Walter Schwabedissen – Adjutant to Hitler, Nachtjagd & Luftwaffe in Denmark (Wartime Signed)

Original Wartime Signature on a Wartime Portrait of Walter Schwabedissen. Generalleutnant Walter Schwabedissen (16 June 1896, Iven † 19 February 1989, Gauting) was a career officer who served in both World Wars and rose to the rank of Generalleutnant in the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. Beginning his military career as an artillery officer in 1914, he transferred to the Fliegertruppe during World War I, earning the House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords for his service as an aerial observer.

Career Highlights:

• Early Luftwaffe officer who held staff and command positions throughout the 1930s.

• Served as Adjutant of the Luftwaffe to Adolf Hitler (1934–1935), a post of prestige and trust.

• Commanded Kampfgruppe Merseburg, later part of Kampfgeschwader 153, before moving into senior staff roles in Luftkreis and Luftgau commands.

• Became Chief of Staff of I. Flak-Korps at the start of WWII, later serving as Chief of Staff to the Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Niederlande.

• Promoted to Generalmajor (1940) and Generalleutnant (1942).

• Commanded the 2. Nachtjagd-Division (1942–43) and the 5. Jagd-Division (1943–44), overseeing Luftwaffe fighter operations in night defense and daylight air battles.

• Appointed General der Luftwaffe in Denmark in 1944, later Kommandierender General of Luftwaffe forces in Denmark.

• In 1945, tasked with reorganizing the Hungarian Air Force under German supervision.

• Entered the Führerreserve in April 1945, captured by US forces in May, and released from captivity in 1947.

• Lived in postwar Germany until his death in 1989.

Item Details:

• Authentic wartime signature of Generalleutnant Walter Schwabedissen.

• Signed on a wartime portrait.

• Condition: Well-preserved with a clear period autograph.

Collector’s Note:
Schwabedissen’s long Luftwaffe career — from Adjutant to Hitler in the 1930s to divisional commands in night fighter and air defense units, and finally as Commander of Luftwaffe forces in Denmark — makes his signed portrait historically significant. An original wartime signature on a wartime portrait is far rarer than postwar examples, making this a desirable piece for Luftwaffe and high-command autograph collections.