Hugo Sperrle (7 February 1885 – 2 April 1953), was a German field marshal of the Luftwaffe during World War II.
Born in Ludwigsburg, he joined the German Army in 1903 and transferred to the Luftstreitkräfte (German Army Air Service) at the start of World War I, serving as an observer to the end of the war.
Sperrle joined the Freikorps at the end of the war after the disbanding of the Air Service, before rejoining the German Army.
He entered the newly formed Luftwaffe in 1935 and served as commander of the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War, with Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen serving as his chief of staff.
He led the German Air Fleet 3 against France in May and June 1940. In July 1940, he was made a Generalfeldmarschall of the Luftwaffe. Sperrle advised that Britain's Royal Air Force had to be destroyed to ensure a successful invasion of Britain. Air Fleet 3, stationed in northern France, played a major role in the Battle of Britain, from June 1940 to April 1941. He continued to command his forces to support Rommel in the North African Campaign and took full command over the German air forces in western Europe in 1944, shortly before the D-Day. Due to the failing of the air force at the Normandy, caused by a heavy lack of aircraft, he was dismissed from command in August 1944.
Field Marshal Sperrle was captured by the Allies and charged with war crimes in the High Command Trial at the Subsequent Nuremberg Trials but was acquitted. He died in Munich, Germany in 1953.
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[edit] References
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
- 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
[edit] External links
| Military offices |
Preceded by
none | Commander of 1. Flieger-Division (1934-1935)
April 1, 1934 – March 31, 1935 | Succeeded by
disbanded |
Preceded by
none | Commander of Luftflotte 3
February 1, 1939 – August 23, 1944 | Succeeded by
Generaloberst Otto Deßloch |
