Alfred Grislawski

Alfred Grislawski (2 November 191919 September 2003) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during World War II, a fighter ace credited with 133 victories claimed in over 800 combat missions.

The majority of his victories were claimed over the Eastern Front, with 24 claims over the Western Front.

Of his 24 victories over the Western Allies, 18 were four-engined bombers.

Born in Wanne-Eickel, Grislawski grew up in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany.

Grislawski was born 2 November 1919 at Wanne-Eickel in the Ruhrgebiet, the son of Gustav Grislawski, a coal miner and member of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD), and his wife Henriette.

He was the second of four children, with an older brother, Walter, a younger sister, Herta, and the youngest brother Horst.

His first years of his life were characterized by hardship and starvation caused by the hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic in aftermaths of World War I.

On leaving school in July 1934, Grislawski left his family home and worked on a farm in Pomerania.

He applied to join the Kriegsmarine (navy) but was rejected and offered to join the infantry of the Army which he declined.

Grislawski was then given the option of a career in naval aviation which he accepted.

From April to late October, Grislawki completed his compulsory Reich Labour Service (Reichsarbeitsdienst).

Following his compulsory Reich Labour Service (Reichsarbeitsdienst), he joined the military service of the Luftwaffe in 1937.

On 1 November 1937, he joined the military service of the Luftwaffe with 2.

In August 1939, he began his flight training at the flight training school in Delmenhorst.

He then received further training as a fighter pilot at the Jagdfliegerschule, the fighter pilot school at Stolp-Reitz.

At Stolp-Reitz, he befriended Helmut Bennemann, also from Wanne-Eickel, and Heinrich Füllgrabe.

World War II in Europe had begun on Friday 1 September 1939 when German forces invaded Poland.

At the time of Grislawski's posting to III.

He completed flight and fighter pilot training in 1940 and was posted to Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing).

On 25 April 1940, Grislawski made his maiden flight on the Messerschmitt Bf 109.

Following 51 flights on the Bf 109, he received Pilot's Badge in early June.

He was then posted to 2.

Staffel (2nd squadron) of Ergänzungs-Jagdgruppe Merseburg, a supplementary training unit based at Merseburg.

While based at Merseburg, he met his future wife Ilse Hartmeyer in the nearby town Leuna and befriended Hermann Graf.

In July 1940, Grislawski was posted to III.

Flying with this wing, Grislawski on 1 September 1941 druring Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union.

In July 1942, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and claimed his 100th aerial victory in April 1943.

In June 1943, Grislawski was wounded by a blast from a land mine.

Following his convalescence, he was posted to the Western Front where he was made Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of the newly formed 1.

Staffel (1st squadron) of Jagdgruppe Süd (JGr Süd—Fighter Group South) in August 1943.

In November 1943, he was transferred and appointed Staffelkapitän of 1.

Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1 "Udet" (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing).

Here, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves in April 1944.

Then transferred to 11.

Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53—53rd Fighter Wing), Grislawski flew his last combat mission on 26 September 1944 when he was shot down and wounded, spending the rest of the war in hospitals and convalescence.

After the war, Grislawski worked as a truck driver and later as a janitor.

Gruppe (3rd group) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing), a squadron of III.

Gruppe.

He died on 19 September 2003 in Herne.

Kompanie (2nd compnany) of Fliegerersatzabteilung 16 (16th Flier Replacement Unit) at Schleswig.