Imperial German Navy Flag Officers, 1914 - 1918

Contributed by Graham E Watson (easton.watson@lineone.net).


FLAG OFFICERS

STATE SECRETARY, NAVY OFFICE

Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz

3.16 - Admiral Eduard von Capelle

10.18 - Vice Admiral Paul Behncke

10.18 - Vice Admiral Ernest Mann Edler von Tiechler

HEAD, KAISER'S NAVAL CABINET

Admiral Georg Muller

CHIEF OF ADMIRALTY STAFF

Admiral Hugo von Pohl

2.15 - Admiral Gustav Bachmann

9.15 - Admiral Henning von Holtzendorff

8.18 - Admiral Rheinhard Scheer

NB The Kaiser exercised control of the Navy through the above three officers who had overlapping and conflicting duties.

SUPREME COMMANDER, BALTIC 1914-1917

Grand Admiral Prince Heinrich of Prussia

Chief of Staff - Rear Admiral von Uslar

8.18 - Admiral Frhr Walter von Keyserligk

CINC BALTIC NAVAL STATION

Vice Admiral Gustav Bachmann

2.15 - Admiral Freidrich von Ingenohl

9.15 - Admiral Gustav Bachmann

8.18 - Admiral Wilhelm Souchon

Kiel Naval Base 1914 - Vice Admiral Henkel-Gebhardi

5th Squadron 1914 - Vice Admiral Grepow

6th Squadron 1914 - Rear Admiral Echermann

Baltic Coast Defence 1914 - Rear Admiral Mischke

Baltic Recce Force - 1916 - Rear Admiral Langemarck

12.16 - Rear Admiral Hopman

12.16 - Rear Admiral Hopman-12.17

CINC NORTH SEA NAVAL STATION

Vice Admiral Gunther Krosigk [served in this post for whole of the war years]

Wilhelmshaven Naval Base 1914 - Rear Admiral Engelhard?

Cuxhaven Naval Base 1918 - Rear Admiral Engelhard

COMMANDER FLANDERS COAST 1914-1918

Admiral Ludwig von Schroder

CINC MEDITERRANEAN SQUADRON

Rear Admiral Wilhelm Souchon

9.17 - Vice Admiral Rebeur-Paschwitz

CINC BLACK SEA

1.18 - Vice Admiral Albert Hopman

CINC FAR EAST SQUADRON 1914

Vice Admiral Maximilian Graf Spee

THE HIGH SEA FLEET 1914-1918

Admiral Friedreich von Ingenohl

2.15 - Admiral Hugo von Pohl

1.16 - Admiral Rheinhard Scheer

8.18 - Vice Admiral Franz Ritter von Hipper

Chief of Staff 1.16-11.18 - Rear Admiral von Trotha

1st SQUADRON

Vice Admiral Lans

By 5.16 - Vice Admiral E Schmit

By 11.18 - Vice Admiral Boedicker

2nd SQUADRON

Vice Admiral Scheer

By 5.16 - Rear Admiral Mauve

3rd SQUADRON

Rear Admiral Funks

.15 - Vice Admiral Scheer

1.16 - Vice Admiral Paul Behncke

by 11.18 - Vice Admiral Kraft

4th SQUADRON

Vice Admiral E Schmidt

Later - Vice Admiral Mauve

9.17 - Vice Admiral Souchon

8.18 - Vice Admiral Meurer

1st SCOUTING GROUP/Cmdr Recce Forces

Rear Admiral Franz von Hipper

8.18 - Rear Admiral Reuter

2nd SCOUTING GROUP/Cmdr Destroyers

Rear Admiral Maas

By 5.16 - Rear Admiral Boedicker

By 1917 - Rear Admiral Reuter

1.18 - Rear Admiral Levetszow

3rd SCOUTING GROUP

Rear Admiral Tapken 1914-?

4th SCOUTING GROUP

1915 - Rear Admiral Scheidt

by 5.16 - Commodore Reuter

by 11.18 - Commodore Karpf

TORPEDO BOATS

7.15 - Commodore Andreas Michelsen

6.17 - Commodore Heinrich

CHIEF OF U BOATS

6.17 - Commodore Andreas Michelsen to 11.18


Last Updated: 30 December, 2000.

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