Karl Christ was born on 15 June 1897 in Darmstadt, the Grand Duchy of Hesse, in the German Empire.
In January 1915, he joined the Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches (the German flying service).
By 1916, he was serving in Kampfgeschwader 5, a tactical bomber wing subordinate to the German Supreme Command.
In November 1917, he left Bogohl 2; the following month he joined Jagdstaffel 28, a single-seat fighter squadron, for service through war's end.
[2] From 1 April 1941 through February 1942, Karl Christ was an Oberst with a Stuka geschwader in North Africa.