Fernaufklärungsgruppe 4
Fernaufklärungsgruppe 4
Formation. (Apr 42 - May 42)
Ordered formed o/a 19 April 1942 as a Stab to control attached long-range (or strategic) reconnaissance Staffeln in South Russia under Luftflotte 4 in support of Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd). Formed in May by renaming Gruppenfliegerstab 12, probably at Poltava/E Ukraine although at least one source states that formation took place at Nikolayev and then the Stab moved forward to Poltava.1
South Russia. (May 42 - Nov 43)
16.6.42: Stab at Poltava.
30.7.42: Stab ordered to move from Poltava to Kharkov with 3.(F)/10, 2.(F)/22 and half of 1.(F)/Nacht.
20.9.42: Stab believed to be now at Rostov - OB: 3.(F)/10 at Frolov/Stalingrad front, 2.(F)/11 at Tatsinskaya/Stalingrad front, 3.(F)/11 at Sabzov/N Caucasia, 3.(F)/121 at Rostov, 4.(F)/122 at Maikop/N Caucasia, 2.(F)/Ob.d.L. at Mineralnyye Vody/N Caucasia and 1.(F)/Nacht at Armavir/N Caucasia.
1.43: Stab withdrew to the Zaporozhye-Dnepropetrovsk area as a consequence of the Soviet counteroffensive at Stalingrad that commenced 19 November 1942.
11.3.43: Ju 88 A-4 (K7+WM), which belonged to 4.(F)/Nacht but evidently flown by a crew from Stab./FAGr 4 (also abbreviated as FAG 4), failed to return from a recce sortie over the Volchansk area/62 km NE of Kharkov, 100%, Maj.i.G. Kurt Magnus (observer) plus 3 others all MIA. Maj. Magnus was the Gruko of FAG 4. Luftwaffe General Staff officers, those designated with “i.G.” after their names, were frequently required to serve in command positions as part of their career development.
1.7.43: Stab believed to be at Zaporozhye-East under Luftflotte 4 - OB: 2.(F)/11 at Kharkov, 2.(F)/22 at Stalino, 2.(F)/100 at Zaporozhye-East, 4.(F)/122 at Sarabus/Crimea, 1.(F)/Nacht at Zaporozhye-East and 4.(F)/Nacht at Zaporozhye-East.
22.9.43: Stab ordered to transfer from Russia to Athens-Tatoi/Greece for reassignment to X. Fliegerkorps.
10.43: the Stab’s whereabouts during October and November 1943 has not been determined.
20.11.43: Stab had not yet arrived in Greece, according to a comment found in the records of the Lw.-Verbindungsoffizier (liaison officer) to Oberbefehlshaber Südost.
Greece, Hungary and Austria. (Dec 43 - May 45)
Dec 43: some sources state that the Stab arrived in Greece in December, but it has not been possible to confirm this. It may have spent December 1943 and much of January 1944 in the Reich so the personnel could have long-postponed home leave.
1.2.44: Stab reported 1 x Ju 88 T-1 on strength. Its monthly strength report remained unchanged until October 1944.
28.2.44: Stab now at Athens-Tatoi under X. Fliegerkorps - OB: 1.(F)/122, 2.(F)/123 and Westa 27. Responsible for all long-range reconnaissance in the Southeastern Theater (eastern Mediterranean; N Africa, Middle East, Balkans).
30.5.44: Athens-Tatoi but now under the Kommandierender General der deutschen Luftwaffe in Griechenland - OB: 3./NAG 2, 3.(F)/33, 1.(F)/122, 2.(F)/123 and Westa 27. Only a few non-flying elements of 1.(F)/122 were included in this.
25.7.44: Athens-Tatoi under Komm.Gen.d.dt.Lw.i.Griechenland - OB: 3.(F)/33 at Athens-Kalamaki, 2.(F)/123 at Athens-Tatoi and Westa 27 at Athens-Tatoi.
27.8.44: unchanged from 25 July.
6.10.44: as the Stab departed Athens-Tatoi by road for Belgrade/Yugoslavia; only 3.(F)/33 was still subordinated. The Stab’s single unserviceable Ju 88 was probably destroyed before the departure from Athens.
10.44: with the fall of Belgrade to Soviet and Partisan forces, Stab moved on to Hungary.
2.11.44: Stab now at Szombathely/W Hungary under Luftflotte 4 - OB: 2.(F)/11, 3.(F)/33, 3.(F)/121 and 1.(F)/Nacht joining a few days later.
26.3.45: Stab still at Szombathely.
9.4.45: now in Austria - OB: 2.(F)/11, 3.(F)/33, 3.(F)/121 and 1.(F)/Nacht.
10.4.45: Stab ordered disbanded this date by OKL.
3.5.45: Stab at Hörsching/Austria directly under Luftwaffenkdo. 4 (previously Luftflotte 4) and in the process of disbanding.
FpN:Stab/FAG 4 (L 18921).
Kommandeur:
Maj. Friedrich Alpers (9 Jun 42 - 14 Oct 42)
Hptm. Horst Klinger (acting) ( ? - ? ) 8/42
Maj. Kurt Magnus (i.G.) (14 Oct 42 - 11 Mar 43) MIA
Maj. Hans-Dietrich Klette (22 Apr 43 - ? )
Hptm./Maj. Heinz Maetzel (21 Sep 44 - Apr 45)
Obstlt. Ernst Domnick (Mar 45 - c.8 May 45)
Also see:
AVÉ-LALLEMANT, Peter, Lt./Oblt.
BIEREN, Julius von, Lt./Oblt.
CELERIN, Albert, Oblt.
FISCHER, Karl-Heinrich, Hptm.
LAMPRECHT, Walter, Hptm.
LEHMANN, Kurt, Hptm.
PUTZKA, Erich, Hptm.
SCHWEZER(?), Erich, Oblt.
WINTZER, Bernhard, Maj.
© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress).
(1st Draft 2022)