Knights

passat54 · 22 February 2008, 02:42 AM

The American war correspondent Floyd Gibbons (Chicago Tribune) lost an eye during a hit by German gunfire in WWI. He was given France's greatest honor, the Croix de Guerre with Palm.

A honored journalist, he went to Germany in 1925 to interview the Richthofen family. Afterwards he wrote a book of overwhelming influence until today:

The Red Knight of Germany.(Manfred von Richthofen)

"Into the grisly story of the World War there came a refreshing gleam of the chivalry of old, when picking of the flower of youth on both sides carried the conflict into the skies. Into that Knighthood of the Blue, Richthofen has been given a place of highest merit by those he fought with and against."

Floyd Gibbons style is not that of today. But non of his epigones did reach him.

One of them was C.W.Sykes with his book "The Red Knight of the Air" (1934), after he had translated "Wings of War" by Rudolf Stark(1933).

"One day I will get a great airman like the Red Knight!" dreams James Allan Mollison, the famous Scottish pioneer aviator, as a boy. "It was a boy's romance of mediaeval chivalry transmuted to the conditions of modern world", so C.W.Sykes in his intro.

Why call the Americans shortly after the war the German Jastapilots "Knights" and speak of chivalry?

Regards,
Rudol

Scott · 22 February 2008, 08:52 AM

Both terms were frequently used long before the publication of The Red Knight of Germany.

passat54 · 22 February 2008, 10:59 AM

In context with German aviators? In the article of NGS perhaps?

Scott · 22 February 2008, 11:19 AM

Yes. I recall one newspaper article published in 1916 describing Max Immelmann as one of the most famous "knights of the air" and describing his acts of chivalry.

passat54 · 22 February 2008, 11:38 AM

Scott,

perfect, thanks again. Will start a search.

22 February 2008, 11:40 AM

I agree with Scott. The term was also used by the French when describing scout pilots. They are responsible for Ritter von Schleich's nickname of Le Chevalier Noir ('The Black Knight'). This was in 1917.

Regards,

Darren

Kilian · 22 February 2008, 12:01 PM

but later he was real Ritter (knight)

passat54 · 22 February 2008, 12:12 PM

Wether was Schleich a "Ritter" during the war, nor was he called by the French "Le Chevalier Noir".

Regards,
Rudol

Kilian · 22 February 2008, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by passat54

Wether was Schleich a "Ritter" during the war, nor was he called by the French "Le Chevalier Noir".

Regards,
Rudol

LATER!!!! = after war.

22 February 2008, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by passat54

Wether was Schleich a "Ritter" during the war, nor was he called by the French "Le Chevalier Noir".

Regards,
Rudol

Sorry, but what does this mean?

If you mean that von Schleich didn't use the title of Ritter during the war, well, actually he did (I have his personal military records to prove it). The story of the French calling him Le Chevalier Noir came from his own memoirs about his time on the Verdun front (July-September 1917).

Regards,

Darren