German Admirals at Laboe, 30 May 1936

[Odulf]

A large size photo of the inauguration of the Naval Monument al Laboe near Kiel, with about a dozen of active and retired admirals present.

Interesting to see that retired admirals wear the imperial insignia, and the active/reserve admirals the newly intruduced insignia of the Third Reich.

Who are these admirals that we see?

Edited December 4, 2013 by Odulf

[Dave Danner]

The nearest officer, wearing the sash of the Crown Order 1st Class with Swords, appears to be Admiral Ehrhardt Schmidt, 1863-1946.

[Paul C]

Great photo. Most should be identifiable as they are pictured in the Germany Navy Admirals book.

[Odulf]

Thanks Dave, I have numbered them, so it is easier to make references.

Yes Paul, I have the trilogy on German Admirals, but it is very hard to tell who is who in this photo.

The books do not reveal the orders and decorations of the individual admirals, which could be helpful to identify these men.

Perhaps the photo, or a similar photo was published in a book or newspaper, with the names of the admirals.

[Odulf]

No.6 has been identified as Vizeadmiral Von Trotha, he would be speaching on the 30th May.

[Odulf]

No.1 is probably Korvettenkapitän a.D. Ernst Hintzmann, the President (Bundesführer) of the NS Deutscher Marine-Bund, wearing the uniform of the NSDMB.

The monument was erected due to the effords of his organisation.

Away from the camera, is this Korvettenkapitän in a Kriegsmarine uniform.

He sports an amazing chest of medals and decorations (in 2 rows!) and could be recognized for that reason.

Does any one have an idea?

Edited February 13, 2014 by Odulf

[speedytop]

Hi,

no problem:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_von_Luckner

Uwe

[Odulf]

Thanks Uwe, I thought so (I have a couple of signed photos of him), but dismissed the thought because I could not find evidence that the transfered into the Kriegsmarine.

So this is him, wearing the Kriegmarine uniform...

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

Hello, did you identify numbers 1, 2, 5 and 12?

[Bayern]

Hello Number 12 looks like konteradmiral Magnus von Levetzow .

6 minutes ago, Bayern said:

Hello Number 12 looks like konteradmiral Magnus von Levetzow .

correction : von Levetzow is the number 10 ,

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

6 hours ago, Bayern said:

Hello Number 12 looks like konteradmiral Magnus von Levetzow .

correction : von Levetzow is the number 10 ,

This is what I managed to ID. 

3 Admiral Ehrhard Schmidt (1863-1946)
4 Admiral Paul Behncke (1866-1937) 
6 Vizeadmiral Adolf von Trotha (1868-1940)
7 Vizeadmiral Friedrich Boedicker (1866-1944)
8 Vizeadmiral Wilhelm Souchon (1864-1946)
9 Vizeadmiral Ludwig von Reuter (1869-1943)
10 Konteradmiral Magnus von Levetzow (1871-1939)
11 Konteradmiral Max Bastian (1883-1958)
13 Korvettenkapitän Felix Graf von Luckner (1881-1966) 

I'm missing numbers 1,2,5 and 12... Any ideas?

[Bayern]

Number 1 appears to be a Marine beamte perhaps a chaplain .note his mutze with plain leather visor and chincords in place of the leather chinstrap of the line officers of the Kriegsmarine.

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

Update on number 8!

It is Vizeadmiral Walter Engelhardt and NOT Wilhelm Souchon!

Numbers 2 (Konteradmiral) and 12 (Vizeadmiral) still unknown...

Edited June 4, 2018 by Kriegsmarine Admiral

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

I think number 12 is Vizeadmiral Hugo Meurer. Does anyone agree?

Compare the 3 photos below.

Thanks

[Odulf]

Looks like him very much, thanks!

 

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

1 hour ago, Odulf said:

Looks like him very much, thanks!

 

No problem.

I will work on number 2 (the Konteradmiral) and let you know if I identify him.

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

On 15/10/2018 at 10:42, Odulf said:

Looks like him very much, thanks!

 

I think I found out who the Konteradmiral is (number 2)!

Ernst-Oldwig von Natzmer (on the left, photo below). Compare the photos below.

Edited October 17, 2018 by Kriegsmarine Admiral

[Odulf]

Splendid!

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

5 hours ago, Odulf said:

Splendid!

I am trying to identify the Konteradmiral between numbers 10 and 11.

Do these 2 photos below show the same man?
On the right is Charakter als Konteradmiral Johannes Horn.

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

Anyone?

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

One other correction for the photo Odulf posted at the top.

Number 11 is NOT Max Bastian.

He is Kurt Aßmann (Konteradmiral at the time).

 

Here is another photo that was taken at the Inauguration of the Naval Memorial in Laboe on 30 May 1936. Please help me identify all the officers.

 

1: Paul Behncke
2: unknown Konteradmiral (most likely later active in the Kriegsmarine)
3: Adolf von Trotha
4: ???
5: Herbert Goehle
6: Friedrich Boedicker
7: ???
8: Ernst Wolf
9: Walter Engelhardt
10: Gottfried Hansen
11: Ludwig von Reuter
12: Magnus von Levetzow
13: unknown Konteradmiral
14: ??? (also most likely a Konteradmiral)
15: Kurt Aßmann

Edited August 25, 2023 by Kriegsmarine Admiral

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

Could number 2 in the photo I posted above be Erich Mahrholz?

Photo of Mahrholz below.

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

Number 13: Konteradmiral Johannes Hartog?

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

Number 13 is confirmed as Konteradmiral Johannes Hartog.

Number 2 is Charakterisierter Konteradmiral a.D. Dr.phil.h.c. Fritz Spiess.

[Kriegsmarine Admiral]

I found two candidates for number 14:

Konteradmiral Heinrich Retzmann (1st and 2nd photos below) and

Konteradmiral Karl Sievers (3rd photo below).

Please share your opinions.