Bernhard Rogge

Bernhard Rogge

Bernhard Rogge
Born (1899-11-04)4 November 1899
Schleswig
Died 29 June 1982(1982-06-29) (aged 82)
Reinbek
Allegiance  German Empire (to 1918)
 Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany (to 1945)
 West Germany (to 1962)
Service/branch  Kaiserliche Marine
 Reichsmarine
 Kriegsmarine
 German Navy
Years of service 1915–45
1957–62
Rank Vizeadmiral
Konteradmiral
Unit SMS Freya
SMS Moltke
SMS Stralsund
SMS Pillau
Light cruiser Amazone
SMS Schleswig-Holstein
SSS Niobe
Commands held SSS Niobe (in deputize)
SSS Gorch Fock
SSS Albert Leo Schlageter
Auxiliary cruiser Atlantis
Battles/wars

World War I

World War II
Awards Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
Great Cross of Merit

Bernhard Rogge (4 November 1899 – 29 June 1982) was a German naval officer who, during World War II, commanded a merchant raider. Later, he became a Konteradmiral in West Germany's Bundesmarine.

He was awarded a Japanese ornate Samurai sword and the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his actions as the commander of the Hilfskreuzer (auxiliary cruiser) Atlantis (Schiff 16).

Rogge eventually became a Vizeadmiral (vice-admiral) by the end of World War II, and, when the West German Bundesmarine was established after the war, returned to service as a Konteradmiral (rear-admiral).

Rogge also was one of the few German officers of flag rank who was not arrested by the Allies after the war. This was due to the way he had exercised his command of Atlantis.

Early life

Rogge was born in Schleswig, the son of a Lutheran minister, and was himself devoutly religious.[1]

Rogge was one of many German officers who were forced to apply for a German Blood Certificate, that would allow their racial background to be overlooked (he had a Jewish grandparent).[2] His wife, Anneliese née Frahm, committed suicide on 4 September 1939. The next day, his mother in law also ended her life willingly.

Compliments

Atlantis

J. Armstrong, Captain of the British City of Baghdad', which the Atlantis sank in July 1941, stated, "His treatment of prisoners left respect, instead of hatred". White later wrote the foreword to Atlantis, the Story of a German Surface Raider, written by U. Mohr & A. V. Sellwood.

Admiral Karl Dönitz, who was prosecuted for war crimes at the Nuremberg Trials, cited his own support of Rogge in an effort to clear himself of the charge of being antisemitic.[3]

Rogge confirmed the death sentence of the 21-year-old sailor Johann Christian Süss. Süss was sentenced to death on 10 May 1945, one day after the German capitulation, for "undermining the discipline" and "disruptive speeches" based on paragraph 5 numeral 2 of the Kriegssonderstrafrechtsverordnung (KSSVO—Special War Criminal Regulation). Süss was executed by firing squad on 11 May 1945.

Military career

Awards

Promotions

19 April 1916: Fähnrich zur See (Officer Cadet)[5]
13 December 1917: Leutnant zur See (Second Lieutenant)[5]
10 January 1921: Oberleutnant zur See (First Lieutenant) without patent[5]
14 May 1921: Oberleutnant zur See (First Lieutenant)[5]
1 January 1928: Kapitänleutnant (Captain Lieutenant)[5]
1 October 1934: Korvettenkapitän (Corvette Captain)[5]
1 November 1937: Fregattenkapitän (Frigate Captain)[5]
1 November 1939: Kapitän zur See (Captain at Sea)[5]
1 March 1943: Konteradmiral (Counter Admiral)[5]
1 March 1945: Vizeadmiral (Vice Admiral)[5]
1 June 1957: Konteradmiral in the Bundesmarine[5]

Film

Rogge and the cruise of Atlantis were depicted in the 1960 film Sotto dieci bandiere (Under Ten Flags) starring Van Heflin and Charles Laughton.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Gossage & Levitt 2012, p. 21.
  2. ↑ Kansas Press
  3. ↑ Leon Goldensohn. The Nuremberg Interviews. Vintage Books. New York. 2004. ISBN 1-4000-3043-9.
  4. 1 2 Thomas 1998, p. 222.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Dörr 1996, p. 180.
  6. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 362.
  7. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 56.

Bibliography

  • Dörr, Manfred (1996). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine—Band 2: L–Z [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Surface Forces of the Navy—Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2497-6. 
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Gossage, Carolyn; Levitt, Peter (2012). The Accidental Captives: The Story of Seven Women Alone in Nazi Germany. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84885-991-3. 
  • Huß, Jürgen; Viohl, Armin (2003). Die Ritterkreuzträger des Eisernen Kreuzes der preußischen Provinz Schleswig-Holstein und der Freien und Hansestadt Lübeck 1939–1945 [The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Bearers of the Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein and the Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck 1939–1945] (in German). Zweibrücken, Germany: VDM Heinz Nickel. ISBN 978-3-925480-79-9. 
  • Range, Clemens (1974). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Navy]. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-87943-355-1. 
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
  • Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9. 
  • Frey, Gerhard; Herrmann, Hajo: Helden der Wehrmacht – Unsterbliche deutsche Soldaten (in German). München, Germany: FZ-Verlag GmbH, 2004. ISBN 3-924309-53-1.

External links

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