# Ernst-Erich Hirschfeld

Ernst-Erich Hirschfeld (25 August 1918 – 28 July 1944) was a German Luftwaffe fighter pilot during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II of Nazi Germany. During his career he was credited with 24 aerial victories, 23 on the Western Front and 1 on the Eastern Front.
On 28 July 1944, Hirschfeld was killed in action after his parachute failed to open after he bailed out from his damaged Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 (Werknummer 171459—factory number) between Gehren and Erfurt. Hirschfeld, who had commanded the 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 300 (JG 300—300th Fighter Wing), was succeeded by Oberleutnant Hans-Joachim Weber. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross on 24 October 1944.

## Summary of career
### Aerial victory claims

Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 18 aerial victories, plus seven further unconfirmed claims. This figure of confirmed aerial victories includes one claim on the Eastern Front and 17 claims on the Western Front, including more than nine four-engined bombers.
Chronicle of aerial victories :
| This and the – (dash) indicates unconfirmed aerial victory claims for which Hirschfeld did not receive credit.  This along with the & (ampersand) indicates a endgültige Vernichtung (final destruction)—a coup de grâce inflicted on an already damaged heavy bomber.  This and the ? (question mark) indicates information discrepancies listed by Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike, Bock, Mathews and Foreman. ||||||||||
| Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location | Claim | Date | Time | Type | Location |
| – 2. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 54 – Eastern Front — 27 March – July 1943 ||||||||||
| 1 | 26 May 1943 | 19:34 | La-5 | PQ 36 Ost 20231 | | | | | |
| – 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 300 – Western Front — July 1943 – June 1943 ||||||||||
| 2? | 24 August 1943 | — | four-engine bomber | | 10 | 20 February 1944 | 04:20 | Lancaster | Leipzig |
| 3 | 22 September 1943 | 22:55 | Stirling | Hannover | 11 | 21 February 1944 | 14:45 | B-24 | vicinity of Achmer |
| 4? | 22 September 1943 | 23:15 | Lancaster | south of Vechta | 12 | 8 March 1944 | 15:42 | P-38 | north of Twente |
| ? | 27 September 1943 | 23:04 | Lancaster | Hannover | 13? | 13 June 1944 | — | B-24 | Weilheim |
| 5 | 27 September 1943 | 23:15 | Stirling | west of Hannover | 14? | 13 June 1944 | — | B-24 | Weilheim |
| 6 | 3 October 1943 | 22:27 | Stirling | south of Kassel | 15 | 21 June 1944 | 10:18 | B-24 | Berlin-Lichtenberg |
| 7? | 18 November 1943 | — | four-engine bomber | vicinity of Mannheim | 16 | 21 June 1944 | 10:20 | B-17 | Berlin-Lichtenberg |
| 8? | 18 November 1943 | — | four-engine bomber | vicinity of Mannheim | —? | 21 June 1944 | 10:24 | B-24& | south of Berlin |
| 9? | 29 January 1944 | — | four-engine bomber | | | | | | |
| – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 300 – Western Front — June – 28 July 1944 ||||||||||
| 17 | 26 June 1944 | 09:40 | B-24 | southwest of Tulln | 21 | 19 July 1944 | 09:35 | P-51 | Kempten-Sonthofen Immenstadt |
| 18? | 26 June 1944 | — | B-24 | east of Stockerau | 22 | 25 July 1944 | 10:58 | B-24 | vicinity of Ostmark |
| 19 | 7 July 1944 | 09:38 | B-24 | vicinity of Magdeburg | 23 | 26 July 1944 | 11:10 | P-51 | Austria |
| 20 | 16 July 1944 | 09:48 | B-17 | northwest of Munich | 24 | 26 July 1944 | 11:20 | B-17 | Austria |

### Awards

* Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 15 April 1944 as Leutnant and pilot
* German Cross in Gold on 10 September 1944 as Oberleutnant in the 6./Jagdgeschwader 300
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 24 October 1944 as Oberleutnant and pilot in the 5./Jagdgeschwader 300.