Otto Backenköhler

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Otto Backenköhler (born February 1, 1892 in Göttingen , † February 5, 1967 in Kiel ) was a German naval officer , most recently an admiral in World War II and chief of the naval weapons main office in the naval high command .

Life

Backenköhler occurred on 1 April 1910 as a midshipman in the Imperial navy one, completed his training ship on the Great cruiser SMS Freya and went for further training on April 1, 1911, the Naval Academy Mürwik . There he received his appointment as ensign at sea on April 15, 1911 and was assigned to the liner SMS Westphalia from October 1, 1912 . Here he was promoted to lieutenant at sea on September 27, 1913 .

When the First World War broke out , he served on board, was transferred to the 9th Torpedo Boat Semi-Flotilla as an officer on watch on January 17, 1916, and was promoted to Lieutenant at Sea on March 22, 1916 . With the subsequent transfer to the 10th Torpedo Boat Half Flotilla, Backenköhler received his first command of his own via SMS G 8 on April 1, 1918 . On July 13, 1918, he took over SMS V 5 in the same position . Shortly before the end of the war, on October 27, 1918, he joined the 12th torpedo boat semi-flotilla.

With his takeover in the Reichsmarine he was promoted to captain lieutenant on January 1, 1921 and assigned to the 7th half flotilla. Until September 1923, he was then in command of the M 138 tender and the V 2 and T 196 torpedo boats . From October 1923 to November 1924 he was assigned to the staff of the naval command and on November 10, 1924 he was given command of the 4th torpedo boat semi-flotilla. On September 24, 1926, he was recalled from his post and transferred as a staff officer to the naval command. Korvettenkapitän (since January 1, 1929) Backenköhler came to the staff of the North Sea Naval Station on September 30, 1929 and from September 24, 1931 as first admiral staff officer to the commander of the reconnaissance forces. On October 1, 1933 Backenköhler was appointed commander of the torpedo school and promoted to frigate captain on September 1, 1934 .

He was given command of the light cruiser Cologne on October 1, 1935 and promoted to sea captain on April 1, 1936 . As such, he took up his new position on October 16, 1937 as Chief of Staff of the Fleet Command. In the same position, he moved to the naval station of the Baltic Sea a year later and was also active there at the beginning of the Second World War. From October 24 to July 31, 1940 , Backenköhler , who had been promoted to Rear Admiral (January 1), led the staff of the fleet command again. This was followed by the transfer to the Naval Weapons Main Office in the High Command of the Navy and his promotion there to Vice Admiral on April 1, 1942 and Admiral on April 1, 1943. On March 9, 1943 he had already been appointed head of the authority, which he was also after whose renaming to Kriegsmarine armament led to the end of the war.

On July 15, 1945 Backenköhler came into British captivity , from which he was released on December 10, 1946.

His sister Margarete was married to the admiral Günther Lütjens .

Awards

literature

  • Hans H. Hildebrand and Ernest Henriot: Germany's Admirals 1849-1945 Volume 1: AG. Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 1988, ISBN 3-7648-1499-3 , pp. 144-145

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Backenköhler, Otto
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German naval officer and admiral in World War II
DATE OF BIRTH February 1, 1892
PLACE OF BIRTH Goettingen
DATE OF DEATH 5th February 1967
Place of death Kiel