Hans Georg von der Marwitz

Early life and ground service

Hans-Georg von der Marwitz was born to nobility, his father being General of Cavalry Georg von der Marwitz, commander of Germany's Second Army. The younger Marwitz began is career as a cavalryman in Uhlan Regiment No. 16. By 1915, he was in the infantry, successively in Infanterie Regiment No. 13 and Infanterie Regiment No. 16.

Aviation service

Marwitz transferred to aviation in March 1916 and became a pilot. Marwitz scored his first victory while flying for Schusta 10, on 5 January 1917. A year later, he trained as a fighter pilot; upon completion of training, on 18 April 1917, he was assigned to Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 30 under the command of Hans Bethge. He scored his second time that year, when he used his Pfalz D.III fighter to burn an observation balloon on 13 May.

Marwitz would not score again until 19 February 1918; he then tallied a victory or two per month for the remainder of the war. Marwitz was the second ranking ace in his squadron, and tallied about a quarter of the unit's wins. He also commanded it for two months, from 17 April to 17 June 1918. As Staffelfuhrer, he flew a Pfalz painted all burgundy except for a white rudder and a large orange diamond emblazoned on either side of its cockpit. He was wounded on 17 June. He would fly a Pfalz until July 1918, when Jasta 30 upgraded to Fokker D.VIIs.

Postwar

Marwitz survived the war, only to die in an airplane crash.