Hans-Georg von der Marwitz

Hans-Georg von der Marwitz (7 August 1893 – 12 May 1925) was a German World War I flying ace credited with 15 aerial victories. Early life and ground service Hans-Georg von der Marwitz was born at Ohlau, Silesia on 7 August 1893. He was born to nobility, his father being General of Cavalry Georg von der Marwitz, commander of Germany's Second Army. The younger Marwitz began his career as a cavalryman in Uhlan Regiment No. 16. By 1915, he was in the infantry, successively in Infanterie Regiment No. 13 and Infanterie Regiment No. 16. Aviation service Marwitz transferred to aviation in March 1916 and became a pilot flying a bomber for Kampfgeschwader 5. After a transfer Marwitz scored his first victory while flying for Schutzstaffel 10, on 5 January 1917. A year later, he trained as a fighter pilot; upon completion of training, on 18 April 1917, he was assigned to Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 30 under the command of Hans Bethge. He scored his second time that year, when he used his Pfalz D.III fighter to burn an observation balloon on 13 May.