Karl Christ

Colonel Karl Christ (15 June 1897 – 15 March 1944) was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. He enlisted again during early World War II.

Biography

Karl Christ was born on 15 June 1897 in Darmstadt, the Grand Duchy of Hesse, in the German Empire. In January 1915, he joined the Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches (the German flying service). He trained with Fliegerersatz-Abteilung (Replacement Detachment) 6 at Grosenheim.

He began service with Kampfgeschwader 6. By 1916, he was serving in Kampfgeschwader 5, a tactical bomber wing subordinate to the German Supreme Command. During this period, Christ won both classes of the Iron Cross.

Christ was commissioned a Leutnant on 23 March 1917 while serving with another bombing wing under the German Supreme Command—Bombengeschwader 2. In November 1917, he left Bogohl 2; the following month he joined Jagdstaffel 28, a single-seat fighter squadron, for service through war's end. Between 14 May and 14 October 1918, he had five of his six victory claims confirmed, though details are lacking on the last pair.

World War II service

From 1 April 1941 through February 1942, Karl Christ was an Oberst with a Stuka geschwader in North Africa.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st Class
• Hessische Tapferkeits-Medaille
• German Cross in Gold on 5 June 1942 as Oberstleutnant in Sturzkampfgeschwader 3

Citations

Bibliography

• Franks, Norman; Bailey, Frank W.; Guest, Russell. Above the Lines: The Aces and Fighter Units of the German Air Service, Naval Air Service and Flanders Marine Corps, 1914–1918. Grub Street, 1993. ISBN 0-948817-73-9, ISBN 978-0-948817-73-1.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.