Walter Warzecha
| Walter Wilhelm Julius Warzecha | |
|---|---|
Walter Warzecha in April 1944
|
|
| Born |
23 May 1891 Schwiebus, Brandenburg |
| Died | 3 August 1956 (aged 65) Hamburg |
| Allegiance |
 German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany
|
| Service/branch |
 Kaiserliche Marine Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine
|
| Years of service | 1909–45 |
| Rank | Generaladmiral |
| Commands held |
UC-1 UC-71 UB-148 Admiral Graf Spee Commander-in-Chief of the Kriesgsmarine (commissary) |
| Battles/wars |
World War I • Battle of the Atlantic (1914–1918) World War II |
| Awards | Knight`s Cross of the War Merit Cross |
Walter Wilhelm Julius Warzecha (23 May 1891 – 3 August 1956) was a German naval commander and high-ranking officer of the Kriegsmarine. Serving in the rank of General Admiral he succeeded General Admiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg as the last Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine after the end of World War II.
Walter Warzecha was born on 23 May 1891 in Schwiebus (modern Świebodzin). His father, Max Warzecha, was mayor of the town of Neuruppin, but the family came from Silesia, hence the Slavic rather than German surname.
On 1 April 1909 Warzecha joined the Kaiserliche Marine as a Seekadett. His first post was aboard the heavy cruiser Victoria Louise where he was promoted to Fähnrich zur See in April 1910. Between 1911 and 1916 he served on the dreadnought battleship Nassau, and there was promoted to the rank of Leutnant zur See in September 1912, and then to Oberleutnant zur See on 2 May 1915.
From August 1916 until the end of World War I he served as the commanding officer of various submarines; UC-1, UC-71 and UB-148, and sank nine ships totalling 22,612 GRT, and damaged ten more for a total of 55,808 GRT.
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