# Franz Eisenach

Franz Eisenach (11 August 1918 – 21 August 1998) was a German fighter ace during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. He was credited with 129 aerial victories claimed in 319 combat missions, all on the Eastern front of the Second World War.

## Career

In March 1942, IV. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1–1st Fighter Wing) was re-designated and became the III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing). In consequence, Hauptmann Fritz Losigkeit was charged with the creation of a new IV. Gruppe which was initially based at Werneuchen near Berlin. Oberleutnant Friedrich Eberle headed 10. Staffel which had already served as 3. Staffel of Jagdgruppe Losigkeit. The Einsatzstaffel of Jagdfliegerschule 4 under Oberleutnant Wilhelm Moritz formed 11. Staffel on 3 April. Eisenach initially led 12. Staffel created from some pilots of the former IV. Gruppe. Command of 12. Staffel then passed on to Oberleutnant Heinz Stöcker in October.
Eisenach was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 3. Staffel (3rd squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54—54th Fighter Wing) on 17 April 1943. He replaced Hauptmann Gerhard Koall in this function who was transferred. On 8 July 1943, Eisenach was wounded in his Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-5 (Werknummer 1503—factory number) during combat with Douglas A-20 Havoc bombers northeast of Panino. During his convalescence, he was temporarily replaced by Oberleutnant Robert Weiß as Staffelkapitän. On 18 December, he was again injured and shot down. On this occurrence, his Fw 190 A-6 (Werknummer 530391) was shot down by anti-aircraft artillery 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) northwest of Gorodok, south of Nevel.
In July 1944, Eisenach was given command of 4. Staffel of JG 54, succeeding Hauptmann Herbert Aloé who had been killed in action on 21 June. At the time, II. Gruppe of JG 54, to which his Staffel was subordinated, was based at Immola Airfield. On 10 June, Soviet forces had launched the Karelian offensive against Finland on the Karelian Isthmus as part of the Continuation War. In response to the Finnish ask for assistance, the Luftwaffe had formed Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey (Detachment Kuhlmey) on 12 June, named after Oberstleutnant Kurt Kuhlmey, the commander of Schlachtgeschwader 3 (SG 3—3rd Combat Wing). Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey was made up of the Stab and I. Gruppe of SG 3, I. Gruppe of Schlachtgeschwader 5 (SG 5—5th Combat Wing), elements of Nahaufklärungsgruppe 5, a reconnaissance unit, and II. Gruppe of JG 54.
On 8 August 1944, Eisennach was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) on I. Gruppe of JG 54. He succeeded Hauptmann Horst Ademeit who was killed in action the day before. Command of 4. Staffel was then temporarily given to Leutnant Hermann Schleinhege before the Staffel was renamed 7. Staffel and command was given to Leutnant Gerhard Thyben in September.
Soviet forces launched the Baltic Offensive on 14 September 1944. Thad day, Eisenach claimed his 100th victory on 14 September 1944 by shooting down an IL-2 Sturmovik. That day, he became an "ace-in-a-day" claiming nine aerial victories, include five Ilyushin Il-2 ground attach aircraft and four Petlyakov Pe-2 twin-engined dive bombers. He was the 90th Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. Eisenach was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 10 October for 107 aerial victories.

## Later life

Eisenach re-joined the military service of the Bundeswehr in 1956. He left the service in 1974 with the rank of Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel). He died on 21 August 1998 at the age of 80 in Ottobrunn, Germany.

## Summary of career
### Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Eisenach was credited with 129 aerial victories. Spick also lists Eisenach with 129 aerial victories claimed in 319 combat missions, all of which on the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and also found confirmed records for 129 aerial victories for 154 claims filed.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 00253". The Luftwaffe grid map (Jägermeldenetz) 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 360 square miles (930 km$^2$). These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3 km × 4 km (1.9 mi × 2.5 mi) in size.
Chronicle of aerial victories :
| This and the ♠ (Ace of spades) indicates those aerial victories which made Eisenach an "ace-in-a-day", a term which designates a fighter pilot who has shot down five or more airplanes in a single day.  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Balke, Bock, Mathews and Foreman. ||||||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
| – 7. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — November 1942 ||||||||||
| 1 | 8 November 1942 | 14:50 | P-40 | PQ 00253, Novaya Pustosh 15 km (9.3 mi) west-southwest of Shlisselburg | | | | | |
| – 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — December 1942 – 3 February 1943 ||||||||||
| 2 | 9 December 1942 | 11:20 | Il-2 | Atby-Whariya | 6 | 8 January 1943 | 09:25 | Il-2 | PQ 07724 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Velikiye Luki |
| 3 | 30 December 1942 | 11:55 | MiG-3 | PQ 07682 15 km (9.3 mi) east-southeast of Velikiye Luki | 7 | 12 January 1943 | 13:22 | Il-2 | PQ 07831 25 km (16 mi) east-southeast of Velikiye Luki |
| 4 | 30 December 1942 | 12:30? | Il-2 | PQ 07663 25 km (16 mi) east of Velikiye Luki | 8 | 14 January 1943 | 09:30 | LaGG-3 | PQ 07643 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Velikiye Luki |
| 5 | 5 January 1943 | 08:46 | Il-2 | PQ 07761 25 km (16 mi) south of Velikiye Luki | 9 | 15 January 1943 | 12:06 | LaGG-3 | PQ 07814 20 km (12 mi) south-southeast of Velikiye Luki |
| – 9. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 17 April – 31 December 1943 ||||||||||
| 10 | 24 May 1943 | 19:28 | Il-2 | PQ 36 Ost 09741 | 30 | 15 October 1943 | 13:38 | P-39 | PQ 35 Ost 07752, northeast of Nevel |
| 11 | 24 May 1943 | 19:36? | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 09764 | 31 | 20 October 1943 | 09:10 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 06163, Lake Ssennitza |
| 12 | 17 June 1943 | 05:16 | P-40 | PQ 36 Ost 10583 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Lyuban | 32 | 22 October 1943 | 15:25 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 15173 20 km (12 mi) south of Rudnya |
| 13 | 17 June 1943 | 05:20 | LaGG-3 | PQ 36 Ost 10421 35 km (22 mi) east-southeast of Mga | 33 | 27 October 1943 | 14:52 | LaGG-3 | northeast of Dubrovo |
| 14 | 5 July 1943 | 09:57 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63624 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Maloarkhangelsk | 34 | 28 October 1943 | 15:21 | LaGG-3 | south of Gomel |
| 15 | 5 July 1943 | 14:45 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 63393 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 35 | 28 October 1943 | 15:34 | Yak-9 | south-southeast of Gomel |
| 16 | 6 July 1943 | 07:52 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63571 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Maloarkhangelsk | 36 | 5 November 1943 | 10:40 | Yak-9 | west-northwest of Lake Ssennitza |
| 17 | 6 July 1943 | 14:12 | La-5 | PQ 35 Ost 63544 25 km (16 mi) west-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 37 | 5 November 1943 | 10:44 | Yak-9 | west of Lake Ssennitza |
| 18 | 6 July 1943 | 14:31 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 63722 35 km (22 mi) west-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 38 | 5 November 1943 | 10:46? | Yak-9 | east of Nevel |
| 19 | 7 July 1943 | 08:32 | Yak-7 | PQ 35 Ost 63572 35 km (22 mi) west-southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 39 | 6 November 1943 | 10:36 | Yak-9 | north of Lake Ssennitza |
| 20 | 7 July 1943 | 14:12 | P-39 | PQ 35 Ost 63534 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 40 | 10 November 1943 | 12:50 | La-5 | southeast of Nevel |
| 21 | 8 July 1943 | 08:06 | Boston | PQ 35 Ost 63563, northeast of Ponyri 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Maloarkhangelsk | 41 | 10 November 1943 | 13:42 | Il-2 | west of Nevel |
| 22 | 30 September 1943 | 11:45 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 06861 | 42 | 10 November 1943 | 13:43 | Il-2 | west-southwest of Nevel |
| 23 | 30 September 1943 | 11:46 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 06222 | 43 | 17 November 1943 | 10:22 | Yak-9 | southeast of Nevel |
| 24 | 7 October 1943 | 15:40 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 06249 | 44 | 15 December 1943 | 09:14 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 06344 |
| 25 | 9 October 1943 | 06:52 | LaGG-3 | PQ 35 Ost 06114 | 45 | 15 December 1943 | 11:37 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 06374 |
| 26 | 9 October 1943 | 06:54 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 06121 | 46 | 15 December 1943 | 11:40 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 06173 |
| 27 | 11 October 1943 | 07:05 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 97892 vicinity of Nevel | 47 | 15 December 1943 | 11:52 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 06342 |
| 28 | 12 October 1943 | 12:52 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 15514, north of Leninsk 20 km (12 mi) north-northeast of Krassnyj | 48 | 18 December 1943 | 10:52 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 06352 |
| 29 | 13 October 1943 | 08:40 | Yak-9 | PQ 35 Ost 15553, Leninsk 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Gorky | 49 | 18 December 1943 | 10:54 | Il-2 | PQ 35 Ost 06354 |
| – Stab of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — June – 4 July 1944 ||||||||||
| 50 | 26 June 1944 | 10:40 | Yak-1? | PQ 25 Ost 88471 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Pskov | 55 | 30 June 1944 | 18:15 | P-39 | PQ 25 Ost OT-4/4 |
| 51 | 26 June 1944 | 10:44 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 88612 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Ostrov | 56 | 30 June 1944 | 18:18? | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost OT-4/6 |
| 52 | 26 June 1944 | 10:46 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 88624 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Ostrov | 57 | 2 July 1944 | 17:22 | P-39 | PQ 25 Ost PS-2/9 Pyatnitsa |
| 53 | 29 June 1944 | 12:35 | P-39 | PQ 25 Ost PS-4/5 | 58 | 4 July 1944 | 17:17 | P-39 | PQ 25 Ost OS-4/8 vicinity of Siversky |
| 54 | 30 June 1944 | 13:30 | P-39 | PQ 25 Ost PS-8/9 | | | | | |
| – 4. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 24 July – 7 August 1944 ||||||||||
| 59 | 24 July 1944 | 07:43 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 70661 35 km (22 mi) south-southwest of Narva | 70 | 30 July 1944 | 19:53 | Yak-9 | PQ 26 Ost 60496 northeast of Kunda |
| 60 | 24 July 1944 | 08:01? | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 70824 25 km (16 mi) southwest of Narva | 71 | 30 July 1944 | 19:54 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 70357 Baltic Sea, 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Kunda |
| 61 | 24 July 1944 | 19:53 | Yak-9? | PQ 26 Ost 70694 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Narva | 72 | 2 August 1944 | 13:07 | La-5 | PQ 26 Ost 70454 Baltic Sea, 25 km (16 mi) northwest of Hungerburg |
| 62 | 26 July 1944 | 16:52 | Pe-2 | PQ 26 Ost 60381 30 km (19 mi) west-southwest of Wesenberg | 73 | 3 August 1944 | 11:02? | Yak-9 | PQ 26 Ost 70661 10 km (6.2 mi) west-southwest of Hungerburg |
| 63 | 26 July 1944 | 16:55 | Pe-2 | PQ 26 Ost 60575 southwest of Kunda | 74 | 3 August 1944 | 11:11 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 70613 Baltic Sea, 25 km (16 mi) west of Hungerburg |
| 64 | 26 July 1944 | 16:57 | Pe-2 | PQ 26 Ost 60581 southwest of Kunda | 75 | 3 August 1944 | 11:21 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 70653 in the vicinity of 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Hungerburg |
| 65 | 27 July 1944 | 16:52 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 70692 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Narva | 76 | 3 August 1944 | 20:08 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 70694 Baltic Sea, 25 km (16 mi) west of Hungerburg |
| 66 | 28 July 1944 | 04:48 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 60393 northwest of Kunda | 77 | 4 August 1944 | 09:18 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 70692 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Narva |
| 67 | 30 July 1944 | 08:20 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 70682 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Narva | 78 | 5 August 1944 | 12:50? | Pe-2 | PQ 26 Ost 50433 Gulf of Finland |
| 68 | 30 July 1944 | 19:49 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 60482 northeast of Kunda | 79 | 5 August 1944 | 13:07 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 50263 in the middle of the Gulf of Finland |
| 69 | 30 July 1944 | 19:51 | Il-2 | PQ 26 Ost 70397 Gulf of Finland, north-northwest of Reval | | | | | |
| – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 8 August 1944 – 19 March 1945 ||||||||||
| 80 | 15 August 1944 | 11:19 | Il-2 | PQ LJ-8/7 | 105 | 17 September 1944 | 12:40 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 47356 40 km (25 mi) south-southeast of Riga |
| 81 | 15 August 1944 | 17:40 | P-39 | PQ LJ-5/3 35 km (22 mi) north-northwest of Pasewalk | 106 | 17 September 1944 | 12:50 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 47365 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Riga |
| 82 | 23 August 1944 | 11:05 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 57267 40 km (25 mi) north of Kreuzburg | 107 | 19 September 1944 | 16:01 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 47148 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Riga |
| 83 | 24 August 1944 | 18:55 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 37395 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Mitau | 108 | 14 December 1944 | 12:11? | Il-2 | Gulf of Riga |
| 84 | 26 August 1944 | 11:05 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 37366 15 km (9.3 mi) west-southwest of Mitau | 109 | 14 December 1944 | 12:15? | Il-2 | Gulf of Riga |
| 85 | 27 August 1944 | 14:54 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 58897 45 km (28 mi) southeast of Wenden | 110 | 15 December 1944 | 11:01 | Pe-2 | |
| 86 | 27 August 1944 | 14:56 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 57235 50 km (31 mi) north of Kreuzburg | 111 | 15 December 1944 | 11:04 | Pe-2 | 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Libau |
| 87? | 28 August 1944 | 11:26 | Il-2 | 50 km (31 mi) north of Kreuzburg | 112 | 15 December 1944 | 11:05 | Pe-2 | 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Libau |
| 88 | 29 August 1944 | 18:55? | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 37525 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Mitau | 113 | 15 December 1944 | 11:08 | Pe-2 | |
| 89 | 12 September 1944 | 16:20 | Pe-2 | PQ 25 Ost 47553 35 km (22 mi) north-northwest of Pasewalk | 114 | 23 December 1944 | 08:45 | Il-2 | |
| 90 | 12 September 1944 | 16:23 | P-39 | PQ 25 Ost 47572 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Pasewalk | 115 | 23 December 1944 | 08:47 | Il-2 | 40 km (25 mi) south-southeast of Goldingen |
| 91 | 12 September 1944 | 16:26 | Pe-2 | PQ 25 Ost 47587 25 km (16 mi) north-northwest of Pasewalk | 116 | 26 December 1944 | 10:02 | Pe-2 | 55 km (34 mi) east-southeast of Libau |
| 92♠ | 14 September 1944 | 11:52 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 57215 45 km (28 mi) east-southeast of Mālpils | 117 | 29 December 1944 | 10:55 | Yak-9 | |
| 93♠ | 14 September 1944 | 11:59 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 57251 40 km (25 mi) north-northwest of Kreuzburg | 118 | 6 January 1945 | 11:31 | Il-2 | north of Doblin |
| 94♠ | 14 September 1944 | 16:34 | Il-2? | PQ 25 Ost 37264 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Riga | 119 | 6 January 1945 | 11:33 | Yak-9 | north of Doblin |
| 95♠ | 14 September 1944 | 16:36 | Pe-2 | PQ 25 Ost 37239 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Riga | 120 | 6 January 1945 | 11:46 | Pe-2 | north of Doblin |
| 96♠ | 14 September 1944 | 16:36 | Pe-2 | PQ 25 Ost 37263 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Riga | 121 | 21 February 1945 | 13:40 | Pe-2 | 55 km (34 mi) east-southeast of Libau |
| 97♠ | 14 September 1944 | 16:40 | Pe-2 | PQ 25 Ost 47555 35 km (22 mi) north-northwest of Pasewalk | 122 | 23 February 1945 | 16:30 | Pe-2 | vicinity of Courland |
| 98♠ | 14 September 1944 | 18:18 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 47376 45 km (28 mi) south of Riga | 123 | 23 February 1945 | 16:31 | Pe-2 | vicinity of Courland |
| 99♠ | 14 September 1944 | 18:20 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 47394 55 km (34 mi) south-southeast of Riga | 124 | 5 March 1945 | 09:06 | Pe-2 | vicinity of Courland |
| 100♠ | 14 September 1944 | 18:21 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 47531 40 km (25 mi) north of Pasewalk | 125 | 5 March 1945 | 09:07 | Pe-2 | vicinity of Courland |
| 101 | 15 September 1944 | 09:51 | Il-2 | PQ 25 Ost 47372 45 km (28 mi) south of Riga | 126 | 5 March 1945 | 14:12 | Yak-3 | vicinity of Courland |
| 102 | 15 September 1944 | 10:00 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 47346 35 km (22 mi) south-southeast of Riga | 127 | 6 March 1945 | 15:52 | Yak-3 | vicinity of Courland |
| 103 | 15 September 1944 | 13:40 | P-39 | PQ 25 Ost 47397 55 km (34 mi) south-southeast of Riga | 128 | 19 March 1945 | 12:17 | Pe-2 | vicinity of Courland |
| 104 | 17 September 1944 | 09:40 | Yak-9 | PQ 25 Ost 47451 45 km (28 mi) southwest of Mālpils | 129 | 19 March 1945 | 12:27 | Pe-2 | vicinity of Courland |

### Awards

* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 13 September 1943 as Oberleutnant and pilot
* German Cross in Gold on 16 January 1944 as Oberleutnant in the I./Jagdgeschwader 54
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 10 October 1944 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 3./Jagdgeschwader 54