Luftgaukommando VI (2nd)

Luftgaukommando VI (2d Formation)

(FpN: none assigned)

Kommandierender General:

Gen.d.Flakart. August Schmidt (1 Nov 37 - 1 Apr 45)

Subordination:

Luftkreiskommando 4 (12 Oct 37 - 4 Feb 38)

Luftwaffengruppenkdo. 2 (4 Feb 38 - 1 Feb 39)

Luftflottenkdo. 2 (1 Feb 39 - 21 Mar 41)

Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte (21 Mar 41 - 5 Feb 44)

Luftflottenkdo. Reich (5 Feb 44 - Feb 45)

Luftwaffenkdo. West (Feb 45 - 2 Apr 45)

Subordinate Commands:

Kommando Flughafenbereiche (airfield regional commands) and Fliegerhorstkommandanturen (air base commands), Luftnachrichten (air force signals), Sanitäts (medical), Flak (antiaircraft), civil air defense, supply, schools, replacements and sundry other ground service and support commands, staffs and units located within its territory of authority. These changed frequently and in the absence of surviving source documentation it is not possible to list them accurately or completely.

Formation and History. (Oct 37 - Apr 45)

Formed 12 October 1937 in Münster by re-designating Luftgaukdo. 10 (Münster) and comprised the entire Rhine-Westphalian industrial region, along with the area encompassing the cities of Osnabrück, Minden, Salzgitter, Kassel, Bonn and Aachen. This area was more or less identical to the Army’s Wehrkreis VI. In May 1940, its territory was extended southwest into Belgium to the line Aerschot-Dinant. Luftgaukdo. VI was territorially responsible for the antiaircraft defense of most of the Ruhr industrial area during the war and overseeing the relatively large infrastructure of airfields and support services concentrated in the region. After the invasion and occupation of the Low Countries and France in May-June 1940, Luftgau VI set up many of the airfield staffs, servicing and support units needed there, especially in Holland and to a slightly lesser extent in Belgium. The Stab remained in Münster until March 1945, but by 19 March had withdrawn to Vinnenberg near Warendorf/30 km E of Münster as the Allies began their offensive to seal off the Ruhr. The Stab was ordered disbanded on 2 April 1945 and elements of the Stab, including the commanding general, are believed to have been used to form Gen.Kdo. Flakkorps z.b.V., which was intended as a mobile force to help stop the encirclement of the Ruhr by Allied armored spearheads.

Aussenstelle Enschede d. Luftgaukdo. VI

(FpN: none found)

Kommandeur:

(not found)

It was a branch headquarters at Enschede/Holland sometime during the last three months of 1944. Disbanded in March 1945.

Flugbereitschaft Luftgaukommando VI

(FpN: none found)

Formation, History and Losses. (1940? - 1941?)

No information has so far come to light about the duty flight assigned to Luftgaukdo. VI, except for the aircraft lost and damaged report noted below. Since none has ever been found dated after October 1940, it is highly likely that the Flugbereitschaft was disbanded not long after that.

15 Oct 40: a Junkers W 34 belonging to Flugbereitschaft Luftgaukdo. VI crashed at Appelhülsen due to unreported causes, 65%, crew safe.

© by Henry L. deZeng IV (Work in Progress).

(1st Draft 2023)

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