This section highlights the key Luftwaffe officers responsible for planning and executing the German air campaign against Britain in 1940. From Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring to the commanders of Luftflotten, these leaders shaped the strategy and tactics of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain.

Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, Commander in Chief

Hermann Göring embarked on his military career by enlisting as an infantryman in 1912. He served the initial part of the First World War in the trenches, earning numerous distinctions for his bravery. However, life in the trenches was made even more challenging by his battle with arthritis. This ailment prompted him to seek a transfer to the Air Service, although his first attempt was met with rejection due to low test scores. Fortunately, an old friend in the Service, Bruno Loerzer, recognized Göring’s exceptional piloting abilities and lent his support for Göring’s second attempt. By the war’s end, Göring was at the helm of the Richthofen Jasta, flying an all-white Fokker D.7 and claiming credit for downing 22 enemy aircraft.

The aftermath of the war in Germany, marked by depression and social unrest, influenced Göring in two significant ways. Firstly, he became an ardent anti-communist in his political stance. Secondly, he increasingly embraced the ideology of the rapidly emerging Nazi party as the purported solution to Germany’s woes. Göring participated in the infamous “Beer Hall Putsch” of 1923 and became a staunch ally and supporter of Adolf Hitler. As Hitler rose to power, Göring’s fortunes improved, and he assumed responsibility for establishing the Gestapo. Due to his distinguished wartime record, he was entrusted with the task of building a modern air force, the Luftwaffe. These appointments granted Göring extensive and far-reaching political authority within the Nazi hierarchy, a situation that would ultimately lead to his downfall.

Göring misused the powers granted to him, appropriating large estates and other symbols of status and wealth while neglecting his military duties. This left the fledgling Luftwaffe leaderless at a critical juncture. Notably, his pivotal decision to shift the focus of air raids from enemy airfields to cities during the Battle of Britain is widely considered a major blunder that cost the Luftwaffe the battle, if not ultimately the war.

This error foreshadowed Göring’s overall leadership style during his tenure as the head of the Luftwaffe. He frequently disregarded the counsel of his field commanders, engaging in lengthy and futile discussions on minor matters, often resulting in the neglect and delay of crucial decisions. This severely impacted the Luftwaffe’s ability to conduct the war effectively, despite the remarkable technological advancements in the German aviation industry during that period.

In 1945, Göring was captured by the Allies and subsequently put on trial as a war criminal. He was sentenced to death but chose to take cyanide and died in his prison cell.

Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring, Commander Luftflotte II

Albert Kesselring, a Bavarian native, initially served in the artillery during the First World War as part of the forces under the command of Prince Ruprecht. He ventured into aviation relatively late in his career, transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1933. However, he swiftly established himself as a capable leader and a skilled politician, with the latter attribute being particularly crucial for survival and advancement within the new German military under the Nazi party.

At the outset of the Second World War, Kesselring assumed command of the Luftflotte (Air Fleet) tasked with supporting the German Army during the invasion of Poland. Following the successful conclusion of this campaign, as well as the Norwegian and Low Countries campaigns, he was entrusted with command of the northern Luftflotte, Luftflotte II, which was larger than the southern counterpart, Luftflotte III. This assignment, in close proximity to Britain, reflected the high regard for Kesselring’s leadership abilities.

Despite the Luftwaffe’s failure to secure air superiority over the English Channel, Kesselring’s career suffered little from this setback, a testament to his political astuteness. In 1941, he was dispatched to oversee the air forces in North Africa, where he and Erwin Rommel were responsible for nearly defeating the Allies over the next two years before being compelled to retreat to Italy. It was in Italy, from 1943 onward, that Kesselring’s talents as a commander truly shone. Assuming overall command of both air and ground forces, he executed a remarkable campaign despite challenges such as scarce supplies and communication difficulties, causing a delay of more than a year to the Allied advance.

Much like Göring, Kesselring faced a trial at the end of the war, accused of atrocities against Italian hostages. These charges generated controversy, as they seemed incongruous with the character of a disciplined military commander like him. Although initially sentenced to death, his sentence was subsequently reduced to five years of imprisonment, and Kesselring was eventually released in 1952.

Generalfeldmarschall Hugo Sperrle, Commander Luftflotte III

Hugo Sperrle, commanding the comparatively smaller Luftflotte III, achieved his greatest recognition prior to the outbreak of the Second World War when he was appointed to lead the infamous Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War. A veteran of the First World War, Sperrle’s rapid ascent within the Nazi hierarchy owed much to his strict adherence to orders and his outspoken support of Göring over Erhard Milch. While he may have been perceived as a commander lacking imagination and flexibility due to his unwavering commitment to orders, Sperrle’s career underscores his survival within a system that did not typically reward individual initiative.

It is worth noting that Sperrle stood out as the sole individual who recognized and vocalized opposition to Göring’s decision to shift target priorities during the Battle of Britain, from attacking Fighter Command airfields to targeting cities and other strategic objectives. He correctly pointed out that the Royal Air Force had not been defeated and could rebuild and enhance its effectiveness if given a respite from attacks on its airfields. Unfortunately, his counsel fell on deaf ears, highlighting Sperrle’s genuine abilities as a commander, rather than the perception often shaped by his survival instincts.

However, it is important to acknowledge that Sperrle shared some of the same excesses as his superior. Not only did he bear a physical resemblance to Göring, but he also indulged in similar luxuries, commandeering opulent headquarters and private residences. Additionally, he fully enjoyed the gambling and other amenities offered by the territories conquered by Nazi forces.

Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen Stumpff, Commander Luftflotte V

Hans-Jürgen Stumpff was born on 15 June 1889 in Kolberg and entered the Imperial German Army in 1907, following the traditional path of a professional Prussian officer. During the First World War he initially served as an infantry officer before being selected for the Army General Staff, where he gained experience in operational planning and higher command work. This staff background, rather than frontline aviation experience, would define the course of his later career.

After the war, Stumpff remained in the Reichswehr, one of the limited cadre of officers retained under the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles, continuing in staff and command roles throughout the interwar period. In 1933 he transferred to the emerging Luftwaffe, bringing with him a solid grounding in General Staff procedures rather than operational flying experience. From June 1937 to January 1939, he served as Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff, overseeing a critical phase in the air force’s expansion before being succeeded by Hans Jeschonnek.

In May 1940, Stumpff assumed command of Luftflotte 5, operating from bases in Norway and Denmark. On 19 July 1940 he was promoted to Generaloberst and awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. During the Battle of Britain, Luftflotte 5 was tasked with attacking targets in northern England. Its major operation on 15 August 1940 resulted in heavy losses, after which its role in the campaign diminished significantly due to geographical limitations and operational constraints.

Stumpff remained in command of Luftflotte 5 until the end of 1943, overseeing primarily defensive operations in Scandinavia. In early 1944, he was appointed to command Luftflotte Reich, responsible for the defense of Germany against increasing Allied bombing attacks, a task made increasingly difficult by severe shortages of aircraft, fuel, and trained aircrew.

On 8 May 1945, Stumpff represented the Luftwaffe at the formal signing of Germany’s unconditional surrender in Berlin, marking the final collapse of the air force he had helped to build. He was subsequently held in Allied captivity and released in 1947. Unlike several senior Luftwaffe figures, he was not prosecuted for war crimes, and he lived quietly in West Germany until his death on 9 March 1968.

Generaloberst Hans Jeschonnek

Hans Jeschonnek was born on 9 April 1899 in Hohensalza, in the Prussian Province of Posen, the son of a schoolteacher. He entered the Imperial German Army in 1914 and initially served as an infantry officer before transferring in 1917 to the Luftstreitkräfte, where he flew with Jagdstaffel 40 and claimed two aerial victories. Although his wartime flying career was relatively brief, it gave him a lasting identification with air power that shaped his later outlook.

After the war, Jeschonnek remained in the Reichswehr, serving in Cavalry Regiment No. 6 and later in staff and ordnance roles. He graduated first in his General Staff class in 1928 and became involved in the clandestine development of German air power in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. In 1933, he transferred to the emerging Luftwaffe, where his intelligence, energy, and political reliability quickly advanced his career.

The following years saw a rapid rise through the Luftwaffe’s command structure. A protégé of Erhard Milch and influenced by Walther Wever, Jeschonnek was appointed Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff on 1 February 1939 at the age of thirty-nine, succeeding Hans-Jürgen Stumpff. He would hold this position until his death, serving as a central figure in Luftwaffe operational planning throughout the war.

During the early campaigns in Poland and France, the Luftwaffe achieved considerable success, and Jeschonnek’s standing rose accordingly. However, as the war expanded, underlying weaknesses in logistics, production, and long-term planning became increasingly apparent during operations against Britain, the Soviet Union, and in the Mediterranean. Despite these challenges, Jeschonnek remained closely aligned with Hermann Göring and Adolf Hitler, a loyalty that increasingly isolated him within the Luftwaffe leadership.

By 1943, under mounting pressure and criticism as Germany’s strategic situation deteriorated, Jeschonnek’s position had weakened considerably. On 18 August 1943, following a series of operational crises—including a mistaken order directing German air defenses to fire on friendly aircraft near Berlin—he took his own life at Hitler’s headquarters. His death marked the abrupt end of a career that had risen with extraordinary speed and ended amid the growing failures of the Luftwaffe.