Background
Hans Jeschonnek was born in Hohensalza on 9 April 1899.
Hans Jeschonnek was born in Hohensalza on 9 April 1899.
He studied at the cadet institute of Lichterfelde and was commissioned as a Leutnant in 1914.
During World War I he served as an officer in the Prussian infantry before being transferred to the air force. In November 1938 he was promoted to Colonel and in August 1939 to Major General. From 1 February until his suicide in East Prussia in August 1943, Jeschonnek was General Staff Chief of the Luftwaffe, closely involved in its general planning and in all its major campaigns.
Jeschonnek was promoted to General of Fliers in July 1940 after the fall of France, and on 1 April 1942 he was made General and appointed Chief of the Luftwaffe Leadership Staff.
By 1943 it was apparent that the air force was unable to support effectively a holding campaign in the West or to perform adequately on the Russian front. Increasingly, the Luftwaffe was obliged to go on the defensive and to concentrate on protecting Germany itself.
Disillusioned by this turn of events and by Goering's incompetent leadership, Jeschonnek took his own life on 19 August 1943.
Against his express wishes, Goering attended the funeral and deposited a wreath from Hitler.