Befehlshaber der Kriegsmarine

Befehlshaber der Kriegsmarine
Post	Befehlshaber der Kriegsmarine
Native name	Befehlshaber der Kriegsmarine
Formation	1935
Abolished	1945

Befehlshaber der Kriegsmarine was the title used for senior operational commanders within the German Kriegsmarine during the Nazi era, denoting the officer charged with overarching maritime direction, fleet command, and coastal defense responsibilities. The office evolved from Imperial German Navy traditions and Weimar-era Reichsmarine structures into a component of Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany military apparatus, interacting closely with the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, OKW, and political organs in Berlin. Holders of the office played prominent roles in campaigns such as the Battle of the Atlantic, the Norwegian Campaign, and the Battle of Narvik, and their actions have been examined in postwar histories alongside figures like Erich Raeder, Karl Dönitz, and Wilhelm Canaris.

History and Establishment

The post traces roots to the Imperial Kaiserliche Marine command arrangements and the interwar Reichsmarine reforms of the Weimar Republic, where professional naval chiefs sought continuity with traditions of the Admiralty and staff practices of the German General Staff. With the 1935 rearmament measures enacted under the Nazi Party regime and the promulgation of the Nuremberg Laws era militarization, the Kriegsmarine was formally created and senior operational posts consolidated to integrate surface, submarine, and coastal units. The office adapted through events such as the Anglo-German Naval Agreement, the Remilitarization of the Rhineland, and the reorganization precipitated by the outbreak of World War II in Europe.

Organization and Responsibilities

The office holder coordinated between principal branches: surface fleets including the Kriegsschiff, U-boat commands tied to the U-Bootwaffe, and coastal commands overseeing installations like the Atlantic Wall defenses and bases at Wilhelmshaven, Kiel, and Narvik. Responsibilities included strategic planning with the Oberkommando der Marine, tactical direction during operations like Operation Weserübung and convoy engagements, and liaison with naval industry actors such as the firms Krupp and Blohm + Voss. Administrative tasks required engagement with the Reich Ministry of Aviation for joint operations, the Heer for amphibious coordination, and the Foreign Office for prize law and neutrality issues, while also interacting with intelligence entities like the Abwehr and security agencies such as the Gestapo.

Notable Officeholders

Senior figures associated with equivalent command functions included Admiral Erich Raeder, who emphasized surface fleet development and battleship strategy and connected with institutions like the Z-Plan staff, and Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz, whose leadership of the U-boat arm and later succession to the head of state placed him at the center of naval strategy and post-surrender negotiations at Lübeck and Flensburg. Other prominent commanders and staffers included Admirals tied to the Kriegsmarine high command such as Hans-Georg von Friedeburg, Wilhelm Marschall, and staff officers who worked with the Abwehr and naval attachés in capitals like Rome, Stockholm, and Madrid. These individuals interacted with contemporaries including Heinrich Himmler, Hermann Göring, Jürgen von Arnim, and politicians within the Reichstag and Prussian State Council.

Role in World War II Operations

Operational direction emanating from the office influenced major campaigns: convoy interdiction during the Battle of the Atlantic that targeted transatlantic routes linking Newfoundland, Gibraltar, and Murmansk; support of Operation Weserübung occupying Denmark and Norway; and maritime actions during the Invasion of France including operations in the English Channel and the Channel Dash (Operation Cerberus) involving ships from Scapa Flow pursuit scenarios. Coordination with Luftwaffe strike units impacted anti-shipping warfare, while U-boat wolfpack tactics shaped engagements against convoys like HX 84 and PQ 17. The office also oversaw evacuation and supply missions such as Operation Hannibal and the naval components of the Battle of the Baltic Sea that affected ports including Klaipėda and Gdańsk.

Relationship with Oberkommando der Marine and Nazi Leadership

The post functioned as a nexus between the operational staff of the Oberkommando der Marine and the political leadership of Nazi Germany, requiring negotiation with the Führer's military advisers, the OKW, and ministries including the Reich Ministry of War and economic agencies like the Four Year Plan office. Tensions often arose over resource allocation, exemplified by debates between proponents of capital ship construction and advocates of submarine warfare, which placed commanders in contention with personalities such as Hjalmar Schacht and industrial leaders. The office also intersected with intelligence and security services, affecting decisions reviewed by the People's Court and subject to political supervision by party organs and military tribunals.

Legacy and Postwar Analysis

After the 1945 collapse of Nazi Germany, commanders associated with the office were assessed in Allied interrogations, the Nuremberg Trials context, and in postwar naval histories by scholars in institutions such as the Naval Historical Center and various German military archives. Analyses debated the efficacy of strategic choices—surface fleet investment versus U-boat emphasis—and the legal and moral responsibilities related to blockade conduct, commerce raiding, and cooperation with agencies implicated in war crimes. Rehabilitation, historiographical revisionism, and integration of former officers into postwar institutions such as the Bundesmarine and NATO prompted further study, producing literature that engages archives from London, Washington, D.C., and Bonn and works by historians like John Keegan, Clay Blair, and Michael Salter.

Category:Kriegsmarine Category:Military ranks of Germany