics - he witnesses one speech by Hitler at which, like so many early in the Nazi ascendancy, he was bowled over - and prefers to be left to his plane rather than worrying about the issues at Headquarters.

As a fighter pilot, his expertise grew to the point where he was ultimately awarded the highest Nazi honors available. And, like most fighter pilots, he viewed his "opponents" as gentlemen on a playing field, not to be harmed once the plane was downed. The loss of his fellow airmen is viewed with deepest regret. Other than his hatred of Bolshevism, we (perhaps fortunately) get only limited insight into his personal views.

And the book does not address the overall Reich war activities, or even the overall war from an aerial perspective (a marked omission considering how much weight was placed on aerial strategy). This is a log of one man's service, in one division, of the Luftwaffe. Ultimately the military machine in which he served imploded, and he describes his country as disgraced; but this one man's personal experiences make for interesting reading.

[Hans · Rating 5 out of 5]

With around 2.000 flights, including more than 400 operational missions against his enemies, and with a score of 52 kills, Heinz Knoke has a story to tell. And he does so in a really good and interesting way. Many memoires have been published by Allied pilots, but the number of books by German pilots is less numerous.

In his book, he tells what it was like to be young in Germany in the pre-war era. What it felt like to start a military career and earn one's wings. Proud young men, went up in the air to learn and fly aircraft that surpassed those of many other countries. The Luftwaffe became a feared weapon once the shooting started. But it all too soon started to show its flaws too. The author describes all this like in a diary, taking us along, day by day, through the war. Some days were action filled, others were dull or just routine. We get to feel like being part of a Staffel of German pilots.

As the war progresses, something you 'feel' between the lines, starts to happen. The longer the struggle lasts, the more numerous the Allies get in the air, the more the fighting starts to take its toll. Not just in comrades failing to return from missions, but also in the mind. New young men start to fill the ranks, but they disappear almost as fast. The number of veterans became less and less, leaving men like Knoke almost as sole survivors in a unit.

It was especially interesting to read how his unit started to experiment using air dropped bombs to break up the American combat boxes. Later they started to use rockets, fired from a distance, to destroy the bombers and break up their formations.

I really like the way Heinz Knoke describes his wartime experiences. He does so without boasting on what a fabulous pilot he was. He just tells it like it was.

Recommended!

[Michel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very disappointed by this book.

Over the past many years I have read a large number of books about WW2 and accumulated a decent library. I have a good number of books by other German pilots (and, of course, many more by Allied pilots). Some of them, such as, for instance, Gallant's, are fascinating.

Knoke's is not. Knoke became a bomber hunter specialist, with a large number of kills. This is somewhat unusual among fighter pilots who wrote memoirs, and is also why I bought the book :-) You would expect to glean a lot from the author, in an activity that was not extraordinarily common, and where he was a very successful pilot.

Unfortunately, the story is not very well told, and lacks passion: the author appears to be a very cold fish who does not share much about himself or his emotions. There is very little insight to be gained from the book on conditions, atmosphere, morale, all that might interest you beyond the plot itself. Knoke succeeds in being boring in a tale that should be anything but, and in providing little of interest beyond just the story.

I should add that he also appears to be an unreconstructed Nazi, discussing until the end how they would improve national-socialism and fight the Bolsheviks after the war. There are others, such as Hartmann, who keep on fighting till the bitter end with some ideological bend, but none that I know of like Knoke, and certainly none as boring as him.

Unless you are really desperate to learn a few more facts about fighting bombers in the Luftwaffe, I would suggest to pass on this book.

[TheHenry Blank · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent account of Luftwaffe fighter pilot life on the Western front during WWII. Not so much because of the descriptions of fighter operations but because of Knoke's enthusiasm for his cause. You see, Knoke was apparently an ardent supporter of Hitler, unlike so many of his Luftwaffe contemporaries who also went on to write their own memoirs. He also believes his 'comrades' shared his own sentiments.

Knoke also makes himself the Hero of his combat memoirs, fighting the enemies of Germany against increasingly stiff odds. Post-war, he acknowledges the Western Allied powers as worthy potential allies and implores them to combine forces with Germany in order to attack the Soviet Union, that scourge of civilization.

Interesting to read that Knoke got his first combat experience flying with such luminaries as Barkhorn, Krupinsky, and Woitke in JG52 only to be later reassigned to a remote posting in Norway. Also interesting to note that the Canadian officer who wrote the introduction for Knoke's book was under the impression that Knoke's 52 victories made him the leading German fighter ace on the Western Front. Strange that Knoke did not inform him that this was not the case. The Greenhill publication includes a b/w photo section.

All in all, a real gung-ho tale told from the losing point of view.

[Clinton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the authenticity and perspective from the author of this book. Instead of being "edited" by westerners, or carefully screened this feels like a simple story of a teenager attracted to the adventure and 'glory' of war... only to eventually realize the situation that was befalling their losing nation. This isn't a story about a cocky massive scoring ace, but rather the story of someone that plugged away, eventually gained the experience necessary to stay alive, only to be overwhelmed by numerically superior forces.

Interestingly, I would rate Knoke as only a mediocre pilot:
1) took him a couple years, almost a dozen aircraft (crashes) before figuring out his flight and gunnery skills and get his first kill
2) even as a veteran, after his gunnery skills developed to allow for a good chance of shooting down a heavy on attack runs, this guy would most often trash his plane
... but it shows that if that level of pilot could have been provided with a couple hundred hours of operational training the results did show promise.

His wing of 40 aircraft attacking 600+ bombers could bring down 10 heavies, or a lucky pounce on 50 Mustangs could net another 10 kills.

Just as Galland suggested, if given the opportunity to build up skills (trained pilots) + with the right aircraft (ME262) they could have wrecked havoc in the air!

[John Purvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Heinz Knocke published the book “I Flew for the Fuhrer: Memoirs of the Third Reich's Pilot” in 2012 (the original version of the book appeared in 1954). This is Mr. Knocke's only publication.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this book as ‘PG’. The book tells the story of Luftwaffe pilot Heinz Knocke.

Knocke's story begins in 1935. The book relates his experiences during the war from his diary. As a fighter pilot, he was credited with more than 50 aerial victories. He survived the war, in part due to wounds suffered during the final months that grounded him.

Knocke flew more than two thousand missions during the war. He ended his wartime Luftwaffe career as the commanding officer of a fighter wing.

I found the 6+ hours I spent reading this 236-page memoir from WWII very interesting. I have only come across a few books in English written from the Axis point of view. They give a different perspective on the War. I think that the chosen cover art is a little dull. I give this book a 4 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

[Stormcrow Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the silly title, this is a really good book on the aerial war from a German pilot's perspective. It's amazing to read early passages such as:

August 31, 1939
The Polish atrocities against the German minority make horrible reading today. Thousands of Germans are being massacred daily in territory which had once been part of Germany.

September 11, 1939
The war in Poland draws to its close.

How dare those Poles inflict all that horror upon the Germans.

May 10, 1940
Our armies on the West Wall start the great offensive against France, but I am afraid that I am going to be too late to see any action.

June 21, 1941
We are now based... near the Russian border.
For the past two weeks our armies have been in increasing strength all along the eastern frontier. No one knows what is happening. One rumor has it that the Russians will permit us to cross the Caucasus in a thrust to occupy the oil fields...

Of course, the next day they go to war with Russia.

September 1, 1944
If we should lose this campaign, the conduct of the French women must bear a major share of the responsibility. Nights of passion and debauchery have undermined the morale of our officers and soldiers.

Yes, blame the women for the turning tide of war.

The final chapter covers 1945 and the end of the war as well as Knoke's time in the service. He writes, "...I look forward to the day when the Western Allies will come to realize that it is not Germany which is the real menace to their life and liberty, but Soviet Russia." He then yearns for the day when the fighting on the west is halted so that they can join forces with Germany against bolshevism.

I have picked some of the silliest passages to quote because we can look back with our historical hindsight and enjoy their irony. However, the rest of the book relates the true horror of war in so many aspects, including the story of a widow who requests her husband's wedding ring for a keepsake, but they have to lie to her because his hands were severed in the crash and never recovered.

It's amazing that despite the horrors, Knoke manages to fall in love and start a family. After receiving debilitating wounds from a mine that destroys his car, he returns to them, giving the book an almost happy ending despite the surrounding death and destruction. It's quite a journey and a fascinating one that's well worth taking.

[Wai Zin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read the Burmese translation of this book about 30 years ago.
I have read Yeager's biography for American side of the story, " Samurai" by Saburo Sakai for Japanese side, and this book for German side of the story.
I read those books again and again repeatedly.
At that age, about 13-14 years old, I will enjoy any books where people are fighting and shooting one another.

Now I pick up this book again mostly for nostalgia reason.
I want to know how's my feelings are towards those books (I recently read Samurai again as well).

Sadly, I do not enjoy them much.
The diary entry style writing in this book is quite repetitive and boring.
I do not know how many times I read the phrase
"Enemy concentrating in sector Dora-Dora"

I always try not to judge the men of the past by today standards.

However, I really despise the narrator's claim - "Germans are fighting in defense of Western Civilization from Bolshevism, the archenemy of liberty, humanity, etc".

[Teodor Hossu-Longin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heinz Knoke este unul dintre putinii asi de vanatoare care a supravietuit razboiului pentru a-si spune povestea. Creditat de germani cu 52 de victorii (cercetarile facute de aliati dupa 1945 afirma ca ar fi fost, de fapt, 33 de avioane doborate), Knoke face parte din selectul club al militarilor decorati cu Crucea de Cavaler a Crucii de Fier, fiind ranit de cinci ori. Jurnalul sau, publicat sub numele "Am zburat pentru Hitler", merita citit de cei care sunt interesati de istoria celui de-al Doilea Razboi Mondial pentru ca dezvaluie sec si dur realitatile confruntarilor aeriene in care pilotii germanii, mai ales incepand cu 1942, au fost coplesiti numeric, dar si-au facut datoria fata de tara pana la final.
Este mare pacat ca editia in limba romana (aparuta la editura "Miiidecarti", in 2017) este plina de greseli de ortografie.

[Nick Boldrini · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very readable diary style account of the authors experiences. It gives a glimpse of military life as a fighter pilot - with familiar examples (if you have read any allied accounts) of youthful lust for life to make up for the risks involved, as well as the impartiality of military careers (he is posted away from the action on more than one occasion) as well as some of the horrific experiences of combat. AS his comrades gradually die, and the war is obviously being lost, he changes from a firm believer in the Reich, to one who wants to just stop the Soviets. Written not long after the war, there is no reprentence for Germanys actions though, that may be that in his role, he was shielded from the true horrors of the Nazi.

[Mike DePue, OFS · Rating 3 out of 5]

An attractive feature of this book (often noted in other reviews) is that it is fast-paced and reads like a novel. Before one is very far into the book, however, the question intrudes: to what degree is this a novel? (In fact, this edition’s Introduction already strongly suggests some degree of exaggeration.)

Instances that don’t ring entirely true to me include “a friendly chat” that the author has with an American pilot (“tall as a young tree”). It seems that the author has just shot down the tall American before his own plane crashed. (pp.178-180) Then there is an unconvincing escape from a group of French partisans. (pp. 193-196)

Taken for what it’s worth, notwithstanding, the book provides a worthwhile alternative perspective.