5. Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen Planned the Guernica Bombing
The commander of the Condor Legion and the man who planned and directed the terror raid on Guernica was Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen (10 October 1895 – 12 July 1945). He took over command of the legion from his predecessor whom Berlin did not feel was aggressive enough. Richthofen was from a noble Prussian family and he had fought in WWI. His cousins, the brothers Lothar and Manfred von Richthofen both became flying aces and they encouraged him to join the German Imperial Air Service. Richthofen quickly became an ace and was decorated many times for his bravery in the skies. However, his ability as an ace was overshadowed by his cousin who was the infamous Red Baron, perhaps the most famous air ace of all time. He is credited with downing some 80 allied kills. After his cousin was killed Von Richtofen, flew until the end of the war. After the war ended, the German air force was disbanded and he returned to civilian life and he flew civilian plans. However, he was able to join the army. In 1933 when Hitler came to power one of his first actions was to re-form the German airforce. Richthofen was to join the new airforce and was rapidly promoted. Guernica did his career no harm and he was awarded decorations and medals by both Spain and France for his role in the Spanish Civil War. During WWII he became a Luftwaffe Field Marshal. He was to serve on the western and the eastern front and was in command of the Luftwaffe at the Battle of Kursk. The German defeat at this battle saw him removed from active service and his health began to deteriorate and he was regularly hospitalized. He was captured by the Americans in a hospital and he died in captivity soon after the end of the war in 1945.