Befehlshaber der U-Boote
{{Short description|Supreme commander of the German Navy's U-boat Arm during both world wars}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Commander of the U-boats
| native_name = Befehlshaber der U-Boote
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| department = {{navy|Nazi Germany}}
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| abbreviation = BdU
| member_of =
| reports_to = Oberbefehlshaber der Marine
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| constituting_instrument =
| precursor = Führer der Unterseeboote
| formation = 1917, recreated 17 October 1939
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| abolished = 8 May 1945
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The Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote or BdU (Eng: "Commander of the U-boats") was the supreme commander of the German Navy's U-boat Arm (Ubootwaffe) during the First and Second World Wars. The term also referred to the Command HQ of the U-boat arm.Hague pviii
The title was established in June 1917, replacing the role of "Leader of the U-boats" (Führer der Unterseeboote, or FdU) for the High Seas Flotillas. The first incumbent was Kapitan zur See/Kommodore Andreas Michelsen, previously head of the High Seas Fleet’s destroyer force.Tarrant p56 The post was abolished with the end of the war.
It was revived on 17 October 1939, when Karl Dönitz was promoted to rear admiral (Konteradmiral). His previous title had been FdU, a position he had held from January 1936.{{cite web| url=http://uboat.net/men/doenitz.htm| title=Karl Dönitz| work=uboat.net| access-date=31 August 2009}}
On 31 January 1943 Dönitz was promoted to grand admiral (Großadmiral) and became supreme commander (Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine) of the entire Kriegsmarine, replacing Erich Raeder. He retained the title, but was replaced as operational commander at BdU by his chief of staff Eberhard Godt.{{cite web|url=http://uboat.net/men/godt.htm|title=Eberhard Godt|publisher=uboat.net|access-date=31 August 2009}}
Godt's successor was Admiral Hans Georg von Friedeburg, who held the position at the end of the war and became commander-in-chief of the German navy when Dönitz became head of Nazi Germany after Hitler's suicide.
Imperial German Navy (''Kaiserliche Marine'')
- Andreas Michelsen (June 1917 to November 1918)
''Kriegsmarine''
=Commander=
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| image_title = Portrait
| officeholder_title = Name
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = n
|showaltofficeholder = y
|alt_officeholder_title = Other positions held
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 1
| image = Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1976-127-06A, Karl Dönitz - crop.jpg
| military_rank = Konteradmiral
| officeholder = Karl Dönitz
| officeholder_sort = Dönitz, Karl
| born_year = 1891
| died_year = 1980
| term_start = 17 October 1939
| term_end = 31 January 1943
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1939|10|17|1943|01|31}}
| alt_officeholder = FdU (January 1936 - September 1939)
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 2
| image = RearAdmiralGodt.jpg
| military_rank = Konteradmiral
| officeholder = Eberhard Godt
| officeholder_sort = Godt, Eberhard
| born_year = 1900
| died_year = 1995
| term_start = 31 January 1943
| term_end = 8 May 1945
| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1943|01|31|1945|05|08}}
| alt_officeholder = Admiralstabsoffizier (1939-1939)
Chef der Operationsabteilung (1939-1945)
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}
=Subordinate=
;Department Chief
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| image_title = Portrait
| officeholder_title = Abteilungschef
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = n
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 1
| image = Admirał Karl Donitz podczas przemawiania do załóg okrętów wojennych (2-2603) (cropped).jpg
| military_rank = Kapitän zur See
| officeholder = Hans-Georg von Friedeburg
| officeholder_sort = Friedeburg, Hans
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1895
| died_year = 1945committed suicide 23 May 1945
| term_start = 17 October 1939
| term_end = 11 September 1941
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1939|10|17|1941|09|11}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}
;2nd Admiral of the U-boats
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| image_title = Portrait
| officeholder_title = 2. Admiral der Unterseeboote
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = n
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 1
| image = Admirał Karl Donitz podczas przemawiania do załóg okrętów wojennych (2-2603) (cropped).jpg
| military_rank = Konteradmiral
| officeholder = Hans-Georg von Friedeburg
| officeholder_sort = Friedeburg, Hans
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1895
| died_year = 1945
| term_start = 12 September 1941
| term_end = 30 April 1943
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1941|09|12|1943|04|30}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}
;Commanding Admiral of the U-boats
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| image_title = Portrait
| officeholder_title = Kommandierender Admiral
der Unterseeboote
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = n
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 1
| image = British-Navy-takes-over-at-Kiel-352042830525 (cropped).jpg
| military_rank = Admiral
| officeholder = Hans-Georg von Friedeburg
| officeholder_sort = Friedeburg, Hans
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1895
| died_year = 1945
| term_start = 1 February 1943
| term_end = 30 April 1945
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1943|02|01|1945|04|30}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 2
| image =
| military_rank = Kapitän zur See
| officeholder = Kurt Dobratz
| officeholder_sort = Dobratz, Kurt
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1904
| died_year = 1995
| term_start = 1 May 1945
| term_end = 8 May 1945
| timeinoffice = {{age in days|1945|05|01|1945|05|08 |show unit=full}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}
Dobratz had transferred from navy to Luftwaffe in 1935. He rejoined the Kriegsmarine in 1943 and was given command of U-1232 taking it out on one patrol before becoming chief of staff at BdU.{{citation |work=uboat.net |url=https://uboat.net/men/dobratz.htm |title=Kurt Dobratz }}
;Chief of Staff of the Commanding Admiral of the U-boats
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder = y
| showimage = y
| image_title = Portrait
| officeholder_title = Stabschef des Kommandierenden
Admirals der Unterseeboote
| showtermlenght = y
| showparty = n
| showdefencebranch = n
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 1
| image =
| military_rank = Fregattenkapitän
| officeholder = Heinz-Ehler Beucke
| officeholder_sort = Beucke, Heinz
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1904
| died_year = 1979
| term_start = March 1943
| term_end = May 1943
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1943|03|1|1943|05|1}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 2
| image =
| military_rank = Konteradmiral
| officeholder = Ernst Kratzenberg
| officeholder_sort = Kratzenberg, Ernst
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1896
| died_year = 1984
| term_start = June 1943
| term_end = April 1945
| timeinoffice = {{age in years and months|1943|06|1|1945|04|1}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 3
| image =
| military_rank = Kapitän zur See
| officeholder = Kurt Dobratz
| officeholder_sort = Dobratz, Kurt
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1904
| died_year = 1995
| term_start = April 1945
| term_end = April 1945
| timeinoffice = {{age in days|1945|04|1|1945|04|1 |show unit=full}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order = 4
| image =
| military_rank = Fregattenkapitän
| officeholder = Ewald Engler
| officeholder_sort = Engler, Ewald
| officeholder_note =
| born_year = 1913
| died_year =
| term_start = 1 May 1945
| term_end = 8 May 1945
| timeinoffice = {{age in days|1945|05|01|1945|05|08 |show unit=full}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}
Beucke was withdrawn from command of U-boat (a single patrol with {{GS|U-173}}) in 1942 because his brothers had been killed.
Notes
{{reflist|group=note}}
{{Reflist}}
References
- Arnold Hague : The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945 (2000). {{ISBN|1-55125-033-0}} (Canada); {{ISBN|1-86176-147-3}} (UK).
- VE Tarrant (1989) The U-Boat Offensive 1914-1945 Arms & Armour {{ISBN|0-85368-928-8}}
{{Uboat}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Befehlshaber Der U-Boote}}
Category:Kriegsmarine appointments