Pole Honors Germany's Red Baron

[Jaga]

SWIDNICA, Poland (AP) — Baron Manfred von Richthofen buzzed above the muddy World War I battlefields in his red Fokker tri-plane, downing a record 80 Allied aircraft on his way to becoming the war's top fighter ace and earning the famed "Red Baron" nom de guerre.

But von Richthofen, who was shot down and killed just before his 26th birthday in 1918, has been a legend in limbo since Poland's borders moved west after World War II and swallowed the baron's hometown of Schweidnitz — today called Swidnica.

The neglect has been largely due to apprehension about honoring a German, a legacy of the brutal Nazi invasion and occupation of World War II.

Swidnica resident Jerzy Gaszynski is trying to change that with a new memorial to the Red Baron, and reckons he might even pull in a few tourists at the same time.

"I think that with a figure this well-known around the world, it's a bit of a sin that he's not even that well-known here and that there's really no effort to remember him," Gaszynski said.

"Everybody here kind of said under their breath 'baron this, baron that,' but he was neglected, nobody was doing anything."

In June, Gaszynsnki erected a memorial plaque he sculpted in the garden of the von Richthofen family home, a three-story villa set among oak trees and other stately mansions.

...

see the plague:
ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gebJpiFaxy6UamBop5peKaxikUIwD8T9H2502

[leslie]

Jaga
The British Flying Corps (pre-RAF) in WWI, didn't just call him the Red Baron, he was always referred to as 'That bloody Red Baron!'
He was shot down in the end which gives some support to the fantasy that he was the best flyer in WWI - the British ace flew from the start of the Flying Corps and was still flying when the war ended! So much for honouring killers, I can't even remember his name!!
Leslie

[hollister]

Please tell me I an not the only one that read this and started to hum the following.... 10,20, 30 or more

[bescheid]

Jaga

This is a very refreshing event. The warriers killed in any conflict, fought and died for their nation, it should not matter their country rather it be {Russia/Poland/UK/France/America/Ukrainian} they are still warriors and died in mortal conflict for the nation that sent them. They should be honoured.

I remember the Englander and I think the Ami aircraft over our coast. The Englander fighter aircraft would fly very low over the water and were very very fast. The motors were distinctive with a high of pitch whine. It was exciting to see them even though they were our enemy. We always to try to see the pilot, but it was just too much distance.

A situation remembrance {sorry Leslie} in the last year of the war, we along the North See Coast in Dänemark as a child. My self and my friends, would make our fighter aircraft with sticks and hold our air battles against the Englander Spits. If our child hood airbattles were actual, we would have won the war.

Charles

[jeanne]

hollister said:

Please tell me I an not the only one that read this and started to hum the following.... 10,20, 30 or more

Holly,

You are definitely not alone; I also was humming!

Jeanne

[Jaga]

Leslie and Charles,

thanks for the update. I really do not know that much about this talented pilot.

Why he was called "Red Baron"

[hollister]

Jaga,
Here is a link to the wiki article en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manfred_von_Richthofen
There are a couple of reasons/theories as to the moniker. One his plane was red and another was that since every time he went out - it appeared he was able to get a "kill" he made the other side bleed - thus the red. I guess I should read my own articel link to see what they say!
Also, Thanks Jeanne, I am happy I wasn't the only one.