Kriegsmarine Admiral

1 hour ago, Deutschritter said:

Good, so you got my picture at FB. I was very lucky to find it here (p. 2) ... Wasaorden, Ritterkreuz II. Klasse am 2. Juli 1890 (SW3b) on Board of the SMS „Friedrich der Große“ through the King of Sweden personally, who visited the ship at Helgoland ... he must have received the SA2bX after the Rangliste 1918 was published.

I didn't realise it was you that sent the photo on my Facebook page. Thank you very much once again!

Please help me with the awards of Hans Küsel. Recently I found another photo of him that revealed he had another award that wasn't listed in the 1918 Rangliste. Perhaps there are more awards than the ones I have on my list now.

 

His list of awards I have so far:

 

-Königlich Preußischer Kronen-Orden 2. Klasse mit Schwertern (13. 12. 1917)
-Eisernes Kreuz (1914) 1. Klasse 
-Eisernes Kreuz (1914) 2. Klasse
-Königlich Preußische Kaiser Wilhelm-Centenarmedaille 1897 
-China-Denkmünze in Bronze mit Spange „TAKU“
-Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden 3. Klasse mit der Schleife
-Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden 4. Klasse mit der Krone
-Königlich Preußischer Kronen-Orden 3. Klasse
-Königlich Preußischer Kronen-Orden 4. Klasse
-Königlich Preußisches Verdienstkreuz für Kriegshilfe
-Ritterkreuz des k.u.k. Österreichischen Franz-Joseph-Ordens
-Ritterkreuz 2. Klasse des Königlich Schwedischen Wasa-Ordens (02. 07. 1890)
-Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz
-Komturkreuz des Großherzoglich Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenachischen Hausordens der Wachsamkeit oder vom Weißen Falken mit Schwertern
-Komturkreuz 2. Klasse des Herzoglich Sachsen-Ernestinischen Hausordens mit Schwertern
-Komturkreuz 2. Klasse des Königlich Sächsischen Albrechts-Ordens mit Schwertern
-Großherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz 1. Klasse
-Großherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz 2. Klasse
-Kaiserlich Türkische Imtiaz-Medaille mit Säbeln
-Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz 
-Ehrenkreuz des Weltkrieges 1914/1918 mit Schwertern für Frontkämpfer

 

First, the ID of his ribbon bar from the first photo below:

 

- Eisernes Kreuz (1914) 2. Klasse

- Königlich Preußisches Verdienstkreuz für Kriegshilfe

- Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden 3. Klasse mit der Schleife

- Königlich Preußischer Roter Adler-Orden 4. Klasse mit der Krone

- Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz

- China-Denkmünze in Bronze (it seems he didn't mount the Spange)

- Königlich Preußische Kaiser Wilhelm-Centenarmedaille 1897 ???

- Großherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz 2. Klasse ???

- Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz

- Kaiserlich Türkische Imtiaz-Medaille mit Säbeln (Silber or Gold ???)

- Ritterkreuz des k.u.k. Österreichischen Franz-Joseph-Ordens ???

- Ritterkreuz 2. Klasse des Königlich Schwedischen Wasa-Ordens ???

 

And now the awards around his neck from the second photo below:

 

- Königlich Preußischer Kronen-Orden 2. Klasse mit Schwertern

- Komturkreuz des Großherzoglich Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenachischen Hausordens der Wachsamkeit oder vom Weißen Falken mit Schwertern

- Komturkreuz 2. Klasse des Herzoglich Sachsen-Ernestinischen Hausordens mit Schwertern

- Komturkreuz 2. Klasse des Königlich Sächsischen Albrechts-Ordens mit Schwertern

 

The Komturkreuz 2. Klasse des Königlich Sächsischen Albrechts-Ordens mit Schwertern is visible around his neck below the Sachsen-Ernestinischen Hausorden. This award is not listed for him in the 1918 Rangliste. See the entries from the 1914 and 1918 Rangliste below the photos.

Unknown #14

Who is this admiral?

19 minutes ago, Deutschritter said:

I take it, the Großkreuz has still not been identified? Romania? Bulgaria? Thanks! 

At some point during the time he was Placed at the Disposal of the Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine (24 June 1940-31 August 1942), he was attached to the German Mission in Romania. No further info avaliable. All I know is it was some time in early 1942. A Romanian book gives the date 28 February 1942 on which Götting was received by Marshal Ion Antonescu as the new "Chief of the German Naval Mission".

 

Some colleagues from the Axis History Forum and I agreed that the Breast Star is the Großkreuz des Königlichen Ordens der Krone von Rumänien mit Schwertern. That's the award I have in my files. Of course, this is not 100% confirmed because of the lack of a better photo of the Breast Star.

 

Here is the full list of his awards, if you are interested:

 

-Eisernes Kreuz (1914) I. Klasse 
-Eisernes Kreuz (1914) II. Klasse
-Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz
-Großherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz I. Klasse
-Großherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz II. Klasse mit Spange „Vor dem Feinde“
-Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz
-U-Bootskriegsabzeichen (1918)
-Ritterkreuz I. Klasse des Königlich Schwedischen Schwertordens (02. 08. 1918)
-Ehrenkreuz des Weltkrieges 1914/1918 mit Schwertern für Frontkämpfer    
-Wehrmacht Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
-Großkreuz des Königlichen Ordens der Krone von Rumänien mit Schwertern

6 hours ago, Deutschritter said:

Was Friedrich Götting killed in Russian captivity? I would love to know more about his career.

He died in Russian captivity. No info if he was actually executed, more likely it was from natural causes.

See here for his biography: https://www.oocities.org/~orion47/WEHRMACHT/KRIEGSMARINE/Vizeadmirals/GOETTING_FRIEDRICH.html

 

4 hours ago, JohanH said:

I found Götting!

 

He got the Knight 1st class on August 2nd 1918.

Great job! Thank you.

20 minutes ago, JohanH said:

Here is the entry in the award roll. 

 

Kurt Fricke and Karl Dönitz on 12th April 1930.

Thanks. So my sources were wrong.

 

20 minutes ago, JohanH said:

Sorry, I don't have any lists of the "normal" Order of the White Rose. The only lists I have are of those who received the order with swords.

That's ok, you helped me a lot nevertheless.

 

20 minutes ago, JohanH said:

Can you show the photo?

Sure, here is the photo. You can see the Order of the Sword on his medal bar (4th medal). Can you determine the class from the photo? Knight's Cross 1st or 2nd Class?

On 30/01/2022 at 14:28, JohanH said:

Großadmiral Karl Dönitz:
-Knight's Cross 1st Class of the Royal Swedish Order of the Sword (12 April 1930)

 

Admiral Kurt Fricke:
-Knight's Cross 1st Class of the Royal Swedish Order of the Sword (12 April 1930)

So, Dönitz and Fricke got the Knight's Cross 1st Class on the same date? It's odd that my sources give somewhat different dates (12 April 1936 for Dönitz and 12 July 1930 for Fricke).

 

Do you have the award dates for the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Swedish Order of the Sword of these other admirals below?

 

Generaladmiral Rolf Carls:
-Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (1938)

 

Admiral Max Bastian:

-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 2nd Class with Swords

Awarded in 1918 I believe.

 

Vizeadmiral Friedrich Götting:
-Knight's Cross 1st Class of the Royal Swedish Order of the Sword

It's possible that he had the 2nd Class. The only source I have is photographic.

 

Vizeadmiral z.V. Paul Wülfing von Ditten:

-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 2nd Class with Swords

Awarded in 1918 I believe.

 

Konteradmiral Hermann Baron von Salza:
-Commander's Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (1922)
-Commander's Cross 1st Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (1931)

 

Konteradmiral z.V. Walter Isendahl:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (1918)

 

Konteradmiral Werner Steffan:

-Commander's Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland

Great! Thank you.

 

14 minutes ago, JohanH said:

Char. Vizeadmiral Hans Kolbe:
-Knight's Cross 2nd Class of the Royal Swedish Order of Vasa (3 August 1905)

For Kolbe I actually have the award document that says 5 August 1905, not 3 August. See below.

1 hour ago, JohanH said:

Admiral Hubert Schmundt:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords  (4 June 1942)

The date in Matikkalas book is June 4th 1942.

And what should we do with Schmundt? Since your date (4 June 1942) comes from a secondary source (book "Kunnian ruletti" by Antti Matikkala) and the one I have (25 March 1942) should be from the primary sources (if we are to believe the person who posted it on AHF), I think my date should be the correct one?

One question regarding the classes of the Order of the White Rose of Finland.

 

Isn't the correct name for the Commander classes the Commander's Cross 1st Class and the Commander's Cross? And not Commander's Cross 1st Class and the Commander's Cross 2nd Class. Of course, the difference between the two classes was that the Commander 1st Class had a Breast Star.

11 minutes ago, JohanH said:

I found Ernst Lucht.

 

He seem to have received the commander 2nd class of the White rose  on 11 August 1942.

Great! Thanks! Did he recieve it with Swords or without Swords?

 

By the way, the correct date for Conrad Albrecht's Commander's Cross 1st Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland is 19 October 1936, not 19 June 1936. The auction site got it wrong. See the award document below.

26 minutes ago, JohanH said:

The dates I give of the Swedish orders are from the original award-scrolls. 

Of course, I will trust your dates instead of the ones from the book. Primary sources are always more reliable.

5 minutes ago, JohanH said:

What I meant was if it would be possible to make some note that Great Dane have checked these and I have checked these. So one wouldn't have to scroll through all the replies to find if there are any named that are not checked yet

I see. Sure, I will add your award dates to my first post. No problem.

15 minutes ago, JohanH said:

Admiral Hubert Schmundt:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords  (4 June 1942)

The date in Matikkalas book is June 4th 1942.

The date 25 March 1942 can be found on the Axis History Forum posted by the member USAF1986. He said: "I received copies of the original Finnish documents detailing the German recipients of the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty in all classes as well as the associated medals. These documents cover the period of 1941-1944. Here is the list of all German recipients of the 1st Class and higher that received their orders during this time frame. The award dates are those given in the Finnish documents. Presumably, this was the original date approved by the Finnish authorities and was probably not the date the recipient might actually have been awarded it."

Here is the link: https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=20711&p=340533&hilit=hubert+schmundt#p340533

 

The same date is also in the book "Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine" by Manfred Dörr, although he has is "with Swords and Oak Leaves". The "Oak Leaves" part is wrong. So, I guess Schmundt was awarded this order on 25 March 1942, and your date (4 June 1942) could be the date he actually received the medal.

 

20 minutes ago, JohanH said:

Konteradmiral Ernst Lucht:
-Commander's Cross 1st Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland with Swords (11 August 1942)

How certain are you that Lucht received the order with swords? He is not in the very short list of recipients.

For Lucht, the source is again the book "Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine". I don't know if this is correct?

Thank you very much!

 

14 hours ago, Great Dane said:

Regarding Witzell: His first name is not listed, but there is only this one (listed as a navy first lieutenant, which might have been his rank in 1906)

Witzell's rank in 1906 was Leutnant zur See. I think this should be him.

 

14 hours ago, JohanH said:

Maybe it can be explained with my dates being the date of decision and yours are the date of the conferral? Or if your date is the date of reception.

It's possible. But I'm not sure which date should be which (date of decision, conferral or reception)? The dates for Raeder and Schniewind come from the book "Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine" by  Manfred Dörr.

 

14 hours ago, JohanH said:

Would it be possible to make some kind of note in your list on which dates are checked?

Sorry, I don't quite understand. What do you mean "which dates are checked"? The dates for the Admirals that had the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross come from the above mentioned book. The dates for the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty (Grand Cross and 1st Class) come from a thread on the Axis History Forum (apparently from period Finnish documents). The dates for Conrad Albrecht and Wilhelm Canaris are also from period documents.

Hello, I need help with the Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish orders/medals awarded to Kriegsmarine admirals. Please help me confirm the classes and award dates for these Kriegsmarine admirals. For some admirals I don't have the award dates. It would be great if anyone could help me with the award dates. All corrections/additions are welcome. I'm not sure if all the classes are correct, but they should be.

 

Here is the list I compiled (edited with correct dates from JohanH and Great Dane):

 

Großadmiral Erich Raeder:
-Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (27 February 1936)
-Grand Cross of the Royal Swedish Order of the Sword (18 October 1940)
-Grand Cross of the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty with Swords (25 March 1942)

 

Großadmiral Karl Dönitz:
-Knight's Cross 1st Class of the Royal Swedish Order of the Sword (12 April 1930)
-Grand Cross of the Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty with Swords (11 April 1944)

 

Generaladmiral Conrad Albrecht:
-Knight's Cross 1st Class of the Norwegian Order of St. Olav (31 July 1913)
-Commander's Cross 1st Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (19 October 1936, Approved on 26 January 1937)

 

Generaladmiral Karl Witzell:
-Knight's Cross of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog (30 July 1906)

 

Generaladmiral Otto Schniewind:
-Commander's Cross 2nd Class of the Royal Swedish Order of the Sword (26 June 1936)

 

Generaladmiral Rolf Carls:
-Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (1938)
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Star and Swords (25 March 1942)
 

Admiral Conrad Patzig:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Oak Leaves and Swords (25 March 1942)

 

Admiral Hubert Schmundt:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (25 March 1942)

 

Admiral Kurt Fricke:
-Knight's Cross 1st Class of the Royal Swedish Order of the Sword (12 April 1930)
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Oak Leaves and Swords (25 March 1942)

 

Admiral Max Bastian:
-Commander's Cross 2nd Class of the Royal Swedish Order of Vasa (4 April 1924)
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 2nd Class with Swords
-Finnish Silver Medal for Bravery (1918)
-Finnish Commemorative Medal of the „War of Liberation“ (1918)

 

Admiral Theodor Burchardi:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (7 June 1943)

 

Admiral Wilhelm Canaris:
-Commander's Cross 1st Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (8 June 1936, Approved on 15 December 1936)
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Star and Swords (16 September 1941)

 

Admiral Wilhelm Meisel:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 2nd Class with Swords (21 May 1942)

 

Admiral z.V. Wilhelm Prentzel:
-Knight's Cross 1st Class of the Royal Swedish Order of the Sword (13 July 1909)

 

Vizeadmiral Albrecht Freiherr von Freyberg-Eisenberg-Allmendingen:
-Knight's Cross 1st Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav
-Knight's Cross 1st Class of the Royal Swedish Order of the Sword (6 August 1908)

 

Vizeadmiral z.V. Alexander Werth:
-Knight's Cross 1st Class of the the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav

 

Vizeadmiral Erich Schulte Mönting:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 2nd Class with Swords (25 March 1942)

 

Vizeadmiral Friedrich Götting:
-Knight's Cross 1st Class of the Royal Swedish Order of the Sword

 

Char. Vizeadmiral Hans Kolbe:
-Knight's Cross 2nd Class of the Royal Swedish Order of Vasa (5 August 1905)

 

Vizeadmiral Heinz Nordmann:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (15 April 1944)

 

Vizeadmiral Joachim Lietzmann:
-Knight's Cross of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog (19 September 1933)
-Commander's Cross 2nd Class of the Royal Swedish Order of Vasa (1 November 1935)

 

Vizeadmiral Leopold Bürkner:
-Knight's Cross 1st Class of the Royal Swedish Order of the Sword (30 April 1936)
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (10 December 1941)

 

Vizeadmiral z.V. Paul Wülfing von Ditten:
-Finnish Commemorative Medal of the „War of Liberation“ (1918) with Clasp
-Finnish Silver Medal for Bravery (1918)
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 2nd Class with Swords
 

Konteradmiral Erich Alfred Breuning:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 2nd Class with Swords (25 March 1942)

 

Konteradmiral Ernst Lucht:
-Commander's Cross 1st Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland with Swords (11 August 1942)

 

Konteradmiral Hans Bütow:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (12 October 1941)

 

Konteradmiral Hans Küsel:
-Knight's Cross 2nd Class of the Royal Swedish Order of Vasa (2 July 1890)

 

Konteradmiral z.V. Heinrich Kehrhahn:
-Knight's Cross 2nd Class of the Royal Swedish Order of the Sword (6 August 1908)

 

Konteradmiral z.V. Heinz-Eduard Menche:
-Knight's Cross of the Danish Order of the Dannebrog (9 July 1908)

 

Konteradmiral Hermann Baron von Salza:
-Commander's Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (1922)
-Commander's Cross 1st Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (1931)

 

Konteradmiral Karl-Jesko von Puttkamer:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 2nd Class with Oak Leaves and Swords (11 June 1942)

 

Konteradmiral Kurt Böhmer:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (10 October 1942)

 

Konteradmiral Otto Klüber:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (21 May 1942)

 

Konteradmiral Reimar von Bonin:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (31 January 1942)

 

Char. Konteradmiral Reinhold Knobloch:
-Knight's Cross 2nd Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav

 

Konteradmiral z.V. Walter Isendahl:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (1918)
-Finnish Commemorative Medal of the „War of Liberation“ with Clasp (1918)

 

Konteradmiral Werner Steffan:
-Commander's Cross 1st Class of the Royal Swedish Order of the Sword (30 October 1936)
-Commander's Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland

 

Konteradmiral Werner Stichling:
-Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (15 April 1944)

 

Many thanks for any help!

Unknown #13

Who are these admirals with Karl Dönitz?

1: ???

2: ???

3: ???

Unknown #12

Who is the admiral (2) during Hitler's visit to the Battleship "Bismarck", 1941.

1: Günther Lütjens

2: ???

Unknown #11

Who is this admiral?

25 minutes ago, Antonio Prieto said:

The granting of Grand Cross of the Order of Naval Merit to Canaris. must be prior to October 1937. I do not know the specific date, but at the end of this month it had not been awarded, because they did not have insignia available and that only would get from January 1938. Perhaps it would be imposed in mid-February 1938 on a visit to Burgos

The Bundesarchiv site linked by Deutschritter gives the date 17.09.1937 for Canaris' Grand Cross of the Order of Naval Merit.

22 hours ago, Antonio Prieto said:

6) Hermann von Fischel:

Thinking that the double concession is an error, I have chosen, without defined criteria, the last date. If at any time I find additional documentation or the date of imposition, it could change

No, 05.03.1938 is the correct date for von Fischel. Here is the reason: These two photos below, I'm pretty sure, show the award ceremony of the Order of Mehdauia for von Fischel and Otto Ciliax. On the first photo both of them already have the breast star. On the second photo Ciliax doesn't yet have it, because von Fischel got it first. Since we know that Otto Ciliax got his Comendador de número (Fajama) on 05.03.1938, then von Fischel got his Grand Cross on the same date. Do you agree?

2 minutes ago, Deutschritter said:

Thank you! Therefore in German Großoffizier or Großkomtur would be right.

I think the Großkomtur would fit better. What do you think?

4 minutes ago, Antonio Prieto said:

No. It is an intermediate category between the Commander and the Grand Cross. It is the neck insignia and a plaque to be worn on the right side of the chest, instead of the left

So how would you translate Comendador de Número into German? The class between the Grand Cross and Commander in German could be either Großoffizierskreuz or Großkomturkreuz.

Just now, Deutschritter said:

Who is the Admiral? Thanks!

Hermann Boehm.

1 minute ago, Deutschritter said:

Short follow up: Would the Comendador de Número be like the Großoffizier in German?

I think so. But Antonio can confirm/deny this.

Thank you! Sure, here are the photos I have of them wearing the Order of Mehdauia (from top to bottom: Otto Ciliax, Hermann von Fischel and Kurt Böhmer).