Joseph Schmid

Joseph Beppo Schmid (24 September 1901 – 30 August 1956) was a German general who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. Schmid commanded the Luftwaffe's Military Intelligence Branch during the Battle of Britain. He is called the "most disastrous intelligence officer the Wehrmacht ever produced" by historian Antony Beevor.[1]

Joseph Schmid
Born	24 September 1901 Göggingen, Württemberg, German Empire
Died	30 August 1956 (aged 54) Augsburg, Bavaria, West Germany
Allegiance	Weimar Republic  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1924–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Career

A close friend of Hermann Göring, Schmid commanded the Luftwaffe's Military Intelligence Branch (Abteilung 5 as Chief IC) from 1 January 1938 to 9 November 1942. Adolf Galland later criticized Schmid for doing nothing to upgrade the low quality of the intelligence service. Schmid was accused of inventing intelligence situation data about British aircraft losses during Battle for Britain. In late 1942 he was put in charge of Division "General Göring" in Tunisia, known as Kampfgruppe Schmid. On personal orders from Göring, Schmid was flown out of the Tunisian pocket. Promoted to Generalmajor on 1 February 1943 and Generalleutnant on 1 July 1944 he was given command of the 1st Fighter Corps (15 September 1943 – 15 November 1944).[2] He was made commander of the Luftwaffenkommando West, formerly Luftflotte 3 on 23 November 1944. Schmid commanded the German forces involved in Operation Bodenplatte on 1 January 1945, the operation achieved tactical surprise, but that was undone by poor planning and execution. Bondenplatte was ultimately a failure and exhausted the Luftwaffe's remaining units. Schmid also commanded German air units during the Defense of the Reich.[3]

Schmid's leadership qualities are disputed. Historian Antony Beevor called him the "most disastrous intelligence officer the Wehrmacht ever produced".[4]

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 May 1944 as Generalmajor and commander of the in Tunisia deployed detachment of the Division "General Göring"[5]

References

Citations

1. Beevor 2016, p. 90.
2. Mitcham 2007, p. 107.
3. Obermaier 1989, p. 197.
4. Beevor 2016, p. 90.
5. Scherzer 2007, p. 668.

Bibliography

• Beevor, Antony (2016). Ardennes 1944. London: Penguin. ISBN 9780241975152.
• 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.
• Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). Eagles of the Third Reich: Men of the Luftwaffe in World War II. Stackpole Books. ISBN 0-8117-3405-6.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.