Ulrich Kessler (General)

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Ulrich Kessler (born November 3, 1894 in Danzig - Langfuhr , † March 27, 1983 in Bad Urach ) was a German officer , most recently a general of the Air Force Aviators in World War II .

Military biography

Promotions

Early years and World War I

Kessler joined the Imperial Navy on April 1, 1914 , where he first attended the Mürwik Naval School until November 1914 . He then completed his practical on-board training on the SMS Wittelsbach and on the cruiser SMS Lübeck by November 1916 . After attending several ensign courses, Kessler was assigned to the Second Sea Aviation Department in January 1917, where he received training as a pilot . During the last months of the war he flew as a pilot at the Helgoland , Zeebrugge and Norderney seaplane stations , where he was also the pilot of a giant airplane .

Interwar years

After the end of the First World War , Kessler served from December 1918 in the Guard Cavalry Rifle Division and in January 1919 moved to the general command under Walther von Lüttwitz . In February 1919 he was transferred to the Reichsmarineamt , in September 1919 he was assigned to the staff of the naval station of the North Sea. From October 1921 to September 1923 he then served as an officer on watch in the II Torpedo Boat Flotilla , then from October 1923 to September 1925 initially as an adjutant in the ship's trunk division of the North Sea and then until mid-April 1927 as an officer on watch on board the Hamburg . From April 16, 1927 to September 1929, Kessler was group leader of naval aviation in the naval command. After training as a guide's assistant from October 1929 to March 1931, Kessler was appointed 4th Admiral Staff Officer on April 1, 1931 in the staff of the Fleet Command. In October of the same year he was assigned to the old ship of the line Hessen as an officer on watch . In January 1933 he was appointed expert for naval aviation with the German delegation at the Geneva Disarmament Conference . He was then a consultant in the naval management in July and August 1933.

On September 1, 1933, Kessler joined the Luftwaffe, which was still secretly operated, and until the end of September 1934 was employed as a group leader for Office A in the Reich Aviation Ministry in Berlin . From October 1, 1934, Kessler was in command of the Air Force School in Warnemünde , which he directed until the end of September 1935. After training at the Wehrmacht Academy in Berlin from October 1935 to September 1936, on October 1, 1936, Kessler became the commander of the List coastal air force on Sylt , which he commanded until the end of September 1937. From October 1937 to June 1938 he was Chief of Staff of Luftkreis-Kommando IV, then until September 1938 in the General Staff of the Air Force. From October to mid-November 1938, Kessler was an officer for special use in the Reich Aviation Ministry. On November 15, 1938 he was appointed commodore of Kampfgeschwader 1 "Hindenburg" .

Second World War

Kessler led this squadron during the attack on Poland and beyond until December 17, 1939. From January 1, 1940 until the end of April 1940 he was Chief of the General Staff of Air Fleet 1 . From May 1 to June 27, 1940, he acted as chief of the general staff of the X. Fliegerkorps during the occupation of Norway and was there at the same time pilot leader Drontheim . On June 28, 1940, Kessler took over the position of chief of staff of the Luftwaffe's training system, while at the same time being chief of the Luftwaffe's education and training system in the Reich Aviation Ministry. On February 5, 1942, Kessler was appointed Fliegerführer Atlantik ; he held this post until March 15, 1944. He was then appointed head of the Air Force Liaison Staff in Tokyo and, on January 22, 1945, also an air attaché at the German embassy there. On the voyage to Tokyo, which took place on board U 234 under Lieutenant Johann Heinrich Fehler , the commander was informed of the surrender of the Wehrmacht on May 10, 1945. He then surrendered himself and his crew on May 14, 1945 to the USS Sutton east of the Flemish Cap . Kessler was released from captivity on May 10, 1947.

Awards

literature

  • Karl Friedrich Hildebrand: The Generals of the German Air Force 1935–1945, Part II, Volume 2: Habermehl – ​​Nuber , Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 1991, ISBN 3-7648-1701-1 , pp. 168–169
personal data
SURNAME Kessler, Ulrich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German officer, most recently General der Flieger
DATE OF BIRTH November 3, 1894
PLACE OF BIRTH Danzig - Langfuhr
DATE OF DEATH March 27, 1983
Place of death Urach