The Germans - Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey
The heroes in a foreign land
The Russian historician Juri Kilin has wondered why Red Army Air Force lost the aerial superiority over the Karelian isthus in the second week of the summer offensive. The reason is the arrival of the German detachment Gefechtsverband Kuhlmey, a 70 plane unit of Focke-Wulf fighter bombers and Ju-87 Stukas, that doubled the striking power of the Finnish Air Force during June-July 1944.
"The chaotic situation could be easily seen from air", tells Franz-Josef Schopped, 83 years old, one of the Kuhlmey veterans still alive.
The German planes were deadly and accurate in bringing destruction.
"THEY'RE STUKAS, THEY'RE STUKAS", was the cry in the Finnish front lines. A Finnish veteran writes how they'd been in their foxholes, enduring Soviet artillery barrage which then stopped - which means either Soviet assault or Soviet bombers. And aircraft engines were heard, with the mean cowering even deeper in their positions. But this sound came from behind. Watching above the tired Finnish soldiers saw unfamiliar shaped airplanes flying over them, over to the Soviet side and starting a vertical dive - with the "jericho sirens" screaming and bombs whistling downwards.
"THEY'RE STUKAS, THEY'RE STUKAS", the dirty men cried, climbed out of their foxholes, danced, throwed their helmets and caps, and cried in joy. "We're not alone, the Germans are here too."
The German jabos and dive bombers proved to be one of the decisive elements of the battle of 1944.
Or as the Finnish Blenheim bomber pilot Kauko Aho told in an interview of a situation, when their bombers were flying into battle:
"Then I saw two round-nosed fighters coming from behind. They approached terribly fast. They came to our side and I saw the black crosses in the fuselage and swastika in the rudder. And then there were more, they were all around us. I felt really warm, we weren't alone any more. At that moment I became friends of the Germans."
Mr. Aho described how at that moment he knew Finland has a chance of survival - and how the Soviet fighters shadowing their bombers fled from the Focke Wulfs.
Schoppe commanded a flight of Focke-Wulf fighter bombers and arrived to the battle from northern Finland, from the German Luftwaffe units statitioned there to fight against Russian army and convoys.
"The situation at north cannot be compared to Karelian isthus. The Russian anti-air at isthmus was absolutely horrible."
- How many tanks you destroyed at Karelia?
"I don't know. Many. My log books were taken by a British major, when I surrendered to the allies in 1945. But I destroyed many bridges as well."
The German pilots of detachment Kuhlmey enjoy high respect in Finland, with a memorial statue erected at their war time base Immola in summer 1994. The Kuhlmey veterans have been interviewed by Finnish tv and participate in the Finnish war pilots association meetings.
Kuhlmey's detachment (Kyösti Karhila's notes)
Arrived in Immola 16.6.1944
Joint operations with Finnish Air Force. The commander of air corps on Karelian isthmus was Colonel Lorenz.
Equipment:
Stuka Ju-87 - 30 planes
Engine 1420 hp Jumo 211, max bomb load 1800 kg.
From Immola 700 kg = 1 x 500 kg + 4 x 50 kg
2 x 20 mm cannons, 2 x 13 mm mg, observer has 2 x 7.9 mm mg
1200 sorties, 540000 kg of bombs, vertical dive bombing.
Focke Wulf 190-A fighter - 30 planes
Engine 1400 hp, speed 645 km/h, 4 x 20 mm cannons, 2 x 13 mm mg
1000 sorties, 126 kills
Focke Wulf 190 JABO
Speed 645 km/h, 2 x 20 mm cannons, 2 x 13 mm mg
500 sorties, 23000 kg of bombs, dive angle 45 degrees
Altogether Kuhlmey's detachment dropped 770000 kg of bombs. The bombs had cardboard whistles attached to their tails, producing nasty whistles with different pitches when the bombs were dropped. Kuhlmey's detachment operated from Immola for five weeks and they left as quickly and inconspicuously as they came, didn't leave any reports or papers.
The liaison officer was Jussi Laakso.
Losses of Kuhlmey detachment:
41 planes
30 pilots killed
25 pilots wounded
4 Stukas, five FW 190s destroyed and 15 other planes damaged when Immola was bombed. 1215 bombs were dropped in the attack on Immola.
Part of Frans-Josef Schoppe's speech in the association 25 years celebration:
"It is a rather wonderful feeling and a great honour, as the former leader of a Kuhlmey's fighter-bomber Flight in the decisive 1944 battles of the Carelian Isthmus, to stand here together with - one of the best - flight comrades and to see those brothers in arms, to whom I have become attached irreversibly since that summer, in front of me.
The German Pilvenveikot member Schoppe's letter to the Finns in 2000
Schoppe was supposed to come to the Utti Air Base were a memorial for the Air Force personnel who died in the war was unveiled. It has all the names and the dates. Schoppe could not come but he sent a letter:
"7.9.2000
Schoppe tells to have read many times the book Double Fighter Knight by Juutilainen which he got in the previous Summer when he visited Finland. Based on Juutilainen's and his own experiences as the pilot of JU 87 Stuka and Focke Wulf during the war in Finland he wants to present the following in the occasion of revealing the eagle statue:
"He who has once belonged to the brothers in arms of Germany or Finland, whether he was a member of the flight crew or of the ground personnel who with their work and diligence created good conditions for the fight capability of the units, knows that the spirit particular to this branch of armed forces unites and obliges both sides of the forces. The technical advances demand from the individuals and from the units perception and tactical adaptation. To perform an attack alone or in a group, during the day or night, to the ground or sea target requires often development and learning of completely different new methods of operation. To know the fellows on the sortie already in advance increase the sense of certainty and unity in the critical moments. The sense of unity particular to this branch of armed forces, the trust of each other also when a great contribution, even life, was demanded was a basis for the performance and the behavior of this branch of forces.
"The roots of power and the will of fight come for many from the patriotic feelings. To the fallen and missed pilot fellows, for whom we now erect a statue, I am always in debt of gratitude. At this point I would like once more say the same thought which I clearly gave in my presentation in Vantaa, in Finland to the brothers in arms:
"So you, when you have done all what you have to do, say: we are just humble servants. We have done only what is our duty."
(Professor Aho: these words tell what is characteristic also for these Germans since they have been blamed often for many things, but these were here in Finland for this matter and they have not got much other thanks and they have not asked either.)
"Unfortunately I am not able to participate in the ceremony of unveiling the memorial, but I feel even more blessed by my brothers in arms. My sincere greetings to all my former brothers in arms. H & B" H & B"
Sources: Helsingin Sanomat 28.6., own interviews, web references
