Alfred Keller

This article is about the general. For the sculptor of insects, see Alfred Keller (sculptor).

For the Austrian architect, see Alfred Keller (architect).

Alfred Keller (19 September 1882 – 11 February 1974) was a general in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during the Second World War who commanded the Luftflotte 1. His career in the Imperial German Armed Forces began in 1897; he served as a bomber pilot in World War I.

Alfred Keller
Keller as NSFK Korpsführer
Born	(1882-09-19)19 September 1882 Bochum, German Empire
Died	11 February 1974(1974-02-11) (aged 91) West Berlin, West Germany
Buried	Waldfriedhof Zehlendorf
Allegiance	German Empire  Weimar Republic  Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1902–45
Rank	Generaloberst
Commands	Luftflotte 1
Battles / wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Pour le Mérite Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Keller arrives at Mensuvaara, Finland

Keller died in West Berlin. He was buried at the Waldfriedhof Zehlendorf.^[1]

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914), II. and I. Class
• House Order of Hohenzollern, Knights' Cross with Swords
• Bavarian Military Merit Order, 4th Class with swords and crown
• General Honour Decoration for Bravery (Hesse)
• Pilot’s Badge German Empire
• Pour le Mérite (4 December 1917)
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th to 2nd Class
• Combined Pilots-Observation Badge in Gold with Diamonds
• Clasp to the Iron Cross II. and I. Class
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 24 June 1940 as General der Flieger and commanding general of the IV. Fliegerkorps^[2][3]
• Grand Cross with Swords of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (30 April 1942)^[4]

References

Citations

1. Mende 2018, p. 634.
2. Scherzer 2007, p. 435.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 252.
4. Matikkala 2017, p. 516.

Bibliography

• Bronnenkant, Lance J. (2019). The Blue Max Airmen: German Airmen Awarded the Pour le Mérite. Vol. 13: Keller, Christiansen, Bongartz. n.p.: Aeronaut Books. ISBN 978-1-935881-71-1.
• Cooper, Matthew (1981). The German Air Force 1933–1945: An Anatomy of Failure. New York: Jane's. ISBN 0-531-03733-9.
• Corum, James (1997). The Luftwaffe: Creating the Operational Air War, 1918–1940. Kansas University Press. ISBN 978-0-7006-0836-2.
• Corum, James (2008). Wolfram von Richthofen: Master of the German Air War. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas. ISBN 978-0-7006-1598-8.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Frieser, Karl-Heinz (2005). The Blitzkrieg Legend: The 1940 Campaign in the West. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-294-2.
• Hooton, Edward (1994). Phoenix Triumphant: The Rise and Rise of the Luftwaffe. Arms & Armour. ISBN 978-1-85409-181-9.
• Hooton, E.R. (1997). Eagle in Flames: The Fall of the Luftwaffe. Weidenfeld Military. ISBN 978-1-85409-343-1.
• Hooton, E.R. (2007a). Luftwaffe at War; Gathering Storm 1933–39. Vol. 1. London: Chevron/Ian Allan. ISBN 978-1-903223-71-0.
• Hooton, E.R. (2007b). Luftwaffe at War; Blitzkrieg in the West. Vol. 2. London: Chevron/Ian Allan. ISBN 978-1-85780-272-6.
• Matikkala, Antti (2017). Kunnian ruletti: Korkeimmat ulkomaalaisille 1941–1944 annetut suomalaiset kunniamerkit [The Roulette of Honour: The Highest Finnish Orders to Foreigners 1941–1944] (in Finnish). Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura. ISBN 978-952-222-847-5.
• Mende, Hans-Jürgen (2018). Lexikon Berliner Begräbnisstätten [Lexicon of Berlin Burial Sites] (in German). Berlin, Germany: Pharus-Plan. ISBN 978-3-86514-206-1.
• Mitcham, Samuel (2007). Eagles of the Third Reich: Men of the Luftwaffe in World War II. Stackpole. ISBN 978-0-8117-3405-9.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

Military offices
Preceded by Generalmajor Hellmuth Bieneck	Commander of 4. Flieger-Division 1 February 1939 – 11 October 1939	Succeeded by IV. Fliegerkorps
Preceded by 4. Flieger-Division	Commander of IV. Fliegerkorps 11 October 1939 – 19 August 1940	Succeeded by General der Flieger Kurt Pflugbeil
Preceded by General Wilhelm Wimmer	Commander of Luftflotte 1 20 August 1940 – 12 June 1943	Succeeded by Generaloberst Günther Korten