The Richthofen Aces of WWI: Family Relationship
Manfred - Lothar - Wolfram There were 3 German flying aces from the Richthofen family in World War I: Manfred, Lothar and Wolfram. Coming from an aristocratic clan, they were trained from childhood in horse riding and hunting, resulting in quick reflects and killing instinct. These quality would be invaluable in the era where pilots were trained in a short time and had short life expectancy in the air. Those who fastly climed the learning curve would have better chances to survive and produce results. Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen was born on 2 May 1892 in Lower Silesia. In World War I, he joined the Air Service in 1915, the fighter squadron Jagdstaffel 2 in 1916, and the fighter wing Jagdgeschwader I in 1917. Richthofen became a national hero, receiving the Pour le Mérite, Prussian highest military order. He was credited with 80 confirmed air combat victories, the highest in World War I. His flying style was practical and no-nonsense; "It is stupid after all to d