Bernhard Mende

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Bernhard Mende (born August 2, 1937 in Klausberg / Upper Silesia ; † October 7, 2004 ) was a German officer, most recently lieutenant general in the Bundeswehr ( air force ). From 1994 to 1997 he was inspector of the Air Force .

Military career

Bernhard Mende joined the Air Force in 1958 and completed his basic training , officer training and training as an anti-aircraft missile officer by 1960 . Until 1961 he was trained at the Air Force Missile School in Fort Bliss , Texas , on the Nike missile system . Then Mende was deployed to the anti-aircraft missile battalion (FlaRakBtl) 24 in Oldenburg / Delmenhorst until 1966 . From 1966 to 1968 he completed, meanwhile promoted to captain , first a new training in Fort Bliss, before he was transferred as battery chief to FlaRakBtl 37 in Aurich . He then took part in the Air Force's 13th General Staff Course . Major Mende was then a general staff officer in command of the 4th Air Force Division in Aurich until 1973 . Until 1975 he was Lieutenant Colonel Chief SAM Operations in the headquarters of the 2 . Allied Tactical Air Force (ATAF) in Mönchengladbach , which was responsible for the air defense of northern German airspace during the Cold War . Subsequently, he was adjutant at the Deputy Inspector General in the Ministry of Defense before 1977 as commander of the FlaRakBtl 21 after Möhnesee was detailed. After his promotion to colonel , Mende was chief of staff and deputy commander at the command of the 2nd Air Force Division in Birkenfeld from 1980 to 1983 . Until 1986 he worked as a staff officer for air defense matters at NATO headquarters in Brussels . Until 1989 he was, among other things, head of division and head of staff department in the Federal Ministry, before he commanded the command of the 2nd Air Force Division as major general . From October 1990 to 1991 he was Commander of the Air Force Preparatory Staff Command, 5th Air Force Division in Strausberg , before he was finally appointed Commander of the Division. In the same year he became the Deputy Inspector of the Air Force.

On October 1, 1994, Lieutenant General Bernhard Mende was appointed 10th Inspector of the Air Force by the then Federal Defense Minister Volker Rühe . He held this position until September 30, 1997. To this day, he is the only non- pilot who was ever at the helm of the German Air Force.

Mende was awarded the Cross of Merit 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Bernhard Mende was married and had a daughter and a son.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Lieutenant General Bernhard Mende , on geschichte.luftwaffe.de, accessed on September 28, 2019.
personal data
SURNAME Mende, Bernhard
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German General and Inspector of the Air Force
DATE OF BIRTH August 2, 1937
PLACE OF BIRTH Klausberg / Upper Silesia
DATE OF DEATH October 7, 2004