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Albert Kesselring (30 November 1885 – 16 July 1960) was a German military officer and convicted war criminal who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. In a career which spanned both world wars, Kesselring reached the rank of the Generalfeldmarschall ( Field marshal) and became one of Nazi Germany 's most highly decorated commanders.
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May 3, 2024 · Albert Kesselring was a field marshal who, as German commander in chief, south, became one of Adolf Hitler’s top defensive strategists during World War II. The son of a town education officer, Kesselring joined the army as a cadet in 1904.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Albert Kesselring was born at Marktsteft, near Würzburg in Bavaria on November 30, 1885. His father was a schoolteacher, but Albert knew from a young age that he wanted to be a soldier. Kesselring volunteered for the Royal Bavarian Army in July 1904 as a Fahnenjunker (cadet) and was commissioned a Leutnant (lieutenant) on March 8, 1906 ...
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- Army Days
- Preparing The Luftwaffe
- War Arrives
- Russia
- Italy
- Africa
- Sicily
- Italy Again
- The West
- The End
Born in 1885, Kesselring joined the Bavarian army in 1904. Unlike many German officers, he did not have the career advantage that came with a military father. Instead, his steady rise through the ranks was based on skill and a willingness to learn. During WWI, Kesselring served first in an artillery regiment and then as a staff officer. He became v...
In 1933, Kesselring was transferred against his will to the newly founded Luftwaffe. There, he used his skills to ensure the smooth expansion and development of the organization. In June 1938, he was appointed Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff. Following clashes with the Secretary of State for Air, Kesselring asked for and was granted a transfer...
In 1939, the long-awaited WWII broke out. Kesselring’s Luftflotte carried out the bulk of the air fighting in Poland. He visited aerodromes to welcome pilots returning from combat. He was put in charge of work on Germany’s air defenses. Then Kesselring oversaw the campaign in the air war against the Allies in the Battle of France. After that, he su...
In 1941, Kesselring and his Luftflotte were moved east in preparation for Operation Barbarossa; the invasion of Russia. Again, he had trouble with his superiors, especially Goering. Kesselring’s Luftflotte had achieved such remarkable successes against the Soviet Air Force; his superiors found the numbers hard to believe.
In November, as the Eastern Front ground to a muddy halt, Kesselring was moved to Italy. There he took up the post of Supreme Commander South, overseeing German operations in the Mediterranean, Balkans, and North Africa. Kesselring was given the task of countering Italian inefficiency and managing the delicate relationship between German and Italia...
In November 1942, the Allies made advances in North Africa. It was a blow to the Italians, whose colonies and armies were under threat. Kesselring moved to secure a defensive line while awaiting reinforcements. Under the command of Rommel, the Germans and Italians had some successes against the Allies, but Rommel was another headache for Kesselring...
Sicily was the obvious stepping stone for the Allies from Africa to Europe. Kesselring tried to prepare for the defense of the island, but disagreements between Italian and German officers created a farce in which commanders issued contradictory orders to the troops. Despite Kesselring’s efforts to bolster the island, it fell to the Allies, leaving...
The Italian government was wavering in its support for Germany. Kesselring’s role became that of a diplomat as much as a soldier, trying to maintain an alliance on its last legs. He could not fend off disaster. The Italians overthrew Mussolini and switched sides. The Allies invaded Italy and began advancing up the peninsula. Kesselring oversaw a lo...
In March 1945, Kesselring was made Supreme Commander West. In that role, he oversaw attempts to halt the Allied advance from France into Germany. It was desperate work. Caught between his faith in Hitler’s optimistic assessments and the reality of reports on the ground, Kesselring clashed with disillusioned subordinates. For the final time, Kesselr...
Even after his surrender, Kesselring tried to help the men who had been under his command. Yugoslav forces were mercilessly pursuing German soldiers in the Balkans. He asked the Allies to let him ferry those soldiers out and save their lives. He was forbidden. In 1947, Kesselring was tried for war crimes. He was found guilty, although people argued...
Albert Field Marshal Kesselring. Field Marshal Albert Kesselring (1885-1960), one of the most prominent German air and field commanders in World War II, surrendered the southern part of the German troops to the Americans in 1945. Albert Kesselring was born in Markstedt near Bayreuth, Bavaria, on Nov. 20, 1885. Upon completion of a traditional ...
Albert Kesselring was a German military officer and convicted war criminal who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. In a career which spanned both world wars, Kesselring reached the rank of the Generalfeldmarschall and became one of Nazi Germany's most highly decorated commanders.
May 23, 2018 · Kesselring, Albert (1885–1960) German general. During World War II, he commanded the Luftwaffe, later becoming commander-in-chief in Italy (1943) and then supreme commander on the Western front (1945). Implicated in a 1943 massacre of Italian hostages, in 1947 he was sentenced to death, later commuted to imprisonment, by a British court ...
