page_title: Hans "Assi" Hahn
section_title: Early life and career
hierarchical_section_title: Hans "Assi" Hahn / Early life and career
caption_attribution_description: English: Picture of the gymnasium Ernestinum in Gotha. Deutsch: Bild des Gymnasiums Ernestinum in Gotha. [Stand: 07.10.2009]
context_page_description: Hans Robert Fritz Hahn who was nicknamed "Assi" was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 108 enemy aircraft shot down in 560 combat missions. He claimed 66 victories over the Western Front, of which 53 were Supermarine Spitfires. Of the 42 victories he recorded over the Eastern Front, at least seven were Il-2 Sturmovik ground-attack aircraft.
  Born in Gotha, Hahn volunteered for military service in the Wehrmacht of the Third Reich in 1934. Initially serving in the Heer, he transferred to the Luftwaffe in late 1935. Following flight training, he was posted to Jagdgeschwader 134 "Horst Wessel" in April 1936. In November 1937, Hahn was posted as a flight instructor to the Jagdfliegerschule at Werneuchen. On 1 February 1939, he was transferred to the Stabstaffel of I. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 3, based at Merseburg. Hahn transferred to Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" on 11 October 1939 and on 15 December, he was appointed Staffelkapitän of 4. Staffel of JG 2 "Richthofen". There he claimed his first victory on 14 May 1940, during the Battle of France, over a Royal Air Force Hawker Hurricane fighter.
context_section_description: Hahn was born on 14 April 1914 in Gotha, at the time in Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, present-day in Thuringia. His parents were Arthur, a Finanzrat (Fiscal Council), and his mother Helene. He also had an older sister named Käte. A talented athlete, he was selected to participate in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin in the Pentathlon, but he had to withdraw due to illness. His friends initially nicknamed him "Hansi", a diminutive of his first name Hans, which over time was abbreviated and altered to "Assi".
  Hahn enlisted in the Reichswehr on 1 April 1934, as a Fahnenjunker (officer candidate) in 14. (Badisches) Infanterie-Regiment (14th Infantry Regiment). On 1 December 1934, he was promoted to Unteroffizier (corporal). From January to October 1935 he attended the Kriegsschule (war college) in Munich and was promoted to Oberfähnrich (master sergeant) on 1 October 1935. In November 1935, Hahn transferred to the Luftwaffe, and underwent flight training at Celle. He was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant) on 1 April 1936. On 15 April 1936, Hahn was posted to 4. Staffel (4th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 134 "Horst Wessel" (JG 134—134th Fighter Wing), named after the martyr of the Nazi movement Horst Wessel. The unit was based at Werl near Dortmund. There he flew the Arado Ar 65, Ar 68 and the then new Messerschmitt Bf 109, first the B later the D-1 variant. This assignment ended on 31 October 1937.
  From 1 November 1937 to 1 April 1938, Hahn served as a flight instructor and Staffelführer (flight leader) of 1. Staffel in the newly created Jagdfliegerschule (fighter flying school) at Werneuchen. Acknowledging his leadership skill, he was promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) on 1 February 1939. He was then transferred to the Stabstaffel of I. Gruppe (1st group) of Jagdgeschwader 3 (JG 3—3rd Fighter Wing), based at Merseburg. There Hahn introduced his personal emblem of a rooster's head. Hahn in German literally translates in English to rooster.
  On 11 October 1939, II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" (JG 2—2nd Fighter Wing), named after the after World War I fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, was formed from elements of I. Gruppe of JG 2 "Richthofen" and I. Gruppe of JG 3, at Zerbst. Hahn was appointed Staffelkapitän  (squadron leader) of 4. Staffel of JG 2 "Richthofen" on 15 December 1939.
caption: Hahn attended the Ernestinum Gymnasium in Gotha.
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