{{unreliable sources|date=November 2016}}{{Infobox military person

|name= Kurt Tanzer

|birth_date={{Birth date|1920|11|1|df=y}}

|death_date={{death date and age|1960|6|25|1920|11|1|df=y}}

|birth_place= [[Moscow]]

|death_place= Near the [[Balearic Islands]]

|image=Kurt Tanzer.jpg

|caption=Kurt Tanzer

|allegiance={{flag|Nazi Germany}} (to 1945)<br/>{{flag|West Germany}}

|branch={{Luftwaffe}} (''[[Wehrmacht]]'')<br/>[[File:Bundeswehr Kreuz.svg|18px|link=]] ''[[German Air Force|Luftwaffe]]'' (''[[Bundeswehr]]'')

|serviceyears=

|rank=''[[Oberfeldwebel]]'' (''Wehrmacht'')<br />''[[Major (Germany)|Major]]'' (''Bundeswehr'')

|commands=

|unit= [[JG 51]], [[Jafü 6]], [[Jagdfliegerführer Ostpreussen|Jafü Ostpreußen]]

|battles=[[World War II]]

|awards=[[Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe]]<br/>[[German Cross]] in Gold<br/>[[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]]

|laterwork=}}

'''Kurt Tanzer''' (1 November 1920 – 25 June 1960) was a [[World War II]] ''[[Luftwaffe]]'' [[fighter ace]]. He was also a recipient of the [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]] ({{lang-de|Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes}}). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Tanzer is credited for shooting down approximately 128–143 enemy aircraft.<ref>Spick 1996, p. 229.</ref>

==Career==

He was born in [[Moscow]].<ref name=LUFTWAFFE>[http://www.luftwaffe.cz/tanzer.html Kurt Tanzer]</ref> On 18 March 1942, he was transferred from Ergänzungsgruppe/[[Jagdgeschwader 51]] (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) to 12./JG 51 which was based on the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]]. Tanzer achieved his 35th victory on 5 May 1943. On 6 May, [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Ilyushin Il-2]] attacked the airfield where Tanzer was stationed. He managed to scramble and destroyed two Ilyushin Il-2. Despite being wounded, he continued attacking the raiding Soviet aircraft and shot down two more aircraft. After further intense battle, Tanzer landed his heavily damaged [[Focke-Wulf Fw 190]]. Tanzer's right hand was seriously injured and he suffered from heavy blood loss.<ref name=LUFTWAFFE/>

After being recovered from his injury, Tanzer returned to JG 51 and front line duty on 4 November.<ref name=LUFTWAFFE/> He received the [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]] on 5 December 1943 for 35 victories.<ref name="JW106">Weal 2006, p. 106.</ref> In June 1944, Tanzer accompanied [[Karl-Gottfried Nordmann]] to the staff of [[Jagdfliegerführer 6]].<ref name=LUFTWAFFE/> He achieved his 100th victory in the same month in 1944 while serving with this formation.<ref name=LUFTWAFFE/><ref name=LEXIKON>[http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/T/TanzerK-R.htm Tanzer, Kurt] {{de icon}}</ref> He was the 81st ''Luftwaffe'' pilot to achieve the century mark.<ref>Obermaier 1989, p. 244.</ref> He was then transferred to the staff of [[Jagdfliegerführer Ostpreussen|Jagdfliegerführer in East Prussia]] on 1 September 1944. Tanzer was transferred to 13./JG 51 on 10 February 1945 and was appointed Staffelkapitän of the unit on 12 March.<ref name=LUFTWAFFE/> At the end of World War II, he had 128 victories.<ref name=LEXIKON/>

==Later life and death==

Kurt Tanzer survived World War II<ref name=LUFTWAFFE/> and began as a volunteer at a chemical plant.<ref name=LEXIKON/> On 16 June 1957, he joined the post-war Bundesluftwaffe.<ref name=LUFTWAFFE/><ref name=LEXIKON/> He died on 25 June 1960 when his [[T-33 Shooting Star]] crashed over the [[Balearic Islands]] in bad weather.<ref name=LUFTWAFFE/><ref name=LEXIKON/>

==Awards==

* [[Iron Cross]] (1939) 2nd and 1st Class

* [[Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe]] (15 February 1943)<ref>Obermaier 1989, p. 214.</ref>

* [[German Cross]] in Gold on 24 June 1943 as ''[[Feldwebel]]'' in the 12./''Jagdgeschwader'' 51<ref>Patzwall & Scherzer 2001. p. 470.</ref>

* [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]] on 5 December 1943 as ''[[Oberfeldwebel]]'' and pilot of the 12./''Jagdgeschwader'' 51 "Mölders"<ref>Fellgiebel 2000, p. 419.</ref><ref>Scherzer 2007, p. 738.</ref>

==References==

===Citations===

{{Reflist|25em}}

===Bibliography===

{{refbegin}}

* {{Cite book

|last=Fellgiebel

|first=Walther-Peer

|authorlink=Walther-Peer Fellgiebel

|year=2000

|origyear=1986

|title=Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile

|trans_title=The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches

|language=German

|location=Friedberg, Germany

|publisher=Podzun-Pallas

|isbn=978-3-7909-0284-6

}}

* {{Cite book

|last=Obermaier

|first=Ernst

|year=1989

|title=Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945

|trans_title=The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945

|language=German

|location=Mainz, Germany

|publisher=Verlag Dieter Hoffmann

|isbn=978-3-87341-065-7

}}

* {{Cite book

|last1=Patzwall

|first1=Klaus D.

|last2=Scherzer

|first2=Veit

|year=2001

|title=Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II

|trans_title=The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2

|language=German

|location=Norderstedt, Germany

|publisher=Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall

|isbn=978-3-931533-45-8

}}

* {{Cite book

|last=Scherzer

|first=Veit

|year=2007

|title=Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives

|trans_title=The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives

|language=German

|location=Jena, Germany

|publisher=Scherzers Militaer-Verlag

|isbn=978-3-938845-17-2

}}

* Spick, Mike (1996). ''Luftwaffe Fighter Aces''. [[Ivy Books]]. ISBN 0-8041-1696-2.

* {{cite book

|last= Weal

|first= John

|title= Jagdgeschwader 51 'Mölders'

|publisher= Osprey Publishing

|location=

|year= 2006

|pages=

|isbn= 1-84603-045-5

|oclc=

|doi=

}}

{{refend}}

{{Knight's Cross recipients of JG 51}}

{{Top German World War II Aces}}

{{Subject bar

| portal1=Aviation

| portal2=Biography

| portal3=Military of Germany

| portal4=World War II

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tanzer, Kurt}}

[[Category:1920 births]]

[[Category:1960 deaths]]

[[Category:Luftwaffe pilots]]

[[Category:German World War II flying aces]]

[[Category:Recipients of the Gold German Cross]]

[[Category:Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]]