Wolfgang Thonke
Wolfgang Thonke (December 28, 1938 – January 22, 2019), was a journalist, graduated military scientist, major general, and was the last Deputy Commanding General (A3) of the National People's Army Air Force in the former German Democratic Republic. He was a military aviator/fighter pilot of “performance level I” (highest level) with more than 1,500 flight hours. Biography Thonke was born in Schneidemühl, (modern Piła, Poland), as a child of a worker's family. After World War II he was expelled from his hometown and fled to relatives in Bautzen. Military career He successfully passed the school-leaving examination of the secondary school and joined the National People's Army in 1957 as a volunteer. There he became a professional soldier and applied for the attendance of the Air Force Officer's School in Bautzen. In 1958 he became a member of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany. Education and first assignments After graduation with distinction in 1959, he became a professional officer and served as flight instructor in the 3rd Fliegerausbildungsgeschwader of the Air Force Officer's School. From 1961 to 1965 it was followed by an assignment as instructor flight tactics/ weapon's control () of the Fliegerausbildungsgeschwader 15 on aerodrome Rotenburg/Görlitz. Service as tutor/