''General der Flieger'' ( en, General of the aviators) was a

General of the branch A general of the branch, general of the branch of service or general of the ... (where instead of the ellipsis an appropriate name of the military branch is being put) is a three or four-star general officer rank in some armies. Several nations di ...

rank of the

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

(air force) in

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

. Until the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

in 1945, this particular general officer rank was on three-star level (

OF-8 An officer of three-star rank is a senior commander in many of the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO code of OF-8. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members. Typically, three-star officers hold the ...

), equivalent to a US

Lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

. The "General of the branch" ranks of the Luftwaffe were in 1945: * General of parachute troops * General of anti-aircraft artillery * General of the aviators * General of air force communications troops *

General of the air force General of the Air Force (GAF) is a five-star general officer rank and is the highest possible rank in the United States Air Force. General of the Air Force ranks immediately above a general and is equivalent to General of the Army in the Unit ...

The rank was equivalent to the

ranks of the '' Heer'' (army) as follows: ;Heer: * General of artillery * General of mountain troops *

General of infantry General of the Infantry is a military rank of a General officer in the infantry and refers to: * General of the Infantry (Austria) * General of the Infantry (Bulgaria) * General of the Infantry (Germany) ('), a rank of a general in the German Impe ...

General of cavalry General of the Cavalry (german: General der Kavallerie) was a General officer rank in the cavalry in various states of which the modern states of German and Austria are successors or in other armies which used the German model. Artillery officers ...

* General of the communications troops * General of panzer troops (armoured troops) * General of engineers * General of the medical corps * General of the veterinary corps ;Other services: The rank was also equivalent to the German three-star ranks: *

Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...

of the ''

Kriegsmarine The (, ) was the navy of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The was one of three official branches, along with the a ...

'', equivalent to (US Vice admiral) and * '' SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS'' in the Waffen-SS.

List of officers who were General der Flieger

A

Alexander Andrae Alexander Andrae (27 April 1888 – 3 April 1979), whose first name is often mistakenly given as ''Waldemar'', was a German military officer from Kösling, Upper Silesia. Initially pursuing an Army career, he then joined the security police and ...

(1888–1979)

B

* Karl Barlen (1890–1956) *

Hellmuth Bieneck Hellmuth is both a masculine German given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name: * Hellmuth Heye (1895–1970), German admiral and politician * Hellmuth Hirth (1886–1938), German engineer who founded engine manufac ...

(1887–1972) *

Karl-Heinrich Bodenschatz Karl-Heinrich Bodenschatz (10 December 1890 – 25 August 1979) was a German general who was the adjutant to Manfred von Richthofen in World War I and the liaison officer between Hermann Göring and Adolf Hitler in World War II. Biography Ea ...

(1890–1979) *

Walter Boenicke __NOTOC__ Walter Boenicke (15 December 1895 – 21 April 1947) was a German general (General der Flieger) in the Luftwaffe during World War II who commanded the 3. Flieger Division. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Boen ...

(1895–1947) *

Rudolf Bogatsch __NOTOC__ Rudolf Bogatsch (4 September 1891 – 5 June 1970) was a general in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during World War II who commanded the IV. Flakkorps. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Awards and decorations ...

(1891–1970) *

Alfred Bülowius __NOTOC__ Alfred Bülowius was a German general during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Awards * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 July 1940 as ''Oberst'' and '' Geschwaderkommodore' ...

(1892–1968)

C

Friedrich Christiansen Friedrich Christiansen (12 December 1879 – 3 December 1972) was a German general who served as commander of the German ''Wehrmacht'' in the occupied Netherlands during World War II. Christiansen was a World War I flying ace and the only seap ...

(1879–1972) * Friedrich Cochenhausen (1879–1946) *

Joachim Coeler __NOTOC__ Joachim Coeler (1 June 1891 – 14 May 1955) was a German general during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Awards * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 12 July 1940 as '' Genera ...

(1891–1955)

D

Heinrich Danckelmann Heinrich Dankelmann (2 August 1887 – 30 October 1947) was a Luftwaffe General who served as the third Military Commander for the Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia from 23rd of July to 20th of October 1941. During his tenure as comman ...

(1887–1947) *

Paul Deichmann Paul Deichmann (27 August 1898 – 10 January 1981) was a German general during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Deichmann was born in Fulda on 27 August 1898. He entered the German Impe ...

(1898–1981) * Egon Doerstling (1890–1965) * Eduard Dransfeld (1883–1964) * Karl Drum (1893–1968)

E

* Karl Eberth (1877–1952)

F

Hellmuth Felmy Hellmuth Felmy (28 May 1885 – 14 December 1965) was a German general and war criminal during World War II, commanding forces in occupied Greece and Yugoslavia. A high-ranking Luftwaffe officer, Felmy was tried and convicted in the 1948 Hostag ...

(1885–1965) *

Martin Fiebig Martin Fiebig (7 May 1891 – 23 October 1947) was a German Luftwaffe general who commanded several air corps and equivalent-sized formations during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. After W ...

(1891–1947) *

Johannes Fink Johannes Fink (28 March 1895 – 1 June 1981) was a German general during World War II. He became a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Awards and decorations * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 June ...

(1895–1981) * Veit Fischer (1890–1966) *

Helmuth Förster Helmuth Förster (19 April 1889 – 7 April 1965) was a German general in the Luftwaffe during World War II. A decorated World War I aviator, he returned to military service in 1934 as an ''Oberstleutnant'' in the Luftwaffe. Promoted to ''Oberst'' ...

(1889–1965) * Stefan Fröhlich (1889–1978) * Heribert Fütterer (1894–1963)

G

* Hans Geisler (1891–1966) *

Ulrich Grauert __NOTOC__ Ulrich Grauert (6 March 1889 – 15 May 1941) was a general in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during World War II who commanded 1st Air Corps. He was killed on 15 May 1941 when his Junkers Ju 52 aircraft was shot down by F/Lt Jerzy Jank ...

(1889–1941) later promoted to ''

Generaloberst A ("colonel general") was the second-highest general officer rank in the German ''Reichswehr'' and ''Wehrmacht'', the Austro-Hungarian Common Army, the East Germany, East German National People's Army and in their respective police services. ...

H

* Wilhelm Haehnelt (1875–1946) * Hans Halm (1879–1957) * Friedrich-Carl Hanesse (1892–1975) * Willi Harmjanz (1893–1983) *

Otto Hoffmann von Waldau __NOTOC__ Otto Hoffmann von Waldau (7 July 1898 – 17 May 1943) was a German general during World War II who commanded the 10th Air Corps. He was killed in an air crash on 17 May 1943. Awards * Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st Class * Clasp to Iro ...

(1898–1943)

J

Hans Jeschonnek Hans Jeschonnek (9 April 1899 – 18 August 1943) 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'' (Colonel-General) and a ...

(1899–1943), then a ''

'' (1942)

K

Josef Kammhuber Josef Kammhuber (August 19, 1896 – January 25, 1986) was a career officer in the Luftwaffe and post-World War II German Air Force. During World War II, he was the first general of night fighters in the Luftwaffe. Kammhuber created the night ...

(1896–1986) * Erich Karlewski (1874–1947) *

Gustav Kastner-Kirdorf Gustav Kastner-Kirdorf (born February 2, 1881 in Trumpfsee-Warnitz; died May 4, 1945 in Berchtesgaden) was a German aviator who served in the Luftwaffe during the first and second World Wars. Early years In 1899, he became a member of the Burs ...

(1881–1945) *

Leonhard Kaupisch Leonhard Kaupisch (1 September 1878 – 26 September 1945) was a German general during World War II who served as Supreme Military Commander of occupied Denmark. World War I and interwar period Kaupisch entered the army in 1898; from 1907 to 1909 ...

(1878–1945) *

Albert Kesselring Albert Kesselring (30 November 1885 – 16 July 1960) was a German '' Generalfeldmarschall'' of the Luftwaffe during World War II who was subsequently convicted of war crimes. In a military career that spanned both world wars, Kesselring beca ...

(1885–1960) later promoted to ''

Generalfeldmarschall ''Generalfeldmarschall'' (from Old High German ''marahscalc'', "marshal, stable master, groom"; en, general field marshal, field marshal general, or field marshal; ; often abbreviated to ''Feldmarschall'') was a rank in the armies of several ...

'' *

Ulrich Kessler __NOTOC__ Ulrich Otto Eduard Kessler (3 November 1894 – 27 March 1983) was a German general (General der Flieger) in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded by Nazi Germany to recogni ...

(1894–1983) * Karl Kitzinger (1886–1962) * Waldemar Klepke (1882–1945) * Robert Knauss (1892–1955) * Karl Koller (1898–1951) *

Werner Kreipe Werner Kreipe (12 April 1904 – 7 September 1967) was a German World War II Luftwaffe General der Flieger. Luftwaffe career Kreipe joined the Luftwaffe in 1934. Kreipe held various staff positions until the winter 1939/40, when he was selected ...

(1904–1967)

L

* Otto Langemeyer (1883–1950) *

Hermann von der Lieth-Thomsen General Hermann von der Lieth-Thomsen (born Hermann Thomsen; 10 March 1867 – 5 May 1942) was a German military aviation pioneer, a senior air commander in the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I, and a founding father of the Ger ...

(1867–1942)

M

Alfred Mahnke Alfred may refer to: Arts and entertainment *''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series * ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne * ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák *"Alfred (Interlu ...

(1888–1979) * Wilhelm Mayer (1886–1950) *

Rudolf Meister Rudolf Meister (1 August 1897 – 11 September 1958) was a German general (General der Flieger) in the Luftwaffe during World War II who commanded the 4th Air Corps. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Me ...

(1897–1958) *

Erhard Milch Erhard Milch (30 March 1892 – 25 January 1972) was a German general field marshal (''Generalfeldmarschall'') of Jewish heritage who oversaw the development of the German air force (''Luftwaffe'') as part of the re-armament of Nazi Germany foll ...

(1892–1972) later promoted to ''

'' * Max Mohr (1884–1966) * Walter Musshoff (1885–1971)

P

Erich Petersen __NOTOC__ Erich Karl Alexander Petersen (25 August 1889 – 4 July 1963) was a German general during the Second World War. Petersen served as commander of the 7th Air Division, until being tapped for promotion to commanding general of the IV L ...

(1889–1963) *

Kurt Pflugbeil __NOTOC__ Kurt Leopold Pflugbeil (9 May 1890 – 31 May 1955) was a German general (General der Flieger) in the Luftwaffe during World War II who commanded 4th Air Corps and Luftflotte 1. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cros ...

(1890–1955) * Maximilian Ritter von Pohl (1893–1951) * Richard Putzier (1890–1979)

Q

Erich Quade The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization). The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* ain ...

(1883–1959)

R

* Georg Rieke (1894–1970) *

Hans Ritter Hans may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Hans (name), a masculine given name * Hans Raj Hans, Indian singer and politician ** Navraj Hans, Indian singer, actor, entrepreneur, cricket player and performer, son of Hans Raj Hans ** Yuvraj Hans, Punjabi ...

(1893–1991)

S

* Hugo Schmidt (1885–1964) * Wilhelm Schubert (1879–1972) * Julius Schulz (1889–1975) *

Karl Friedrich Schweickhard Karl may refer to: People * Karl (given name), including a list of people and characters with the name * Karl der Große, commonly known in English as Charlemagne * Karl Marx, German philosopher and political writer * Karl of Austria, last Austria ...

(1883–1968) * Hans-Georg von Seidel (1891–1955) *

Hans Seidemann __NOTOC__ Hans Seidemann (18 January 1901 – 21 December 1967) was a German general during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany. From April 1928 to October 1929, Seidemann was ...

(1902–1967) * Hans Siburg (1893–1976) *

Wilhelm Speidel Wilhelm may refer to: People and fictional characters * William Charles John Pitcher, costume designer known professionally as "Wilhelm" * Wilhelm (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname Other uses * Moun ...

(1895–1970)

V

* Albert Vierling (1887–1969)

W

Bernhard Waber Bernhard Anton Waber (20 May 1884 – 6 February 1945) was a general officer of the German Air Force (German: Luftwaffe) in World War II. He was executed by the Nazi regime shortly before the end of the war. Career Waber was born on 20 May 188 ...

(1884–1945) * Walther Wecke (1885–1943) * Rudolf Wenninger (1890–1945) *

Helmuth Wilberg Helmuth Wilberg (1 June 1880 – 20 November 1941) was a German officer of Jewish ancestry and a ''Luftwaffe'' General of the Air Force during the Second World War. Military career Wilberg joined the 80. Fusilier Regiment "von Gersdorff" (''K ...

(1880–1941) *

Wilhelm Wimmer Wilhelm may refer to: People and fictional characters * William Charles John Pitcher, costume designer known professionally as "Wilhelm" * Wilhelm (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname Other uses * Mount ...

(1889–1973) * Bodo von Witzendorff (1876–1943) *

Ludwig Wolff Ludwig Wolff (27 September 1857 – 24 February 1919), born in Neustadt in Palatinate (region), Palatinate, was a German chemist. He studied chemistry at the University of Strasbourg, where he received his Ph.D. from Rudolph Fittig in 1882. ...

(1886–1950)

Z

* Konrad Zander (1883–1947)

List of officers who were General der Flieger

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

J

K

L

M

P

Q

R

S

V

W

Z

See also