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Albert Kesselring (30 November 1885 – 16 July 1960) was a German ''Luftwaffe Generalfeldmarschall'' during World War II. In a military career that spanned both World Wars, Kesselring became one of Nazi Germany's most skilful commanders, being one of 27 soldiers awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. Nicknamed "Smiling Albert" by the Allies〔The nickname "Smiling Albert" was bestowed on Kesselring by the Allies. It is not used by German writers. It was used during the war; see 〕 and "Uncle Albert" by his troops, he was one of the most popular generals of World War II with the rank and file.〔von Lingen, ''Kesselring's Last Battle'', p. 16〕 Kesselring joined the Bavarian Army as an officer cadet in 1904, and served 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 General Staff, despite not having attended the War Academy. Kesselring remained in the Army after the war but was discharged in 1933 to become head of the Department of Administration at the Reich Commissariat for Aviation, where he was involved in the re-establishment of the aviation industry and the laying of the foundations for the ''Luftwaffe'', serving as its chief of staff from 1936 to 1938. During World War II he commanded air forces in the invasions of Poland and France, the Battle of Britain and Operation ''Barbarossa''. As Commander-in-Chief South, he was overall German commander in the Mediterranean theatre, which included the operations in North Africa. Kesselring conducted an uncompromising defensive campaign against the Allied forces in Italy until he was injured in an accident in October 1944. In the final campaign of the war, he commanded German forces on the Western Front. He won the respect of his Allied opponents for his military accomplishments, but his record was marred by massacres committed by troops under his command in Italy. After the war, Kesselring was tried for war crimes and sentenced to death. The sentence was subsequently commuted to life imprisonment. A political and media campaign resulted in his release in 1952, ostensibly on health grounds. He was one of only three ''Generalfeldmarschalls'' to publish his memoirs, entitled ''Soldat bis zum letzten Tag'' (''A Soldier to the Last Day''). ==Early life== Albert Kesselring was born in Marktsteft, Bavaria, on 30 November 1885, the son of Carl Adolf Kesselring, a schoolmaster and town councillor, and his wife Rosina, who was born a Kesselring, being Carl's second cousin.〔 Albert's early years were spent in Marktsteft, where relatives had operated a brewery since 1688.〔 Matriculating from the Christian Ernestinum Secondary School in Bayreuth in 1904, Kesselring joined the German Army as an ''Fahnenjunker'' (officer cadet) in the 2nd Bavarian Foot Artillery Regiment. The regiment was based at Metz and was responsible for maintaining its forts. He remained with the regiment until 1915, except for periods at the Military Academy from 1905 to 1906, at the conclusion of which he received his commission as a ''Leutnant'' (lieutenant), and at the School of Artillery and Engineering in Munich from 1909 to 1910.〔Kesselring, ''The Memoirs of Field Marshal Kesselring'', p. 15〕 Kesselring married Luise Anna Pauline (Liny) Keyssler, the daughter of an apothecary from Bayreuth, in 1910. The couple honeymooned in Italy.〔von Lingen, ''Kesselring's Last Battle'', p. 17〕 Their marriage was childless, but in 1913 they adopted Rainer, the son of Albert's second cousin Kurt Kesselring.〔Macksey, ''Kesselring – The Making of the Luftwaffe'', pp. 13, 243.〕 In 1912, Kesselring completed training as a balloon observer in a dirigible section – an early sign of an interest in aviation.〔 Kesselring's superiors considered posting him to the School of Artillery and Engineering as an instructor because of his expertise in "the interplay between tactics and technology".〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Albert Kesselring」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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