(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generaladmiral Walter Warzecha
Born: 23 May 1891 in Schwiebus, Brandenburg
Died: 30 Aug 1956 in Hamburg
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (12 Apr 1910); Leutnant zur See (19 Sep 1912); Oberleutnant zur See (02 May 1915); Kapitänleutnant (21 Jan 1920); Korvettenkapitän (01 Jan 1928); Kapitän zur See (01 Oct 1934); Konteradmiral (01 Nov 1938); Vizeadmiral (01 Jan 1941); Admiral (01 Apr 1942); Generaladmiral (01 Mar 1944)
Career:
Entered the Navy as a Seekadett, Attended Basic-Training and on Board the Heavy Cruiser 'Victoria Louise' (01 Apr 1909-31 Mar 1910)
Naval-School and Special-Briefings (01 Apr 1910-30 Sep 1911)
On Board the Battleship 'Nassau' (01 Oct 1911-00 Aug 1916)
Submarine-Training at the Submarine-School and Commandant of the Torpedo-Division-Boat 'D 3' (00 Aug 1916-00 Mar 19178)
Commandant of 'UC 1' of the Submarine-Flotilla Flaunders (00 Mar 1917-00 Jul 1917)
Flag-Lieutenant of the II. Submarine-Flotilla Flaunders (00 Jul 1917-00 Jan 1918)
Commandant of the Submarine 'UC 71', II. Submarine-Flotilla Flaunders (00 Jan 1918-00 Sep 1918)
Commandant of the Submarine 'UB 148', II. Submarine-Flotilla Flaunders (19 Sep 1918-26 Nov 1918)
Placed to the Disposal of the Inspection of Submarine-Affairs (26 Nov 1918-31 Mar 1919)
Group-Leader in the 11th Minesweeper-Half-Flotilla (01 Apr 1919-31 Aug 1919)
Company-Leader in Coastal-Defence-Battalion II, Coastal-Defence-Regiment Wilhelmshaven (01 Sep 1919-30 Sep 1920)
Company-Leader in the Coastal-Defence-Battalion VI (01 Oct 1920-18 Mar 1921)
Naval-Liaison-Officer to Army Command (19 Mar 1921-31 Jan 1922)
Ships-Cadre: Cruiser 'Berlin' (01 Feb 1922-22 Mar 1922)
Cadet-Officer on the Battleship 'Hannover' (23 Mar 1922-23 Apr 1923)
Cadet-Officer on the Sailing-School-Ship 'Niobe' (24 Apr 1923-03 Jul 1923)
Cadet-Officer on the Cruiser 'Berlin' (04 Jul 1923-23 Mar 1924)
Instructor and Company-Leader at the Naval-School Mürwik (01 Apr 1924-05 Apr 1925)
Advisor in the Naval-Defence-Department, Naval Command (06 Apr 1925-02 Oct 1925)
Navigations-Officer on the Battleship 'Elsaß' (03 Oct 1928-25 Feb 1930)
Placed to the Disposal of the Chief of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (26 Feb 1930-09 Jun 1930)
1st Adjutant in the Staff of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (10 Jun 1930-01 Oct 1932)
Commander of the II. Battalion of the Ships-Cadre-Division of the Baltic Sea (06 Oct 1932-20 Sep 1934)
Chief Of Staff of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (24 Sep 1934-28 Sep 1937)
Commandant of the Armoured-Ship 'Admiral Graf Spee' (02 Oct 1937-31 Oct 1938)
Chief of the Naval-Defence-Office, OKM (01 Nov 1938-14 Feb 1943)
Chief of the General Naval Head-Office, OKM (15 Nov 1939-30 Apr 1944)
Chief of Kriegsmarine-Defence, OKM (01 May 1944-22 Jul 1945)
At the same time, Supreme Sea-Officer in OKM (24 May 1945-22 Jul 1945)
In Captivity (22 Jul 1945-21 Feb 1947)
Released (21 Feb 1947)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuzes mit Schwertern: am 25.01.1945 als Generaladmiral und Chef der Kriegsmarinewehr
- Deutsches Kreuz in Silber: am 30.01.1943 als Admiral und Chef des Allgemeinen Marinehauptamtes
- RK des Kgl. Preuss. Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Ritterkreuz II Klasse des Herzogl. Sachsen-Ernestinischen Hausordens mit Schwertern
- Grossherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz II Klasse
- Grossherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz I Klasse
- Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz
- U-Bootskriegsabzeichen, 1918
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I Klasse
- Spange zum EK I
- Spange zum EK II
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz II Klasse mit Schwertern
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz I Klasse mit Schwertern
- Flottenkriegsabzeichen


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