page_title: Hans Jeschonnek
section_title: Death
hierarchical_section_title: Hans Jeschonnek / World War II / Death
caption_attribution_description: For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. Scherl Der Reichsmarschall bei der Beisetzung von Generaloberst Jeschonnek In Anwesenheit des Reichsmarschalls des Grossdeutschen Reiches Hermann Göring fand die Beisetzung des am 19. August im Hauptquartier des Oberbefehlshabers der Luftwaffe einem schweren Leiden erlegenen Chefs des Generalstabes der Luftwaffe Generaloberst Hans Jeschonnek statt. UBz: Der Reichsmarschall nimmt Abschied von seinem toten Mitarbeiter. PK-Aufnahme: Kriegsberichter Eitel Lange 22.8.1943 Information added by Wikimedia users. English: Burial Service for Generaloberst Hans Jeschonnek on 19 August 1943 in the presence of Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring. The Luftwaffe flag is in foreground. Français&#160;: Traduction du texte allemand original&#160;: Le Reichsmarschall aux funérailles du Generaloberst Hans Jeschonnek. En présence du Reichsmarschall de la Grande Allemagne Hermann Göring, les funérailles du chef de l'état-major général [Chef des Generalstabes, traduit souvent par chef d'état-major adjoint] de l'Armée de l'air, le Generaloberst Hans Jeschonnek mort des suites d'une grave affection, avaient lieu le 19 août 1943 dans le quartier général du commandant en chef de l'armée de l'air [il s'agit du Lager Robinson à Gołdap en Prusse-Orientale, situé à environ 80 kilomètres au nord-est de la Wolfsschanze, le Quartier général du Führer de Rastenburg]. Le Reichsmarschall salua une dernière fois son camarade mort. Signé&#160;: le photographe de guerre Eitel Lange, le 22 août 1943
context_page_description: Hans Jeschonnek was a German military aviator in the Luftstreitkräfte during World War I, a general staff officer in the Reichswehr in the inter–war period and Generaloberst and a Chief of the General Staff in the Luftwaffe, the aerial warfare branch of the Wehrmacht during World War II.
  He was born in 1899 and joined the military as a cadet 1909. Training as an officer at a military academy eventually in 1914 he was granted his commission and served in the infantry on the Western Front. In 1916 he transferred to the Luftstreitkräfte, trained as a fighter pilot. Jeschonnek shot down two enemy aircraft by the time of the German defeat in November 1918 earning the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st class.
  Jeschonnek remained in the military, joining the Reichswehr, the Weimar Republic armed forces. He fought in the Silesian Uprisings in 1919 and then served as a junior general staff officer in the 1920s. In 1933 the National Socialists seized power in Germany under the leadership of Adolf Hitler.
context_section_description: Jeschonnek maintained an image of a hardened man but those that knew him well described him as “almost timid" and a "soft person." According to them, he "erected a wall around himself. In order to hide his inner vulnerability he assumed a cool, slightly dissatisfied and seemingly sarcastic nature in public." General Meister stated. “Göring told me that once at Karinhall, after the beginning of the Russian Campaign in 1941, Jeschonnek had a nervous breakdown, and said that the responsibility ‘would be pushed off on him.’ I then explained to him that I would bear the responsibility. My wife consoled the weeping man.’" Characteristics of depression and even emotional breakdowns led one historian to speculate Jeschonnek was a manic-depressive. His state of mind stemmed from the military situation. He confided to Hans-Georg von Seidel that terrible mistakes had been made and continued to be. On 12 April 1943, Heinz Guderian noted he was "resigned" and "burned out".
  Jeschonnek was acutely aware he was deeply involved in the failures of the Luftwaffe; Göring could not be blamed for everything. Jeschonnek would justly be held accountable for the overestimation of the Ju 88, the He 177; in creating an air force with no reserves, unfit to fight a protracted war; in agreeing to stop aircraft development; to leave fighter production low in favour of medium bombers, and in failing to properly mobilise his 1939 armament program; in apparently underestimating the Anglo-American air threat; in agreeing to the air logistical operations at Stalingrad; in failing to develop a strategic air arm and air transport command; and in failing too late to create air defence forces. The burden of the mistakes, and with no meaningful family connections or religious convictions to offer stability, he considered suicide. His adjutant informed Kesselring, just prior to the overthrow of Benito Mussolini, that he had to take a gun out of Jeschonnek's hand and warned that he may try it again.
  On 17 August 1943 the USAAF carried out the Schweinfurt–Regensburg mission. The ball bearing industry was damaged but the Luftwaffe appeared to win a defensive victory. Nevertheless, Göring made an abusive phone call to Jeschonnek that afternoon. General Meister recalled they also spoke about the coordination of night fighters and anti-aircraft artillery. During the day, Meister, as usual, went out with Jeschonnek on a skiff on Goldap lake. Afterwards, they drank champagne to celebrate Jeschonnek's daughter's birthday before parting company.
  That night, Bomber Command carried out Operation Hydra (1943), against facilities at Peenemünde on the night of 17–18 August 1943. The defences failed, and in the confusion around 100 night fighters were sent to Berlin, in the belief this was the target. Bomber Command sent out diversionary raids in the direction of the capital confusing matters further. Anti-aircraft defences mistook the large number of fighters for intruders and opened fire. 12 night fighters were lost—nine of them in action with British bombers and night fighter intruders.
  Meister reported the results to Jeschonnek in the morning; Jeschonnek received it quietly. Meister then departed for a conference at which Jeschonnek did not appear. Jeschonnek's adjutant was holding breakfast for him, and another officer also wished to make a report to him directly. A secretary called Jeschonnek's office; he answered and promised to come immediately. When Jeschonnek failed to arrive his adjutant went to look for him, but found him dead with a pistol at his side. According to the adjutant, he did not hear the shot, despite being only 30 feet from Jeschonnek's office. A note was found which read, "I can no longer work together with the Reichsmarschall. Long live the Führer!" A second note was found nearby, excluding Ulrich Diesing and Bernd von Brauchitsch from the funeral. Jeschonnek left behind a memorandum, addressed ostensibly to Hitler, in which he called for a change in leadership of the Luftwaffe. Göring confiscated the memo, convinced that Jeschonnek had been working a
caption: Hermann Göring at Jeschonnek's funeral
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