A Second War Hungarian Pilot’s Badge with Document to Generalleutnant Joseph Schmid

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A Second War Hungarian Pilot’s Badge with Document to Generalleutnant Joseph Schmid

Pilot’s Badge in gilded tombac, 93mm x 40.1mm, vaulted, unmarked, in extremely fine condition; in fitted case of issue, maker marked inside of the lid, missing push button otherwise extremely fine; with award document, dated 1941, in very fine condition. A scarce badge. Footnote: Joseph "Beppo" Schmid (Born 24 September 1901, Died 30 August 1956), was a German General serving in the Luftwaffe during World War II and recipient of many awards, including the 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"). A close friend of Hermann Göring's, 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. In late 1942 he was put in charge of Division "General Göring" in Tunisia, known as Kampfgruppe Schmid. On personalorders from Hermann 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 I. Jagdkorps (15 September 1943 – 15 November 1944). 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 German units charged with the Defense of the Reich fought under his leadership. (HH, lot 6914, May 2015).