With the 90th anniversary of the shooting down and death of Richthofen to day. I have a question during the first world war, the British soldiers called Richthofen ‘The Red Devil’. My grandad saw Richthofen and his flying circus from his trench, and always called him the Red Devil. I have heard recordings of British troops saying the Red Devil. I did read that the Red Baron started after the first world war. So why the name change, I know he would have been a Baron.
Dave:dev2:
By: DazDaMan - 21st April 2008 at 10:43
Not exactly names that would strike terror into the heart of your average WW1 aviator…. :rolleyes:
By: Mondariz - 21st April 2008 at 08:59
Richthofen had a number of nicknames, most likely of different parts of the front.
The French called him “Le Petit Rouge”, which means “The little red”. The British knew him as “The red knight”, “The red devil”, or the “The red baron“.
I have not heard that “The red baron” should have been a post-war nickname (and I have read a few books about Richthofen), except in Germany where he was known by his correct title “freiherr” (which is a German Baron). During the war, the Germans mostly called him by his full name, or simply “von Richthofen”. Just as most aces are known nationally by their full name.
I think people settled on “The red Baron” as a token of respect (after the war), as “little devil”, or “little red” was deemd unsuited for an aviator of his status.
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April 21, 2008 at 7:03 am