1. Early Life
Lothar von Richthofen's early life laid the foundation for his future military career, marked by a background in a noble family and initial service in the cavalry.
1.1. Childhood and Background
Lothar Siegfried Freiherr von Richthofen was born on September 27, 1894, in Breslau, Silesia, as the second son of the noble Richthofen family. His elder brother was Manfred von Richthofen, and he also had a younger brother named Bolko. Growing up, Lothar and his brothers engaged in various hunting activities, pursuing wild boar, elk, birds, and deer, which contributed to their early development of outdoor skills and a strong sense of camaraderie.
1.2. Cavalry Service
Like his brother Manfred, Lothar began his military service in the cavalry at the outbreak of World War I. He was enrolled in compulsory military training at the Kriegsschule in Danzig (modern-day Gdańsk, Poland) when the war commenced, having remained in the public gymnasium (high school). On his own initiative, Lothar returned to his unit, the 4th Dragoon Regiment. Early in his service, he faced direct danger, nearly being killed by sniper fire while on patrol. In mid-October 1914, while stationed in Attigny, Vosges, he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class for his valor, which was the only decoration he received during his time in the cavalry. His regiment was subsequently transferred to the Eastern Front the following month.
2. World War I Service
Lothar von Richthofen's service in World War I marked his rise as a prominent fighter ace, known for his daring aerial maneuvers and significant combat achievements.
2.1. Transfer to Air Service and Early Victories
In February 1915, Lothar's brother Manfred encouraged him to transfer to the Fliegertruppe, the German Army Air Service, recognizing his potential for aviation. Lothar joined the Luftstreitkräfte in late 1915. He initially served as an aerial observer with Jasta 23 starting in January 1916, sometimes observing for Otto Creutzmann, and participated in the Battle of Verdun. He was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class in December of that year before commencing his pilot training. His first assignment as a pilot was to his brother's famous squadron, Jasta 11, on March 6, 1917. An impulsive and aggressive pilot, in contrast to Manfred's coolly calculating approach, Lothar secured his first confirmed aerial victory on March 28, claiming an FE 2b of No. 25 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. The German high command recognized the significant propaganda value of having two Richthofens fighting together and achieving victories in the air. During the period known as "Bloody April" by the British, Lothar rapidly accumulated victories, achieving 15 more by the beginning of May. When his brother took leave, Lothar von Richthofen assumed command of Jasta 11.
2.2. Engagement with Albert Ball
During the first week of May 1917, Lothar von Richthofen added three more victories to his tally. On the evening of May 7, near Douai, he led a flight of five Albatros D.III aircraft from Jasta 11. This formation encountered eleven S.E.5s from the "elite" No. 56 Squadron RFC, which included Albert Ball, the top English ace at the time. Also present were a SPAD S.VII from No. 19 Squadron and a Sopwith Triplane from No. 8 (Naval) Squadron. A running battle ensued in deteriorating visibility amid a thunderstorm over Bourlon Wood, leading to both sides becoming scattered. Richthofen engaged in a singular combat with the British Sopwith Triplane. Around the same time, Ball was observed by a fellow 56 Squadron pilot, Cyril Crowe, chasing a red Albatros into a thundercloud. Ball subsequently lost control of his aircraft and crashed fatally. Although Richthofen was forced to land his damaged aircraft, he escaped injury. The British Sopwith Triplane involved in the engagement returned to its base undamaged.
Richthofen initially filed a claim for shooting down the Sopwith Triplane. However, the immense propaganda value of Ball's death under the guns of a German pilot was immediately apparent, and the German High Command officially credited Lothar with the victory over Ball. The assertion that an experienced pilot like Richthofen would confuse a triplane with a biplane raised questions. Furthermore, Leutnant Hailer, a German pilot on the ground who witnessed Ball's crash and was the first German at the scene, reported no battle damage to Ball's plane. The doctor who performed Ball's autopsy also reported massive injuries consistent with the crash but found no bullet wounds. Despite these inconsistencies, the official narrative maintained that Lothar von Richthofen had shot down Albert Ball. Later research suggests that Ball likely became disoriented by vertigo during the intense combat, accidentally entering an inverted dive that choked his plane's carburetor and caused the engine to stop, leading to the fatal crash.
2.3. Pour le Mérite and Injuries
Lothar von Richthofen continued his impressive streak, raising his total confirmed victories to 24 by May 13, 1917. On that day, after successfully shooting down a BE.2, he was severely wounded in the hip by anti-aircraft fire, forcing him to crash-land. The injuries he sustained were significant, keeping him out of combat for five months while he recovered. In recognition of his outstanding achievements and aerial victories, particularly his 24th, he was awarded the prestigious Pour le Mérite, Prussia's highest military honor, on May 14, 1917. He subsequently resumed command of Jasta 11 in September 1917. In early 1918, he suffered a severe ear infection that necessitated hospitalization in Berlin.
2.4. Later Combat and Final Victories
Lothar von Richthofen returned to his unit in February 1918, resuming his active combat duties. He quickly added to his score, claiming three Bristol Fighter F2.Bs on March 11 and 12. However, on March 13, he was again forced down, this time by a Sopwith Camel piloted by Captain Augustus Orlebar of No. 73 Squadron. While attempting to nurse his crippled Fokker Dr.I Triplane into a landing, Richthofen clipped a high-tension wire and crashed heavily, sustaining serious head injuries. He was still recovering from these injuries when he received the news of his brother Manfred's death.
Lothar rejoined Jasta 11 in July 1918. He scored his final confirmed aerial victory, a DH-9a, on August 12, 1918, while flying a Fokker D.VII. The very next day, August 13, he was once more wounded in action during an engagement against Sopwith Camels, most likely by Captain Field Eugene Kindley of the 148th Aero Squadron of the United States Army Air Service. It is also suggested that he might have been forced down by Canadian Royal Air Force pilot William Stephenson, who later became known as the World War II spymaster codenamed "Intrepid." Lothar was promoted to Oberleutnant and did not see any further combat before the war ended in November.
2.5. Combat Style and Assessment
Lothar von Richthofen possessed an exceptionally aggressive and impulsive flying style, which stood in stark contrast to his elder brother Manfred's more coolly calculating and disciplined approach to aerial combat. While Manfred often adhered to tactical principles such as Boelcke's Dicta, Lothar preferred direct confrontation and engaged eagerly in dogfights, a characteristic that occasionally caused Manfred concern. Despite the numerous periods he spent away from the front lines due to injuries and hospitalization, Lothar proved to be one of the most combat-efficient and prolific flying aces of the war. His efficiency, when calculated against his actual flight time, might even surpass that of his more famous brother. Of his total of 40 confirmed victories, Lothar achieved a remarkable 33 in just three concentrated periods: 15 victories in April 1917, 8 in May 1917, and another 10 in August 1918.
3. Post-War Life
Following the end of World War I, Lothar von Richthofen transitioned from his distinguished military career to pursuits in civilian life, marked by both professional endeavors and significant personal milestones.
3.1. Civilian Life and Marriage
With the return of peace, Lothar von Richthofen briefly engaged in agricultural work on a farm before taking on a position in industry. In June 1919, he married Countess Doris von Keyserlingk in Cammerau. Their marriage resulted in two children: a daughter, Carmen Viola (1920-1971), and a son, Wolf-Manfred (1922-2010). However, the marriage was later dissolved.
3.2. Commercial Pilot Career
Driven by a strong passion for aviation that persisted beyond his military service, Lothar von Richthofen embraced a new career as a commercial pilot. In this role, he was responsible for transporting both passengers and postal mail between two major German cities, Berlin and Hamburg, reflecting a pioneering spirit in early civil aviation.
4. Death and Burial
Lothar von Richthofen's life ended prematurely due to a tragic aviation accident, and the circumstances of his burial reflect the geopolitical changes that followed World War II.
4.1. Circumstances of Death
On July 4, 1922, at the age of 27, Lothar von Richthofen died in a plane crash near Fuhlsbüttel, Hamburg. The accident involved an LVG C.VI aircraft and was attributed to engine failure. Also on board the ill-fated flight were silent film actress Fern Andra and her director, Georg Bluen. While both Andra and Bluen survived the crash, Andra spent a year recovering from her injuries, underscoring the severity of the accident.
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4.2. Burial and Memorials
Lothar von Richthofen was originally interred alongside his father at the Garrison Cemetery in Schweidnitz. However, following World War II, when the city was transferred to Poland, the cemetery was leveled by the Polish authorities. Today, the area where the cemetery once stood has been converted into a football field. Despite the transformation of the burial site, von Richthofen's headstone is reported to still exist. Additionally, a plaque commemorating Lothar's memory is placed next to his brother Manfred von Richthofen's grave at the Südfriedhof in Wiesbaden, providing a lasting tribute to his legacy.
5. Honors and Awards
Lothar von Richthofen received numerous military decorations and badges throughout his distinguished service in the German Empire and from other Central Powers.
Prussia/German Empire
- Pour le Mérite, awarded on May 14, 1917, in recognition of his 24th aerial victory.
- Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Knight's Cross with Swords, awarded on May 10, 1917.
- Iron Cross of 1914, 1st and 2nd Class.
Other German States
- Military Merit Order, 4th Class with Swords (Bavaria).
- Hanseatic Cross, Hamburg.
Other Central Powers
- Liakat Medal in Silver with Sabers (Ottoman Empire).
- Turkish War Medal of 1915 (also known as "Gallipoli Star" or "Iron Crescent"), Ottoman Empire.
Prussian/Imperial German Badges
- Prussian Military Pilot Badge.
- Wound Badge in Silver.
6. In Popular Culture
Lothar von Richthofen's life and military exploits have been depicted and referenced in various forms of popular culture, including films, video games, and literature.
- Lothar von Richthofen and his brother Manfred are featured in the popular PC game Red Baron.
- In the 1971 film Von Richthofen and Brown, Lothar von Richthofen is portrayed by actor Brian Foley.
- In the 2008 biopic The Red Baron, Lothar von Richthofen is portrayed by actor Volker Bruch.
- He and his brothers also appeared in the 2006 video game Snoopy vs. the Red Baron.
- He may have appeared in the 2010 sequel Snoopy Flying Ace.
- He appears in the Riverworld book series by science fiction and fantasy author Philip José Farmer.
- Players can play as Lothar von Richthofen in the Flying Corps video game.