Hans Berr, Staffelführer

Hans Berr (1890-1917) scored ten victories as a German First World War ace in 1916.

Born in Braunschweig in Bavaria, Berr was described by his sister in law as, 'A very cheerful young man, a great ladies man, young women went wild over him.'  This provides an interesting insight into his personality because in contrast, pictures of Berr always show him very reserved and serious.

He was already an infantry lieutenant with the 7th Light Infantry (Reserve) Regiment when war broke out in August 1914, Berr saw early service on the Western Front, and consequently received an early wound, on 6 September.

Recovered from his injuries and with an award of the Iron Cross (2nd Class), Berr received a promotion to Oberleutnant in late January 1915.  He applied for and received a transfer to the German Army Air Service a little over a month later, spending much of 1915 as an air observer.

Determined to fly combat missions Berr was given single-seater pilot's training at Metz.  So strong was his aptitude in this role that he passed out of pilots school four months earlier than usual.  Still young, at 25, he was already a Oberleutnant.  This and his several decorations made him well suited for command.  He was subsequently assigned to Kek Avillers - later Jasta 5 - where he was given a Fokker Eindecker aircraft.

He opened his aerial 'kill' score on 8 March 1916, bringing down an Allied Nieuport aircraft as part of the Battle of Verdun.  A second victory followed - also in the skies above Verdun - the same month.  Berr's early victories brought him more decorations.  His ability to teach while leading became widely recognized and the high command took him away from his command several times to give presentations, lectures and to lead temporarily, Jastachule 1 at Valenciennes.  Valuable as his service in this area was, it undoubtedly reduced his victory total.  He believed in developing his men into leaders and teachers as well.  

In August he was given command of Jasta 5, now serving during the Battle of the Somme.  Berr was the first commander of Jasta 5.  He led it superbly and was involved in various instructional and logistical developments for the Higher Command.  It could be hypothesized that among these important contributions was  his experimentation with various hangar designs as evidenced in various famous photos of the airfield at Boistrancourt.

Berr's tenth aerial victory was achieved on 3 November 1916, after which - on 4 December - he was awarded the prestigious Pour le Merite (also known as the Blue Max).  He was the 12th recipient.  Baron vonRichthofen was the 13th.  During 1915 and early 1916 air to air engagements were still relatively infrequent.  With fewer encounters and slower planes easily avoided by allied pilots, pilots needed few victories but no less effort in earning the coveted award.

Berr was a highly organized leader and tried to ensure that a high level of that organization extended right through the rank numbering of the aircraft of each Gruppe.  He issued a series of rules similar to "Die Dicta von Boelcke" how pilots should conduct themselves in the air and that much of this came from unsafe and unwise tactics he had observed in aerial combat.  There is the sense that the high scoring within Jasta 5 was causing some members of Jasta 5 to be foolhardy in pursuit of the enemy and Berr was trying to rein in his pilots for their own safety and to increase organizational success and effectiveness.  The resulting successes of his pilots proved he was right.  

Year of birth: 1890