Hugo Broch


Hugo Broch is the last living German Luftwaffe flying ace of the Second World War. He is credited with 81 victories in 324 missions, all on the Eastern Front. He is a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, and is one of two living recipients of the award. The other recipient is a former Heer officer,.

Early life

A childhood interest in planes led to Broch joining the Aviation Hitler Youth near Solingen. He assisted in the assembly of the school's glider, an SG38 and flew it before graduating to a Piper.

World War II

Broch joined Luftwaffe Construction Company 42/XII of Luftflotte 3 on January 15, 1940, and subsequently received basic training in the Fluganwärter Battalion. From Nov. 10, 1940, to Oct. 29, 1941, he attended the A/B 63 Aircraft Pilot School at Marienbad and Karlsbad in the Sudetengau and at Vilseck in the Upper Palatinate, then from Nov. 18, 1941, to Feb. 10, 1942, he attended the Fighter Pilot Pre-School at Kamenz in Saxony, where he earned the Aircraft Pilot Badge on Nov. 28, 1941. Broch was trained as a fighter pilot from May 27 to November 2, 1942, at Fighter Pilot School 2 in Zerbst. In January 1943, he arrived on the Eastern Front to serve in World War II as part of Jagdgeschwader 54, and he claimed his first victory two months later.

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Broch was credited with 82 aerial victories. Spick also lists him with 81 aerial victories claimed in 324 combat missions. All of his victories were recorded over the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces – Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 81 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.
Victory claims were logged to a map-reference, for example "PQ 35 Ost 35371". The Luftwaffe grid map covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about. These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.

Later life

Following World War II, Broch became an employee with Agfa in Leverkusen. He was a prolific autograph signer, and signed many memorabilia items. At age 95, he fulfilled a long-held ambition to fly in a Spitfire, the two seat Tr.9 MJ627. On 6 January 2022, he turned 100.

Awards and decorations