Name: Albert

Surname: Kesselring



Albert Konrad Kesselring (Marktsteft, 30 November 1885 – Bad Nauheim, 16 July 1960) was a German general with the rank of field marshal. After serving in the artillery during the First World War, he joined the new Luftwaffe of which he was one of the main organizers. During the Second World War he commanded air fleets with remarkable effectiveness during the invasion of Poland, the French Campaign, the Battle of Britain and Operation Barbarossa. During these campaigns he directed a series of air raids against enemy urban areas. In November 1941 he became German commander-in-chief of the southern exchequer and had overall command of operations in the Mediterranean, which also included operations in North Africa. While the collaboration with General Erwin Rommel was often difficult, he generally knew how to maintain good relations with the Italian political-military leaders. From the summer of 1943, and especially after 8 September of that year, he assumed supreme command of all German forces in Italy and led the long defensive campaign against the Allies. Towards the end of the war, from March 1945, he commanded the German forces on the Western Front without being able to avoid the final surrender. Kesselring maintained control of occupied Italy with great harshness, repressed the Resistance movement and was responsible for numerous war crimes against both partisans and the civilian population. For this he was tried by the Allies and sentenced to death, a sentence later commuted to life imprisonment due to the intervention of the British government. He was later released in 1952 without ever having renounced his loyalty to Adolf Hitler. He later published his memoirs entitled Soldat bis zum letzten Tag (Soldier to the Last Day).



Autograph type: Typed letter in German with Kesselring's autograph at the bottom as Generalfeldmarschall during the Second World War; drawn up by the headquarters on 19/1/1943 and addressed to the Admiral of the Army, Count Arturo Riccardi.

To make the content usable, there is a contemporary transcription of the letter:

"Excellence!

The Commander of the II CAT, General-designate of the Air Force Loerzer (this is the famous Bruno Loerzer), tells me how satisfied and happy he is with the collaboration with the Liaison Officer of the Italian Navy, Lieutenant Commander Lanfranchi (Lanfranco) . He would have worked particularly well with the S.M. of the II CAT. I very willingly support General Loerzer's prayer to be able to continue to preserve his S.M. Capt. Lanfranchi. I would be especially grateful if this prayer could be answered (accepted)

I remain of V.E. ..."

The sending envelope drawn up by the translator is present