Lothar Keller

Lothar Keller
Born	7 April 1914 Dresden
Died	26 June 1941(1941-06-26) (aged 27) Wladimierz, Poland
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Template:Luftwaffe
Years of service	?–1941
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	Condor Legion JG 3
Battles / wars	Spanish Civil War World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain Operation Barbarossa
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Lothar Keller (7 April 1914 – 26 June 1941) was a German Luftwaffe ace and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. On 26 June 1941, Keller was killed after he collided in mid-air with a Fi 156. During his career he was credited with 23 victories, 16 on the Western Front, four on the Eastern Front and three during the Spanish Civil War. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross on 9 July 1941.

Awards

• Aviator badge
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 July 1941 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Jagdgeschwader 3

References

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
• 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Spick, Mike (1996). Luftwaffe Fighter Aces. New York: Ivy Books. ISBN 978-0-8041-1696-1.

External links

• Aces of the Luftwaffe
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945