Jeschonneck, Hans (1899–1943)

German air force general. Selected by Goering to help establish the Luftwaffe in the 1930s, he became Chief of Air Staff 1939, but turned out to have been over-promoted. A sound enough pilot and administrator, he was out of his depth trying to plan the air defences of Germany. His final mistake was to order his nightfighters to Berlin, where they were shot at by their own artillery, while the RAF were raiding Peenemunde August 1943. He shot himself the next day.