File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-R93434,_Albert_Kesselring_(cropped).jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Albert Kesselring
Sign in to saveAlso known as Kesselring, General Kesserlring, Smiling Albert, Uncle Albert, Smiling Al
German Luftwaffe Generalfeldmarschall during World War II (1885–1960)
Albert Kesselring was a high-ranking German air force commander during World War II who played a significant role in major military operations across multiple theaters. His leadership and strategic decisions during the war made him an important figure in the conflict's history, though he remained a controversial historical figure due to his service to Nazi Germany.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Nicknames
- Smiling Albert Uncle Albert
- Born
- ( 1885-11-30 ) 30 November 1885, Marktsteft , then part of the Kingdom of Bavaria
- Died
- 16 July 1960 (1960-07-16) (aged 74), Bad Nauheim , Hessen, West Germany
- Allegiance
- German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany
- Branch
- Bavarian Army Reichswehr Luftwaffe
- Service years
- 1904–1945
- Rank
- Generalfeldmarschall
- Commands
- Luftflotte 1 Luftflotte 2 OB South Army Group C OB West
- Awards
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
- Conviction
- War crimes
- Criminal penalty
- Death ; commuted to life imprisonment ; further commuted 21 years' imprisonment
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- human
- Given name
- Albert
- Gender
- male
- Citizenship
- Nazi Germany
- Place of birth
- Marktsteft
- Place of death
- Bad Nauheim
- Occupation
- autobiographer
- Languages spoken
- German
- Award
- Africa cuffband
- Conflict
- World War II
- Military branch
- Reichswehr
- Military rank
- general field marshal
- Image
- Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R93434, Albert Kesselring.jpg
- Convicted of
- crime against humanity
Show 15 more facts
- Commons category
- Albert Kesselring
- date of birth
- 1885-11-30
- date of death
- 1960-07-16
- nickname
- Uncle Albert
- commander of (DEPRECATED)
- Air Fleet 2
- allegiance
- Nazi Germany
- start of work period
- 1904-00-00
- name in native language
- Albert Kesselring
- place of detention
- Camp King
- cause of death
- myocardial infarction
- penalty
- life imprisonment
- end of work period
- 1945-00-00
- manner of death
- natural causes
- P12749
- Epilobium roseum
- archives at
- German Federal Archives
Sources (9)
via Wikidata · CC0
~40 min read
Encyclopedic overview
Albert Kesselring (30 November 1885 – 16 July 1960) was a German military officer who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. In a career which spanned both world wars, Kesselring eventually reached the rank of the Generalfeldmarschall (Field marshal) and became one of Nazi Germany's most highly decorated commanders.
Kesselring joined the Bavarian Army as an officer cadet in 1904, serving in the artillery branch. He completed training as a balloon observer in 1912. During World War I, he served on both the Western and Eastern fronts and was posted to the Army Staff, despite not having attended the War Academy. Kesselring served in the Reichswehr after the war, but was discharged in 1933 to become head of the Department of Administration at the Ministry of Aviation, where he became involved in the re-establishment of the German aviation industry and the laying of the foundations for the Luftwaffe, serving as its chief of staff from 1936 to 1938.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Albert Kesselring” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.