When "Human Resources" Actually WORKED

[Guest Rick Research]

Here is a photograph of Marine K?stenwehr Abteilung IV in Cuxhaven, uncaptioned and undated, but taken between 1 October and 12 November 1924. Assignment to one of these units was inevitable by rotation, but neither sought after nor career enhancing. Under the Kriegsmarine, the permanent officer cadre of the "Landmarine" would come from former Petty Officers commissioned up from the ranks. So this is no staff graduation photo...

and yet...

see how many of them ended up as ADMIRALS!

Left to right, front row--

1) KaptLt zS Ernst SCHEURLEN (1894-1945)-- Vizeadmiral zS 1.8.44

2) KaptLt zS Kurt UTKE (1893-1970)-- Vizeadmiral zS 1.2.44 (the only German Admiral to ever die by falling off a cliff )

3) Marine-Stabsarzt Dr, med. Johannes Poeschmann (1885-1937/39) Marinegeneraloberarzt aD = Fregattenkapit?n

4) Major Otto Schleicher (1880- after 1928) army liaison officer.Oberstleutnant 1928, then ??? Not a General.

5) KorvKapt zS Hans Hermann GRAF VON SCHWEINITZ UND KRAIN FREIHERR VON KAUDER (1883-1959)l-- Konteradmiral zS char 30.9.31 aD/ zV 1.1.41.

6) KaptLt zS Ernst Berlin (1890-1927), died months after medical discharge as char KorvKapt zS aD.

7) Marine-Stabszahlmeister Gerhard Voigt (1881-after 1943). Retreaded as Kapit?n zur See (V) zV 1.4.41,

8) KaptLt (Ing) Walter H?lsmann (1893-after 1944). Retired 1927 but recalled and Kapit?n zS (Ing-E) 1.4.40.

9) Oberlt zS Georg Haeker (1895-1963/80) Retired 1935 as KorvKapt zS aD so ran afoul of the Nazis somehow, but recalled during the war zV and still Korvkapt zS aD after the war.

10) Marine-Oberassistenzarzt Dr. med. Heinrich N?LDECKE (1896-1955)-- Admiralarzt 1.3.44 = Konteradmiral.

Rear row left to right--

1) Lt zS Conrad ENGELHARDT (1898-1973)-- Konteradmiral zS 16.9.44. Knight's Cross KVKX and German Cross in Gold.

2) Lt zS Heinrich Manhenke (1885-after 1944), former Petty Officer commissioned from the ranks Yet made Kapit?n zS (E/zV).

3) either Oberlt zS Hans Isenlar (1894-before 1960) or Oberlt zS Ulrich Jakobs (1898- alive 1991) since cannot see awards. Isenlar- FregKapt zS, Jakobs Kapit?n zS (MA).

4) Marine-Oberzahlmeister August B?NING (1894-1964)-- Konteradmiral (V) 1.1.45. The only Paymaster Admiral.

5) Oberlt zS Friedrich Schily (1899-after 1945)-- Luftwaffe Oberst 1.8.41.

6) Oberlt zS Albert-Richard Scherf (1897-1963/80)-- Kapit?n zS 1.10.39 and retired that rank. German Cross in Silver.

7) Unknown Oberlt zS!

8) Unknown Oberlt zS who was an ex-Petty Officer!

9) Oberlt (Ing) Wilhelm BUTTERBRODT (after 1932 TACKENBURG) (1893-1963)-- Konteradmiral (Ing) 1.7.42.

10) Lt zS Adolph Ritter (1896-1984)-- Kapit?n zS 1.6.42 and retired that rank.

11) Oberf?hnrich (Z) Hermann Fischer (1897-after 1945)-- KorvKapt (V) zV 1.4.38 no further promotions although High Seas Fleet and served to war's end!

So, of 20 naval officers, 7 made Admiral-level rank and 6 made full naval Captain or air force Colonel, while 2 died before WW2 and 1 fell afoul of the Nuremburg laws or other political suppresssion. Only 2 of the remaining officers failed to "be all that they COULD be," and the remaining 2 stubbornly defy identification, apparently being (like Butterbrodt/Tackenburg "filling in" here.

Excluding the two fatalities, the politically purged, and the 2 "nameless" who cannot be tracked, that means out of 15,

7:15 made Admiral, 6:15 made full Captain or Colonel--

statistics that put any other officer selection process to shame!

[Paul C]

Rick, you have too much time on your hands!!! Great job and very insightfull. Now get back to typing.

[Humberto Corado]

So, of 20 naval officers, 7 made Admiral-level rank and 6 made full naval Captain or air force Colonel, while 2 died before WW2 and 1 fell afoul of the Nuremburg laws or other political suppresssion. Only 2 of the remaining officers failed to "be all that they COULD be," and the remaining 2 stubbornly defy identification, apparently being (like Butterbrodt/Tackenburg "filling in" here.

Excluding the two fatalities, the politically purged, and the 2 "nameless" who cannot be tracked, that means out of 15,

7:15 made Admiral, 6:15 made full Captain or Colonel--

wow!! what a fine research Rick! is impressive to see how many of them ended up as Admirals or superior officers!!