Cajus Bekker

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cajus Bekker (born August 12, 1924 in Düsseldorf ; † March 10, 1975 ; actually Hans Dieter Berenbrok ) was a German journalist and naval writer .

Career

Hans Dieter Berenbrok grew up in Hamburg and joined the Navy in 1943 , where he served as a naval intelligence officer (radio officer) and at the end of the war held the rank of senior ensign. After the war, Berenbrok worked as a news editor and reporter for various newspapers and magazines. In 1953 he published his first book, Kampf und Untergang der Kriegsmarine, under the pseudonym Cajus Bekker . A documentary report in words and pictures , the content of which he had compiled from numerous private records and innumerable personal interviews, since German files were still in the custody of the victorious powers at the time.

The book was distributed free of charge to 460 youth villages and youth homes in 1956 as part of a propaganda campaign by the Adenauer government, together with other works, in order to “promote the spirit of defense among young people and make them understand how the new German armed forces were included in the defense alliance of the Atlantic Community. "

From 1955 Berenbrok was a lecturer and editor for the marine program of Gerhard Stalling-Verlag (Oldenburg / Hamburg), where he also remained active as an author Cajus Bekker. Berenbrok also used its reserve exercises (as Lieutenant Commander d. Res.) In the German Navy to in the Military History Research Institute and the Federal Archive-Military Archive to engage in Freiburg with the value returned by Britain German Navy files. He died while working on a new book about the "War in the Aether" in connection with the Battle of the Atlantic .

According to Jürgen Rohwer, Bekker saw his task in “making the achievements of our seafarers and pilots in the Second World War before the largest possible number of readers”. According to Rohwer, his reports should not be “scientific naval warfare works”.

Publications

Sponholtz-Verlag, Hanover
  • 1953: “The fight and sinking of the navy. A documentary report in words and pictures ”, 278 p.
  • 1956: “... and yet loved life. The exciting adventures of German torpedo riders, frogmen and explosive device pilots ”, Hanover, 236 pp.
Stalling Verlag, Oldenburg / Hamburg
  • 1958: “Radar - duel in the dark. Dramatic highlights of scientific and technical warfare ", 352 pp. (2nd verb. Edition 1964 under the title" Eyes through night and fog ")
  • 1959: "Baltic Sea - German Destiny 1944/45. The authentic report from the last use of the Kriegsmarine ", 319 p. (2nd verb. Edition 1964 under the title" Flucht über Meer ")
  • 1964: "Attack height 4000. A war diary of the German Air Force", 484 p. (4th edition 1972)
  • 1961: “The sunken fleet. German battleships and cruisers 1925–1945 "(illustrated book)
  • 1962: “Aircraft carrier. Giants of the Seas "(illustrated book)
  • 1971: “Damn Sea. A war diary of the German Navy "
  • 1972: "The great picture book of the German Navy" (illustrated book)

Sources and individual references

  1. ^ Bernhard Chiari, Matthias Rogg , Wolfgang Schmidt: War and the military in the film of the 20th century , Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, 2003, ISBN 978-3-486-56716-8 ; P. 506, fn. 27
  2. ↑ Cf. Military History Research Office : The Bundeswehr 1955 to 2005. Flashbacks, Insights, Perspectives , Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag , 2007, ISBN 978-3-486-57958-1 ; P. 184 f.
  3. ↑ Cf. Bundesarchiv B 185/811, record on the distribution of books to youth homes to promote the concept of defense in terms of public relations in defense matters, March 2, 1956
  4. ^ Obituary ("last message") by Jürgen Rohwer in " Marine-Rundschau " (4/1975, Personalnachrichten)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Bekker, Cajus
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Berenbrok, Hans Dieter (real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German journalist and naval writer
DATE OF BIRTH August 12, 1924
PLACE OF BIRTH Dusseldorf
DATE OF DEATH March 10, 1975