Description:

KARL KOLLER RECOMMENDED FOR THE KNIGHT'S CROSS
A very rare and very unique document, 3pp. large 4to., a official draft of a 'Vorschlagliste' ('suggestion list') issued by the Luftwaffe Commander-in-Chief's office, planning to award the German Cross in Gold to Oberstleutnant KARL KOLLER, then amended by the Chief of Luftwaffe Personnel to award him the Knight's Cross instead. The 'Vorschlagliste' is given the issue number '43', and the interior pages bear Koller's name and the a description of heroic acts for which he was nominated for the award. The attestation reads, in part: '...Koller, Chief of the General Staff of Air Fleet 3, has...as the first advisor to the air fleet chief, earned excellent service in troop command. His carefully considered proposals and arrangements...were the prerequisite for the success of the air fleet in the campaign against France and in the fight against England. In particular, the skillful focus on the use of fighter planes and anti-aircraft artillery destroyed the offensive of the English air force and relieved the front...Colonel Koller played a decisive role in the outstanding contribution that Air Fleet 3 had in the success of the German battleships breaking through the [English] channel.' This references Operation Sea Lion, the planned invasion of the United Kingdom, in which Oberstleutnant Koller acted as the Operations Officer of Luftflotte 3 under General Hugo Sperrle. On the front cover, the Chief of the Luftwaffe Personnel Office GUSTAV KASTNER-KIRDORF crosses out the issue number, writing at the upper-left that the 'Reichschef' has taken Koller's name off the list, adding 'R.K. 6.4.42'. Koller would be officially awarded the Knight's Cross on April 10th, 1942 - just four days later. Two file holes, mild toning near the top edge, else fine. Koller would later be promoted to Chief of the General Staff of the Luftwaffe, where he would become one of Hermann Goring's harshest critics, writing that Goering '...had no interest in bringing about an atmosphere of smooth cooperation...this would lead to the establishment of a phalanx against himself'. Koller was in Adolf Hitler's Fuhrerbunker in Berlin on April 20, 1945 to attend the dictator's final birthday, and while several high-ranking leaders abandoned the city that night, Koller remained behind to represent the Luftwaffe in a nearby town. As Goering left for Obersalzburg, he did not even acknowledge Koller's salute as he left. Despite this, after Koller had learned about Hitler's suicide three days later, the loyal general flew to Obersalzberg to inform Goring in person, where both he and Goring were placed under house arrest by Martin Bormann.

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August 24, 2021 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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