A man named Kurt Student was a leader. He led troops who jumped from planes. This was a new way to fight. Long ago, some very sad things happened. He was punished for these things. Do you want to learn more?
Kurt Student was a leader in the air.
He helped build a team of paratroopers. These soldiers jumped from planes. This was a new way to fight.
He led them in many big battles. He led a fight on an island called Crete. This was a major victory for his team.
But some very sad things happened during the war. His men treated prisoners of war badly. This was wrong and very unfair.
Later, a court said he was guilty. He had to go to prison for a short time. He lived a long life after that.
Kurt Student was a German general. He worked in the Luftwaffe, which was the German air force.
Student was a pioneer for paratroopers. These are soldiers who jump from planes. He helped lead the Fallschirmjäger. This was a special group of airborne troops.
He led many big battles in World War II. In 1940, his men took part in the first large airborne attack. This happened at a place called The Hague. Later, in 1941, he led an invasion of the island of Crete. This was a big win for his team, but many soldiers died.
Some things happened that were very wrong. During the fight in Crete, his men mistreated prisoners of war. They also hurt many local people.
In 1947, Student went to court. He was found guilty of crimes against prisoners. He was sentenced to five years in prison. He was let out early for health reasons. He died in 1978.
Kurt Student was a high-ranking German general in the Luftwaffe. The Luftwaffe was the air force used by Germany.
Student is known as a pioneer of airborne forces. These are troops who fight by jumping from planes. He was the main leader for the Fallschirmjäger. These were specialized German paratroopers. He helped build and train these units throughout his career. His work changed how armies used the sky to fight.
Student's military life began long before the Second World War. He joined the Prussian Army in 1910. He became a pilot in 1913 and flew in World War I. During that war, he became a flying ace. This means he won many battles in the air.
Later, he studied military gliders. Gliders are aircraft that fly without engines. This helped him learn how to move troops through the air. He eventually moved to the Air Force to lead training schools.
In 1940, Student led the first major airborne attack in history. This happened during the Battle for The Hague in the Netherlands.
His paratroopers also captured the Eben-Emael fort in Belgium. Only 85 soldiers took that huge fort in just a few hours. In May 1941, he led an invasion of the island of Crete. This was a major victory for his troops. However, many German soldiers died during this hard fight. This event caused leaders to stop using large airborne jumps.
Student was also involved in other famous missions. In 1943, he helped plan an operation to free Benito Mussolini. This was a mission to rescue the Italian leader using gliders.
Later in the war, he fought in France and near Arnhem. He was part of the battles in Normandy in 1944. Eventually, British forces captured him in April 1945. He was found in the area of Schleswig-Holstein. He lived until 1978.
Not all of Student's actions were considered right. In 1947, he faced a trial for war crimes.
This was because his men mistreated prisoners of war in Crete. His men also caused great harm to many local civilians. The court found him guilty of three charges regarding prisoners. He was sentenced to five years in prison. He was released early in 1948 for medical reasons. His life shows how much war can change the world.
Kurt Arthur Benno Student was a high-ranking German general in the Luftwaffe. The Luftwaffe was the air force used by Germany during the Second World War.
Student is most famous as a pioneer of airborne forces. He was responsible for developing the Fallschirmjäger, which were specialized German paratroopers. As their most senior leader, he commanded these units throughout the war. His work changed how militaries used aircraft to move soldiers directly into combat zones.
Student began his military career long before the Second World War. He entered the Prussian Army in 1910 and became a lieutenant in 1911. By 1913, he had qualified as a pilot. During World War I, he served in several aerial units. He achieved the status of a flying ace. This means he recorded at least five air-to-air victories. Between 1916 and 1917, he scored six victories against French aircraft.
After the war, he worked in military research and development. He studied military gliders, which are aircraft that fly without engines. This research helped him understand how to conduct airborne operations.
In the late 1930s, Student's role expanded significantly. After the Luftwaffe was re-established, he was appointed to lead training schools. In July 1938, he became the commander of airborne and air-landing troops. By September of that year, he led the 7th Air Division. This was Germany's very first paratroop division. This division would become the foundation for his future airborne strikes. His leadership helped transform the concept of air-landing troops into a functional fighting force.
Student led several major historical operations during the war. In May 1940, he directed the Battle for The Hague. This was the first large-scale airborne operation in history.
During this battle, paratroopers seized crucial bridges in the Netherlands. They also conducted a successful raid on the Eben-Emael fort in Belgium. Only 85 soldiers were used to take this massive fort. It took the assault group only a few hours to gain control. This success allowed German armies to move into Belgium more easily.
In May 1941, Student directed Operation Mercury, the invasion of Crete. This operation involved attacking forces from Britain, Greece, and the Commonwealth.
While the Fallschirmjäger won the island, they suffered very high casualties. The German troops faced unexpected resistance from the local civilian population. Some paratroopers were killed by civilians using knives and clubs. Because of these heavy losses, Adolf Hitler forbade future major airborne operations. This changed the way Germany planned its military strikes for the rest of the war.
Student remained active in other specialized missions. In 1943, he helped plan Operation Oak. This was a mission to rescue the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini. The mission used gliders and STOL aircraft, which are planes that can take off and land on very short runways.
Later in the war, Student served in France and near Arnhem. He was involved in the battles of Normandy in 1944. He also fought on the Eastern Front in Mecklenburg. Eventually, British forces captured him in Schleswig-Holstein in April 1945.
Student's actions led to serious legal consequences after the war. In 1947, he was tried for war crimes.
The charges included the mistreatment and murder of prisoners of war in Crete. He was also accused of crimes against the Cretan civilian population. These crimes included massacres in places like Kondomari, Alikianos, and Kandanos. The court found him guilty of three charges regarding prisoners of war. He was sentenced to five years in prison but was released early in 1948 for medical reasons. He died in 1978 as the last surviving Luftwaffe Generaloberst.
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