The Kampfgeschwader Sachsenberg was raised in January 1919 by the First World War Ace Gotthard Sachsenberg as Fliegerabteilung Ost to help defend the German borders in the East.
The unit was mainly made up of volunteers from the WW1 units Marine Jagdgeschwader and Jagdstaffel 7 (Jasta 7) and included several Aces. The types of aircraft used included Fokker D.VII, Junkers CL.I (J8), Junkers D.I (J9) and Rumpler C.IV.

It easily got control of the skies from the aircraft flying in support of the “Red” forces and mainly flew ground support missions in support of the Freikorps and Freikorps sponsored units fighting in the Baltic area.

It finally withdrew from the Baltic states in December 1919 when the Reichswehr withdrew its support.

Commanders

Gotthard Sachsenberg

Formed in the area of

Generalkommando des Garde-Korps (Berlin)

Manpower Strength

700

Order of battle (February 1919)

Freiwilligen Flieger Abteilung 413 (with Rumpler C.IV)
Freiwilligen Flieger Abteilung 416 (with Junkers D.I and Fokker D.VII)
Freiwilligen Flieger Abteilung 417 (with Junkers CL.I)

Order of battle (March 1919)

Freiwilligen Flieger Abteilung 413
Freiwilligen Flieger Abteilung 416
Freiwilligen Flieger Abteilung 417
Freiwilligen Flieger Abteilung 421
Freiwilligen Flieger Abteilung 424
Freiwilligen Flieger Abteilung 425
Freiwilligen Flieger Abteilung 426
Freiwilligen Flieger Abteilung 427
Freiwilligen Flieger Abteilung 433

Notable members

Hans Goerth (WW1 Ace with 7 victories)
Gerhard Hubrich (WW1 Ace with 12 victories)
Josef Jacobs (WW1 Ace and Pour le Mérite holder with 48 victories)
Generalleutnant Theodor Osterkamp (WW1 Ace and Pour le Mérite holder with 32 victories, later scored additional victories in the Second World War)
Gotthard Sachsenberg (WW1 Ace and Pour le Mérite holder with 31 victories)
Generalmajor Walther Wadehn (Luftwaffe)
Alexander Zenses (WW1 Ace with 18 victories)
(the ranks are the highest ranks reached in the Third Reich era)

Aircraft of Kampfgeschwader Sachsenberg at Flugplatz Wainoden


Officers of Kampfgeschwader Sachsenberg

Sources used

E. R. Hooton - Phoenix Triumphant: The rise and rise of the Luftwaffe
Ernst von Salomon - Das Buch vom deutschen Freikorpskämpfer
Georg Tessin - Deutsche Verbände und Truppen 1918-1939

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -