Condor Legion

E12191

The Condor Legion was a unit of German air and ground forces sent by Nazi Germany to support Francisco Franco during the Spanish Civil War, notorious for its bombing of civilian targets such as Guernica and for testing tactics later used in World War II.

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Observed surface forms (4)


Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Luftwaffe formation
military unit
allegiance Adolf Hitler
commander Hugo Sperrle
Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen
surface form: Wolfram von Richthofen
conflict Spanish Civil War
country Nazi Germany
disbanded 1939
endTime 1939
engagedIn Siege of Madrid
surface form: Battle of Madrid

Battle of the Ebro
bombing of Durango
Bombing of Guernica
surface form: bombing of Guernica
garrison Salamanca
hasPart air units
anti-aircraft units
armored units
ground units
ideology Nazism
anti-communism
languageOfCommand German
legacy influence on World War II air strategy
motto Wir kämpfen gegen den Bolschewismus
notableFor Bombing of Guernica
surface form: bombing of Guernica

bombing of civilian targets
development of Blitzkrieg tactics
testing of aerial warfare tactics
operatedBy Luftwaffe
operationalArea Basque Country
northern Spain
opposed Second Spanish Republic
surface form: Spanish Republic
partOf Bundeswehr
surface form: German Armed Forces
perpetratorOf war crimes against civilians
returnedTo Germany
startTime 1936
supports Francisco Franco
Nationalist faction in Spanish Civil War
symbol condor emblem
trainingRole combat experience for German pilots
testing ground for Luftwaffe tactics
uses Heinkel He 111
surface form: Heinkel He 111 aircraft

Junkers Ju 52 aircraft
Junkers Ju 87
surface form: Junkers Ju 87 Stuka aircraft

Messerschmitt Bf 109
surface form: Messerschmitt Bf 109 aircraft

Panzer I tanks
carpet bombing tactics
close air support tactics
dive bombing tactics
terror bombing strategy

Referenced by (17)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Battle of the Ebro airPowerUsedBy Condor Legion
Corpo Truppe Volontarie alliedWith Condor Legion
this entity surface form: German Condor Legion
Battle of Jarama belligerent Condor Legion
Bombing of Guernica belligerent Condor Legion
Guernica bombedBy Condor Legion
this entity surface form: German Condor Legion
Siege of Madrid hasParticipant Condor Legion
this entity surface form: German Condor Legion
Catalonia Offensive involvedForce Condor Legion
this entity surface form: German Condor Legion (support role)
Battle of Jarama involvedUnit Condor Legion
this entity surface form: Condor Legion air units
Hugo Sperrle memberOf Condor Legion
Werner Mölders militaryUnit Condor Legion
Spanish Civil War notableUnit Condor Legion
Werner Mölders participatedIn Condor Legion
this entity surface form: Condor Legion operations in Spanish Civil War
Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma servedInUnit Condor Legion
Aragon Offensive supportedBy Condor Legion
Panzer I tanks usedBy Condor Legion
subject surface form: Panzer I