Joseph Schmid


Joseph Beppo Schmid was a German General serving in the Luftwaffe during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded by Nazi Germany for successful military leadership.

Career

A close friend of Hermann Göring, Schmid commanded the Luftwaffe's Military Intelligence Branch 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. 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. He was made commander of the Luftwaffenkommando West, formerly Luftflotte 3 on 23 November 1944. His leadership qualities were disputed to the end of the war, while Antony Beevor called him the "most disastrous intelligence officer the Wehrmacht ever produced". Schmid commanded the German forces involved in Operation Bodenplatte on 1 January 1945. The German units charged with the Defense of the Reich fought under his leadership.

Awards