Joachim Lietzmann

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Joachim Lietzmann (born September 1, 1894 in Kiel , † September 19, 1959 in Hameln ) was a German vice admiral in World War II .

Life

On April 1, 1911, Joachim Lietzmann joined the Imperial Navy . He went through basic seamanship training on the training ship Hansa . After attending the Mürwik Naval School , he took part in special courses and prepared for his first assignment abroad.

On October 15, 1913, Lietzmann began his journey to East Asia . In December 1913 he arrived in Tsingtau in the German colony of Kiautschou . There he was used as a role officer on the Great Cruiser Gneisenau .

With the beginning of the First World War , the Gneisenau , subordinated to the East Asia Squadron, was on an inspection trip near Ponape in the Pacific . Because of the distance, it was no longer possible to reach the stationing site in Tsingtau. The association received orders to drive to the Falkland Islands and to disrupt international trade there. The Gneisenau sank several ships. In early November 1914, he participated in the Battle of Coronel on and on December 8, 1914 Battle of the Falkland Islands in part . In the latter battle, the crew sank the ship after it had used all ammunition. With the survivors of the team, Lietzmann was taken prisoner of war on December 8, 1914 . He stayed here until the beginning of 1918, but after his arrival in Europe he was interned again in the Netherlands until the end of November 1918 and then on leave until the end of November 1919. During this time, Lietzmann was promoted to first lieutenant at sea on May 17, 1919 with seniority from April 26, 1917 .

Lietzmann was used on August 27, 1920 in the Reichsmarine as an officer on watch on board the torpedo boat T 139 ("Pfeil"). For a year he was then chief of the Second Flotilla. Lietzmann attended the torpedo school in Flensburg-Mürwik for a year until the beginning of 1922 . In February 1922 he was promoted to lieutenant captain. This was followed by commands as a company officer, as a flag lieutenant and as a commander in the area of ​​the torpedo boat semi-flotilla.

In 1922 he published his book Lost Post. Under the flag of the Count of Spee . In it he describes his memories and experiences from around 1914, when he was confronted with the war and the actions of people in these extreme situations on board the cruiser Gneisenau .

Lietzmann became commander and from 1925 at the same time 2nd admiral staff officer in the staff of the commander of the North Sea naval forces. After a further two years of driving, he was brought into naval management in 1927 as a consultant for the fleet department . After that, operations as chief of the 1st torpedo boat semi-flotilla alternated with renewed advisory activities in the fleet department until he was promoted to corvette captain on January 1, 1930 . From 1931 he was again commanded into the naval command, now as head of the staff, and from 1933 took over the post of 1st admiral staff officer in the staff of the commander of the reconnaissance forces. During this time he was co-editor of the propaganda book Our Navy in World War II .

In May 1935 he was promoted to frigate captain and from November in the Reich Ministry of War appointed head of the domestic department. He held this office until March 1936 and changed from here to familiarize himself with the intended task as a naval attaché . His first assignment as a naval attaché took place on March 24, 1936 at the German embassy in Paris . On January 1, 1937 he was promoted to sea captain. With effect from June 1, 1937, his successor was Captain Ralf von der Marwitz . On August 24, 1937, Lietzmann took over the post of naval attaché in Tokyo . From June 1, 1939, he was also responsible as a naval attaché for Manchuko . This move was primarily based on the expectation that Japan's military strategy could turn towards mainland Asia. In Tokyo he met Richard Sorge , whom he later had the war diary read. Lietzmann's service in Tokyo ended on March 30, 1940 when he was handed over to his predecessor, Rear Admiral Paul Wenneker .

After returning to Germany, Lietzmann was deployed as part of the military planning for the "Fall Rot", the attack on France that began on May 10, 1940. On May 28, 1940 he became Chief of Staff at the commanding Admiral West, from June 1940 commanding Admiral France . On January 1, 1941 promoted to Rear Admiral, he held this post until April 1942. On April 28, 1942, Lietzmann became commander of the fleet's training association. In March 1943 he became Coast Commander Pomerania for six months in order to take over the post of Commanding Admiral Adria, newly created after the armistice of Cassibile in September 1943 . Almost simultaneously with the start of service in October, he was promoted to Vice Admiral. At the end of 1944 the office was closed due to the course of the war. Lietzmann became Admiral zbV Südost and as such went into captivity, from which he was released in June 1947.

He first emigrated to Argentina , but returned to Germany before his death on September 19, 1959 in Hameln.

Publications

  • At a losing point. Under the flag of the Count of Spee. Lhotzky Verlag, Munich 1922.
  • Our navy in the world war. other authors: Fritz Otto, Forstner, Georg von Günther, Lorey, Hermann, Heinz Hintzmann, Keilhack, Küster, Lietzmann, Zimmermann, Fritz; Brunnen Verlag Berlin, 1933

literature

  • Dermot Bradley (eds.), Hans H. Hildebrand, Ernest Henriot: Germany's Admirals 1849-1945. The military careers of naval, engineering, medical, weapons and administrative officers with admiral rank. Volume 2: HO. Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 1988, ISBN 3-7648-1499-3 , pp. 377-378.
  • John WM Chapman: The Price of Admiralty. The War Diary of the German Neval Attache in Japan 1939–1943. UK 1984 (3 volumes)
  • Hans Hildebrand: Formation history and staffing of the German armed forces 1915–1990. Volume 2 (Marine), Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 2000.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e A. Hanish Ion, Barry D. Hunt; War and Diplomacy Across the Pacific, 1919-1952; Wilfried Lauer University Press, Canada 1893, p. 103.
  2. ↑ a b Dermot Bradley (ed.), Hans H. Hildebrand, Ernest Henriot: Deutschlands Admirale 1849–1945. The military careers of naval, engineering, medical, weapons and administrative officers with admiral rank. Volume 2: K – Qu., Biblio Verlag. Osnabrück 1988. ISBN 3-7648-1499-3 . P. 377f.
  3. ↑ Published in 1922 by Lhotzky Verlag in Munich, further editions followed in 1930, 1933 and 1936
  4. ↑ Hans Hildebrand, Formation History and Staffing of the German Armed Forces 1915–1990, Volume 2 (Navy), Biblio Verlag Osnabrück, 2000
  5. ^ Manfred Kehring: The reinstatement of the German naval attaché after the First World War (1919–1933). Harald Boldt Verlag, Boppart am Rhein, 1976, p. 222f.
  6. ^ John Chapman: Ultranationalism in German-Japanese Relations, 1930-1945: From Wenneker to Sasakawa . Global Oriental, 2011, ISBN 978-90-04-21278-7 , pp. 73 ( google.de [accessed on July 5, 2020]).
personal data
SURNAME Lietzmann, Joachim
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German vice-ademiral
DATE OF BIRTH September 1, 1894
PLACE OF BIRTH Kiel
DATE OF DEATH September 19, 1959
Place of death Hamelin