Ulrich Kessler

Ulrich Otto Eduard Kessler
Born	3 November 1894 Danzig-Langfuhr
Died	Bad Urach
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Kaiserliche Marine Reichsmarine Luftwaffe
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	General der Flieger
Commands held	Kampfgeschwader 1 Fliegerführer Atlantik
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of the Atlantic
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

File:Yank, The Army Weekly, Cover showing German Lt. Gen. Ulrich Kessler.jpg

Kessler following capture in 1945

Ulrich Otto Eduard Kessler (3 November 1894 – 27 March 1983) was a highly decorated General der Flieger in the Luftwaffe during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

File:U234 KptLt Fehler USS Sutton.jpg

U-234 surrendering

Ulrich Kessler was captured on 15 May 1945 while on board U-234 by a 15-man boarding party from the destroyer USS Sutton. He was returning to active duty as Chief of the Luftwaffe-Liaison-Staff Tokyo and Air-Attache at the German Embassy in Tokyo.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Hanseatic Cross of Lübeck
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th to 1st Class
• Aviator badge
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold (3 April 1944)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 8 April 1944 as Generalleutnant and Fliegerführer Atlantik

External links

• Ulrich Kessler @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived January 20, 2011)

Military offices
Preceded by None	Commander of Kampfgeschwader 1 1 May 1939 – 17 December 1939	Succeeded by Oberst Ernst Exss
Preceded by Generalmajor Wilhelm Speidel	Chief of Staff of Luftflotte 1 19 December 1939 – 25 April 1940	Succeeded by Oberst Heinz-Hellmuth von Wühlisch
Preceded by Oberstleutnant Martin Harlinghausen	Chief of Staff of X. Fliegerkorps 25 April 1940 – 21 May 1940	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Günther Korten
Preceded by Generalmajor Wolfgang von Wild	Commander of Fliegerführer Atlantik 5 January 1942 – 1 April 1944	Succeeded by None