The man who succeeded hitler the man took over the third reich after hitler committed suicide on 30 april, was not field marshal hermann goering, or ss chief heinrich himmler, but the head of the navy, karl doenitz. Karl doenitz and the last days of the third reich by barry turner. Memoirs ten years and twenty days by doenitz admiral. Grand admiral karl doenitz was a german naval commander during world war ii who is best known for commanding the uboat fleet.
The international military tribunal trials at nuremberg nuernberg in 1946 charged the defendants with four crimes. These war memoirs of admiral karl doenitz might be considered the official history of the german uboat service which he recreated in 1935 and brilliantly commanded until 194345 when he became commanderinchief of the navy. From 1936 to 1943, doenitz was commander of the submarine fleet, and beginning on jan. The son of emil and anna doenitz, karl doenitz was born at berlin on september 16, 1891. He commanded the german navy kriegsmarine during the second half of world war ii. Having served as a submarine officer in world war one, when adolf hitler came to power. An evenhanded portrait of nazi germanys last leader and a compellingly readable account of the culmination of the war in europe, karl doenitz and the last days of the third reich gives a fascinating new perspective on a complex man at the heart of this crucial period in history. This item contains a letter from secretary of war robert p. The brief accuses doenitz of wholehearted participation in the nazi conspiracy, particularly in terms of his rearming the german navy beyond the provisions of the versailles treaty and persecuting submarine warfare against ships of. Karl doenitz, 89, who succeeded adolf hitler and signed nazi germanys surrender in world war ii, died of a heart attack wednesday at his. Download pdf the memoirs of karl doenitz book full free.
Doenitz was commander of germanys ww ii submarine fleet. The national archives online catalog is undergoing some changes. Count one charged all of the defendants with being leaders. His mother died on march 6, 1895, when karl was only three years old. The trial of admiral doenitz naval history and heritage navy. Yi sunshin and horatio nelson immediately comes to mind, with togo heihachiro and isoroku yamamoto also prominently in mind. The best admirals of all time is quite a hefty title. Released in 2016, author barry turners look at one of the lesser known nazi leaders is an intriguing read.
Karl donitz, the commander in chief of the kriegsmarine navy of the third reich, served as the last president ofnazigermany. D630 is contained in the statement of korvettenkapitaen karl heinz moehle 382ps. The hoover institution archives only allows access to copies of audiovisual items. The nuremberg trials court convicted him of war crimes in 1946.
His father was an engineer with the firm of karl zeiss of jena, a world leader in the field of optics. Karl doenitz was born on september 16, 1891 in berlin, germany. His memoir covers his early career with submarines in the first world war and follows both his successes and failures through the second world war, with great detail on the way the uboat campaign was waged, as told by the man who invented uboat tactics. His promotion to lead what remained of the third reich for 20 days after hitlers suicide in april of 1945 came as a shock to many, including doenitz himself. He described numerous species of insects, ticks and worked for thirteen years in japan where he was a professor of anatomy while also serving as the first forensic physician there. Karl doenitz was born in berlin, 16 september 1891 and died on 24 december 1980. Ten years and twenty days by doenitz, grand admiral karl and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Karl doenitz quotes quotes by and about karl doenitz continued from his main entry on the site. His wolfpack tactics resulted in a handful of uboats sinking 14. Karl doenitz biography, birth date, birth place and pictures. They are an impersonal but subjective, carefully rationalized recitation of the growth, operation, successes and losses of his cherished submarine service and the defeat. Pdf the memoirs of karl doenitz download full pdf book. He was the second son of emil doenitz and anna beyer. Karl doenitz bio of world war ii german naval commander. Conduct of war at sea naval history and heritage navy. Karl doenitz and the last days of the third reich gives a fascinating new perspective on a complex man at the heart of this crucial period in history. Commander of the uboat fleet, supreme naval commander, and finally hitlers successor in the last days of the third reich, grand admiral karl doenitz. Karl doenitz article about karl doenitz by the free. To listen to sound recordings or to view videos or films during your visit, please contact the archives at least two working days before your arrival.
If you had an existing opa pilot account you will need to set up a password for the new site. Karl donitz, born september 16, 1891, grunaubeiberlin, germanydied december 24, 1980, aumuhle, west germany, german naval officer and creator of germanys world war ii uboat fleet who for a few days succeeded adolf hitler as german head of state during world war i, donitz served as a submarine officer in the black sea and the mediterranean. He had his final examination on the realgymnasium in weimar and joined the. Marriage certificate, private will and political testament. Rudolf hess, hitlers deputy and now the lone occupant of spandau war crimes. This document is a preliminary trial brief of the case against karl doenitz. He enlisted as a sea cadet in 1910 and after naval training was commissioned as an officer in the german navy in 19. It is submitted in this procedure, however, that grand admiral karl doenitz, grand admiral erich raeder, field marshal wilhelm keitel, and. The memoirs of karl doenitz available for download and read online in other formats.
He was also the creator of the reichs german uboat fleet and a very proactive naval leader. Most of the time the ship spent the mediterranean and during the first months of wwi operated from istanbul, turkey. Karl donitz, commander in chief of the kriegsmarine, was. When he became commander in chief of the german naval fleet on january 30 1943, he authorized german submarines to sink all. In 1935 he took command of the first uboat flotilla commissioned since 1918, became in 1936 commander of the submarine arm, was made viceadmiral in 1940, admiral in 1942, and on 30th january, 1943, commanderinchief of the german navy. Admiral doenitz essay on the conduct of the war at sea is. Following his education, he enlisted as a sea cadet in the kaiserliche marine imperial german navy april 4, 1910, and was promoted to midshipman a year later. Karl doenitz was born in berlingrenau on 16th september, 1891. The story of the last world war, as told by grand admiral karl doenitz himself. Karl doenitz and the last days of the third reich by barry. His boat was sunk on october 4, 1918 and he became a prisoner of war of the british. On may 1, 1945, in accordance with the will and testament of a.
Karl donitz, fodd 16 september 1891 i grunau utanfor berlin 2, dod 24 december 1980 i aumuhle nara hamburg, var en tysk sjomilitar. But he was an anticommunist, a conservative, a nationalist, and, above all, a patriot. Karl donitz, the commander in chief of the kriegsmarine navy of the third reich, served as the last president of nazi germany. Karl doenitz was a military man, gentleman, and officer who could trace his noble ancestry and service to germany then prussia back some several centuries. Karl donitz, german naval officer and creator of germanys world war ii uboat fleet who for a few days succeeded adolf hitler as german head of state before. The effectiveness of the leadership of admiral karl donitz lieutenant commander s. His memoir covers his early career with submarines in the first world war and follows both his successes and failures through the second world war, with great detail on the way the uboat campaign was waged, as.
Commander of the uboat fleet, supreme naval commander, and finally hitlers successor in the last days of the third reich, grand admiral karl doenitz 18911980 has been condemned as a nazi and praised as one of the most brilliant and honorable military leaders of the war. The reason that the american navy does so well in wartime is that war is chaos, and the americans practice chaos on a daily basis. More than 100 wreaths lay strewn around the church. The principles of national socialism were bound to appeal to him. Doenitz died at his aumuehle home christmas eve at the age of 89. An essay by admiral karl doenitz grossadmiral karl donitz, kriegsmarine. Rare images of world war ii german admiral karl doenitz. With his experience as a uboat captain during world war i, he oversaw the training, organization and deployment of uboat crews during the next war. Ritchie, ran world war ii submarine warfare epitomized the effect of the ebb and.
He became viceadmiral in 1940 and finally admiral in 1942. In the deepest sorrow and respect the german people bow. Doenitz requests a red sleeping pill in a note charles kept creator of germanys world war ii uboat fleet, admiral karl doenitz succeeded both admiral erich raeder as commanderinchief of the navy and later adoph hitler, after his suicide, as reich head of state in the final days of nazi germany. Patterson to president harry truman, the certificate of marriage between adolf hitler and eva braun, the private will of adolf hitler, a letter from martin bormann, and the political testament of adolf hitler.
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