Hermann Frommherz

Hermann Frommherz was born in Waldshut, in the Baden region of Germany near the Swiss border. He studied engineering in Stuttgart. In late 1911, he joined the Mecklenburg-Schwerin Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 14 in the Prussian Army. In the reserves when World War I began, he was mobilized in July 1914. He served in France with Regiment Nr. 14 and was promoted to Vizefeldwebel (non-commissioned officer). He was transferred to Infantry Regiment Nr. 250, which went into combat in Russia. Frommherz earned the Second Class Iron Cross in February 1915. By April 1915, he was with the 113th Infantry Regiment. On 1 June 1915, he transferred to aviation service. ==World War I aerial service==

Frommherz began as a two-seater pilot with the ''Luftstreitkräfte's Kampfstaffel (Tactical Bomber Squadron) 20 of Kagohl IV, at the Battle of Verdun and over the Somme River. He was commissioned as a Leutnant on 1 August 1916. Kasta 20 then moved to serve in Romania in December 1916, before being posted onward to Macedonia and Thessaloniki, Greece. Frommherz scored his first victory on 11 April 1917 – a No 23 Squadron RFC SPAD VII – and a Royal Aircraft Factory BE 2e as his second on the 14th. and August, ten in September, four in October, and two on 4 November. Notable among his kills were the half dozen against the formidable Bristol F.2 Fighters. In the midst of his victory string, on 29 July 1918, he succeeded Hermann Göring as commanding officer of Jagdstaffel 27''. De Ridder left a description of Frommherz's Fokker D.VII insignia. It consisted of the yellow nose and tail common to his Jasta, along with red and black chevrons of a Staffelführer (squadron leader) painted on top of the upper wing. Frommherz's blooming career now garnered him the Knight's Cross with Swords of the House Order of Hohenzollern on 30 September 1918, when his victory total stood at 26. The following month, he received the Knight's Cross of the Grand Duchy of Baden's Karl Friedrich Military Merit Order. At some point, he had also been awarded the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Saint Henry from the Kingdom of Saxony. Frommherz was also nominated for the Pour le Merite, having scored the required 20 victories; however, the award was still unapproved upon the Kaiser's abdication. Despite this non-award, Frommherz was seen wearing the decoration after the war; ==After World War I==

Postwar, Frommherz was active in the German Police Aviation Service. He also flew mail for Deutsche Luftreederei, a predecessor to Deutsche Luft Hansa. In 1920, he returned to Baden as technical chief at the new airfield at Lorach. Frommherz became an instructor there in 1925. He was also an instructor in China. From 1931 to 1932, he taught the pilots of Chiang Kai-shek's new air force fighter tactics. As such, he was involved in the German invasion and conquest of Czechoslovakia, which had the code name Fall Grün (Case Green). As a Major General, he was Commander of Jagdfliegerführer Deutsche Bucht from 1 April until 30 September 1942, following Werner Junck. ==Post World War II==

Hermann Frommherz returned to civic affairs in his native town of Waldshut. He died of a heart attack on 30 December 1964. ==Inline citations==