Hans-Jürgen Stumpff

Hans-Jürgen Stumpff
Born	(1889-06-15)15 June 1889 Kolberg, Province of Pomerania, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire (now Kołobrzeg, Poland)
Died	Frankfurt am Main, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany Flensburg Government
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Rank	Generaloberst
Commands held	Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff, Luftflotte 5
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Relations	Horst Stumpff (brother) Karl-Günther von Hase (son in law)

Hans-Jürgen Stumpff (15 June 1889 – 9 March 1968), was a German general of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War and was one of the signatories to Germany's unconditional surrender at the end of the war.

Early life

Born in Kolberg, Stumpff entered the Brandenburgisches Grenadierregiment Nr. 12 "Prinz Karl von Preußen" as an ensign in 1907. Promoted to lieutenant in 1908, by the start of the First World War, Stumpff served in the general staff. At the end of the war Stumpff had reached the rank of captain. During the Weimar Republic, Stumpff served as a staff officer in the Reichswehrministerium.

Luftwaffe service

On 1 September 1933, Stumpff, with rank of lieutenant colonel, became head of personnel in the (illegal) Luftwaffe. After the Luftwaffe became formally legal in Germany, Stumpff served as its chief of staff from 1 June 1937 until 1 January 1939. In 1938, Stumpff was promoted to the rank of General der Flieger.

During the Second World War, Stumpff commanded various Luftflotten. On 19 July 1940, Stumpff was promoted to the rank of Generaloberst and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Until the end of 1943 Stumpff commanded Luftflotte 5, with which he took part in the Battle of Britain, operating out of Norway against Scotland and Northern England.

Stumpff was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

In January 1944, Stumpff commanded Luftwaffe forces in the Defense of the Reich campaign against the Allied bombing attacks. On 8 May 1945, Stumpff served as the Luftwaffe representative at the signing of the unconditional surrender of Germany in Berlin.

Stumpff was released from British captivity in 1947 and died in Frankfurt am Main in 1968.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Bavarian Military Merit Order 4th Class with Swords
• Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg
• Hanseatic Cross of Lübeck
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th to 1st Class
• Combined Pilots-Observation Badge in Gold with Diamonds
• Anschluss Medal
• Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle Bar
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 18 September 1941 as Generaloberst and Chief of Luftflotte 5 and Befehlshaber Nord (commander-in-chief north)

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
24 August 1943	An der Lapplandfront hat sich die 7. Gebirgsdivision unter Führung des Generalleutnants Krakau, von Verbänden der Luftwaffe des Generalobersten Stumpff wirksam unterstützt, bei der Erstürmung eines Höhenrückens und bei der Abwehr der daraufhin einsetzenden wochenlang anhaltenden Gegenangriffe überlegender feindlicher Kräfte besonders ausgezeichnet. Die Sowjets verloren allein an dieser Stelle über 1000 Tote. 50 stark ausgebaute feindliche Bunker wurden genommen.	The 7th Mountain Division under the command of Lieutenant-General Krakau, effectively supported by units of the Air Force of Colonel-General Stumpff, has particularly excelled during the storming of a ridge and in the defense of the then incipient counter-attacks of superior enemy forces over weeks. The Soviets lost over 1,000 dead at this location alone. 50 heavily fortified enemy bunkers were taken.

External links

• Video clip with subject during Hitler's visit to Mannerheim, starting at 45 sec. into clip on YouTube

Military offices
Preceded by none	Chief of the Luftwaffe Personnel Office 1 September 1933 – 31 May 1937	Succeeded by Robert Ritter von Greim
Preceded by Generalleutnant Albert Kesselring	Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff 1 June 1937 – 31 January 1939	Succeeded by Generaloberst Hans Jeschonnek
Preceded by Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring	Commander of Luftflotte 1 12 January 1940 – 10 May 1940	Succeeded by General Wilhelm Wimmer
Preceded by Generalfeldmarschall Erhard Milch	Commander of Luftflotte 5 10 May 1940 – 27 November 1943	Succeeded by General Josef Kammhuber
Preceded by Generaloberst Hubert Weise	Commander of Luftwaffen-Befehlshaber Mitte 23 December 1944 – 5 February 1945	Succeeded by Luftflotte Reich
Preceded by Luftwaffen-Befehlshaber Mitte	Commander of Luftflotte Reich 5 February 1945 – 8 May 1945	Succeeded by none
Preceded by General der Flieger Karl Koller	Acting Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff 8 May 1945 – 23 May 1945	Succeeded by none