Hans-Jürgen Stumpff

Infobox Military Person
name= Hans-Jürgen Stumpff
lived= 15 June 1889 – 9 March 1968
placeofbirth= Kolberg
placeofdeath= Frankfurt am Main


caption=Hugo Sperrle, Heinz Guderian, Hans-Jürgen Stumpff (third from the left) and Erhard Milch playing cards while waiting to testify at the Nuremberg Trials
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|German Empire German Empire (to 1918)
flagicon|Weimar Republic Weimar Republic (to 1933)
flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
serviceyears=
rank= Generaloberst
branch= Luftwaffe
commands= Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff, Luftflotte 5
unit=
battles= World War I
World War II
awards=Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
laterwork=

Hans-Jürgen Stumpff (June 15, 1889 - March 9, 1968), was a German general of the Luftwaffe during the Second World 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 September 1, 1933, Stumpff, with rank of lieutenant colonel, became head of personnel in the then still illegal Luftwaffe. After the Luftwaffe became formally legal in Germany, Stumpff served as its chief of staff from June 1, 1937 until January 1, 1939. In 1938, Stumpff was promoted to the rank of General der Flieger.

During the Second World War, Stumpff commanded various Luftflotten. In July 1940, Stumff was promoted to the rank of colonel general 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.

In January 1944, Stumpff was made commander of the defenses of the reich against the allied bombings attacks. On May 9, 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.

References

* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.