# Hans von Hahn

Hans von Hahn (7 August 1914 – 5 November 1957) was a Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. During his career he was credited with 34 aerial victories, 15 on the Western Front and 19 on the Eastern Front.

## World War II

World War II in Europe began on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland. On 18 September 1939, Hahn was appointed Staffelkapitän of 8. Staffel (8th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing). He was the first commander of the Staffel which was part of the newly created III. Gruppe (3rd group) of JG 53 under the command of Hauptmann Werner Mölders. Hahn claimed his first aerial victory on 22 December 1939 during "Phoney War". That day, he claimed a Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hurricane fighter from the No. 73 Squadron.
On 27 August 1940, Hahn was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (group commander) of I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing). He replaced Oberleutnant Lothar Keller who had temporarily led the Gruppe after its former commander Hauptmann Günther Lützow had been Geschwaderkommodore (wing commander) of JG 3 on 21 August. Command of 8. Staffel of JG 53 was given to Oberleutnant Hans Kunert.

### War against the Soviet Union

In preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, the I. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Dub on 18 June 1941. At the start of the campaign, JG 3 was subordinated to the V. Fliegerkorps (5th Air Corps), under command of General der Flieger Robert Ritter von Greim, which was part of Luftflotte 4 (4th Air Fleet), under command of Generaloberst Alexander Löhr. These air elements supported Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt's Heeresgruppe Süd (Army Group South), with the objective of capturing Ukraine and its capital Kiev.

## Summary of career
### Aerial victory claims

According to Obermaier, Hahn was credited with 34 aerial victories claimed in over combat missions. This figure includes 19 claims on the Eastern Front and 15 over the Western Allies. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 31 aerial victory claims, plus three further unconfirmed claims. This figure of confirmed claims includes 19 aerial victories on the Eastern Front and 12 on the Western Front.
Chronicle of aerial victories :
| This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Hahn did not receive credit. ||||||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
| – 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 – "Phoney War" — 26 September 1939 – 9 May 1940 ||||||||||
| 1 | 22 December 1939 | 15:05 | Hurricane | 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Metz | | | | | |
| – 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 – Battle of France — 10 May – 25 June 1940 ||||||||||
| 2 | 21 May 1940 | 19:10 | LeO 451 | Châlons | 4 | 31 May 1940 | 19:08 | Curtiss | Abbeville |
| — | 21 May 1940 | — | M.S.406 | east of Paris | 5 | 3 June 1940 | 14:35 | Hurricane | Paris |
| — | 21 May 1940 | — | Curtiss | east of Paris | — | 3 June 1940 | — | M.S.406 | Paris |
| 3 | 24 May 1940 | 18:15 | Curtiss | | 6 | 7 June 1940 | 16:53 | M.S.406 | Compiègne |
| – 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 – Battle of Britain and on the English Channel — 26 June – 26 August 1940 ||||||||||
| 7 | 25 August 1940 | 18:27 | Spitfire | 10 km (6.2 mi) east of Portland | | | | | |
| – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 – Battle of Britain and on the English Channel — 27 August 1940 – 9 June 1941 ||||||||||
| 8 | 5 September 1940 | — | Spitfire | vicinity of London | 11 | 7 October 1940 | — | Hurricane | Thames Estuary |
| 9 | 15 September 1940 | — | Spitfire | north of London | 12 | 10 January 1941 | 14:35 | Blenheim | 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Nieuwpoort |
| 10 | 7 October 1940 | — | Hurricane | Thames Estuary | | | | | |
| – Stab I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3 – Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 16 September 1941 ||||||||||
| 13 | 25 June 1941 | 15:10 | I-153 | 20 km (12 mi) northeast of Dubno | 23 | 10 July 1941 | 15:15 | SB-2 | 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Barbolok |
| 14 | 26 June 1941 | 06:10 | DB-3 | northeast of Brody | 24 | 12 July 1941 | 14:55 | DB-3 | 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Zhytomyr |
| 15 | 26 June 1941 | 06:15 | DB-3 | northeast of Brody | 25 | 14 July 1941 | 14:30 | DB-3 | 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Berdychiv |
| 16 | 26 June 1941 | 14:20 | SB-2 | Szczurowcze | 26 | 14 July 1941 | 14:31 | DB-3 | 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Berdychiv |
| 17 | 29 June 1941 | 15:00 | I-153 | 12 km (7.5 mi) west of Brody | 27 | 14 July 1941 | 14:32 | DB-3 | 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Berdychiv |
| 18 | 29 June 1941 | 15:05 | I-153 | 12 km (7.5 mi) west of Brody | 28 | 11 August 1941 | 06:45 | SB-2 | 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of Wihenkij |
| 19 | 5 July 1941 | 11:45 | Pe-2 | northwest of Gudnow | 29 | 11 August 1941 | 06:48 | SB-2 | 6 km (3.7 mi) west of Boryspil |
| 20 | 6 July 1941 | 15:40 | DB-3 | southeast of Shepetivka | 30 | 14 August 1941 | 12:50 | I-16 | 10 km (6.2 mi) southeast of Kaniv |
| 21 | 6 July 1941 | 15:45 | DB-3 | southeast of Shepetivka | 31 | 16 August 1941 | 10:00 | I-17 (MiG-1) | 3 km (1.9 mi) southwest of Kaniv |
| 22 | 10 July 1941 | 15:10 | I-17 (MiG-1) | 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Kurin | | | | | |

### Awards

* Aviator badge
* Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
* Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 July 1941 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the I./Jagdgeschwader 3