Years of service 1907–19
1934–45 Rank General der Flieger | Commands held I. Fliegerkorps Name Helmuth Forster | |
Born 19 April 1889
Gros Strehlitz, Silesia Province, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire (now Strzelce Opolskie, Opole Voivodeship, Poland) ( 1889-04-19 ) Died 7 April 1965(1965-04-07) (aged 75)
Lenggries, Bavaria, West Germany (now Federal Republic of Germany) Allegiance German Empire (to 1918)
Weimar Republic (to 1919)
Nazi Germany Service/branch Deutsches Heer (1907–18)
Reichswehr (1918–19)
Luftwaffe (1934–45) | ||
Helmuth Förster (19 April 1889 – 7 April 1965) was a highly decorated General der Flieger in the Luftwaffe during World War II. A decorated World War I aviator, he returned to military service in 1934 as an Oberstleutnant in the Luftwaffe. Promoted to Oberst in 1936, he was appointed to command the 4th Bomber Wing (German: Kampfgeschwader 4). During the invasion of Poland, Förster commanded the Lehrdivision with significant success. He was then appointed as chief of staff of the 5th Air Fleet during the invasion of Norway. After serving on the German-French Peace Commission, he was appointed as military governor of the German-occupied territory of Serbia from April to June 1941, then commanded the 1st Air Corps (German: I. Fliegerkorps) during the invasion of the Soviet Union until October 1942. Whilst in command of the 1st Air Corps he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded by Nazi Germany to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He spent the remainder of the war as chief of administration at the Reich Ministry of Aviation. He was pensioned as an Oberstleutnant in 1952.