Hans-Jürgen Stumpff

Hans-Jürgen Stumpff
Born	15 June 1889 Kolberg, Province of Pomerania, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire (now Kołobrzeg, Poland)
Died	9 March 1968 (aged 78) 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)^[1][2]

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.[3]	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.

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 416.
2. Scherzer 2007, p. 734.
3. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, p. 547.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 2, 1 January 1942 to 31 December 1943] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

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