[Larry deZeng]

Karl Koller was Chef d.Lw.-Führungsstab on 20 July 1944. An inspection tour to France or a service visit to Luftflotte 3’s headquarters in Paris around that time would have been perfectly normal as the Luftwaffe tried to assuage the doubts and hostility of the staff of Oberbefehlshaber West and the senior commands under it and assure them that it was doing all that it was capable of in that theater with the assets it had available. Here's a quote taken from AHF: onn July 20th, “Koller was actually in Paris; he threatened von Stülpnagel with having the Luftwaffe troops under his command intervene if the latter did not withdraw his orders for the arrests of SS-, Police and Gestapo officials, as von Kluge had ordered him to.” ( http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=92661 ).

Koller was in Allied custody until December 1947. During that period he was interrogated many, many times, including about his role or non-role in the 20 July incident. These interrogation reports are available at both the U.S. and British National Archives. Further, Koller’s papers and diary are in the David Irving Collection in London. The diary is supposedly in shorthand, but Irving had much of it translated and typed.

After Korten died of his wounds on 25 July, Göring appointed Gen.Lt. Werner Kreipe to take his place. At the same time, Koller was fired (Göring hated him) and and replaced him with Gen.Maj. Eckhardt Christian. Kreipe did not “hit it off” with the Führer because he was no “yes man” and prone to arguing and raising his voice which Hitler would not stand for. Hitler demanded Kreipe’s resignation on 18 September, but he was allowed to continue his job until a suitable replacement could be found. On 1 November (12 November by some accounts) Koller was selected (probably over protests from Göring) but did not take over until 27 November 1944.

The date Koller left his position as Chef d.Lw.-Führungsstab is given in his service records as 31 August 1944. No appointments are shown for September and October, during which Hildebrand (Die Generale der deutschen Luftwaffe) claims he was in the hospital as the result of wounds suffered during the July 20th plot and then in the Führerreserve OKL.

Lacking recent, well-researched, detailed published histories of the July 20th plot, I am afraid this is the best I can do.

Larry