Alexander Löhr
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Alexander Löhr (May 20, 1885–February 26, 1946) was an Austrian Air Force commander during the 1930s, and after the Anschluss a Luftwaffe commander during the Second World War. He was born in Turnu-Severin, Romania and executed by firing squad in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
He served as Platoon Commander of a Pioneer battalion in the 85th Infantry Regiment of the Austro-Hungarian army in World War I.
By 1921 Löhr had reached the rank of Oberstleutnant. Between 1921 and 1934 he held many staff positions in the military, including Director of the Air Force in the Federal Armies Ministry. In 1934, he was made Commander of the small Austrian Air Force, a position which he held until the Anschluss in 1938.
On March 15, 1938, he was transferred to the Luftwaffe where he became commander of the Luftwaffe in Austria. By then he had been promoted to Generalleutnant. He held many posts within the Luftwaffe including the leadership of the 12th Army between 2 July 1942 and July 11, 1942. He was its Commander-in-Chief through to December 1942. In 1943, he was Commander-in-Chief of South East (1 January to 23 August 1943) and at the same time Commander-in-Chief of Army Group E up to the end of the war.
Löhr was imprisoned by the Yugoslavs from May 15, 1945 to 26 February 1946. He was found guilty of war crimes for the mass-murders of Yugoslav civilians and executed on 26 February 1946.
[edit] Awards
- Eisernes Kreuz 2. and 1. Klasse
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub
- Ritterkreuz (30 Sep 1939)
- Eichenlaub (20 Jan 1945)
[edit] References
- Walther-Peer Fellgiebel (2000), Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5
