Hanna Reitsch

Hanna Reitsch was a prominent German aviator and test pilot.

She was born on March 29, 1912, in Hirschberg, Silesia. Her father, Dr. Wilhelm Reitsch, managed an ophthalmology clinic. Her mother, Emy Helff-Hibler von Alpenheim, was a member of the Austrian nobility. Reitsch grew up in a Protestant household despite her mother's Catholic faith. She had two siblings, a brother named Kurt and a younger sister named Heidi. Her early life prepared her for a career defined by technical skill and daring flight.

Reitsch began her journey into aviation in 1932 at the School of Gliding in Grunau. Gliding involves flying unpowered aircraft using air currents. While studying medicine at the University of Kiel, she also trained in powered aircraft at Staaken. She flew a Klemm Kl 25 during this period. In 1933, she left medical school to become a full-time glider instructor in Baden-Württemberg. She even worked as a stunt pilot for the Ufa Film Company. In a film called "Rivals of the Air," she performed difficult maneuvers, including landing in a lake.

During the 1930s, Reitsch became a highly successful record-breaker. She set more than 40 flight altitude records and endurance records for women. In 1934, she joined an expedition to South America to study thermal conditions. While in Argentina, she became the 25th woman in the world to earn the Silver C Badge. She later joined the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug, known as the DFS. As a test pilot at the DFS, she flew transport and troop-carrying gliders. One notable example was the DFS 230, which was used during the Battle of Fort Eben-Emael.

Reitsch's career was marked by several technological milestones. She was the first female helicopter pilot. She flew the Focke-Achgelis Fa 61, which was the first fully controllable helicopter. This achievement earned her the Military Flying Medal. She also tested many dangerous and advanced aircraft. These included the Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber and the Dornier Do 17. In 1942, she tested the rocket-propelled Messerschmitt Me 163. A crash during her fifth flight in the Me 163 caused severe injuries. She spent five months in a hospital recovering from the accident. This bravery led her to receive the Iron Cross, First Class.

During World War II, Reitsch was involved in controversial military projects. In 1944, she proposed "Operation Suicide" to Adolf Hitler. This plan involved pilots sacrificing themselves using human glider-bombs. Approximately 70 volunteers joined the Suicide Group. Reitsch and Heinz Kensche tested the Me 328, which was carried by a Dornier Do 217. They also tested the Fieseler Fi 103R Reichenberg, an adaptation of the V-1 flying bomb. This version included different models for training and operation. However, the plan was never used in actual combat due to other war concerns.

In late April 1945, Reitsch was present during the final days of the Battle of Berlin. She flew to the city with Robert Ritter von Greim. They landed a Fieseler Fi 156 on an improvised airstrip in the Tiergarten. This airstrip was located on the Straße des 17. Juni near the Brandenburg Gate.

Reitsch was among the last people to meet Hitler before his suicide. She claimed to have left Berlin on April 30, 1945. Historians have debated the exact timing of her escape. Some suggest she left as early as April 29. After escaping, she flew to Lübeck and later to Graz, Austria. During this chaotic time, her family suffered a tragedy in Salzburg.

After the war, Reitsch transitioned into international technical roles. In the 1960s, the West German foreign office sponsored her as a technical adviser. She traveled to Ghana and worked with the leader Kwame Nkrumah. While there, she founded a gliding school to teach others. Reitsch lived until August 24, 1979. Her life connects the early era of experimental flight to the post-war world. She remains a significant figure in the history of both gliding and powered aviation. Her experiences reflect the complex and often difficult history of the 20th century.