Otto Schniewind

Otto Schniewind (14 December 1887 – 26 March 1964) was a German General Admiral during World War II.[1] He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.

Otto Schniewind[1]
Schniewind in 1933
Born(1887-12-14)14 December 1887[1]
Saarlouis[1]
Died26 March 1964(1964-03-26) (aged 76)[1]
Linz am Rhein[1]
Allegiance German Empire (to 1918)
 Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany
Service/branch Imperial German Navy
 Reichsmarine
Kriegsmarine
Years of service1907–45
RankGeneraladmiral
UnitSMS Leipzig
SMS Augsburg
SMS Magdeburg[1]
Commands heldcruiser Köln[1]
Battles/warsWorld War I

World War II

AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross[1]

Career

Schniewind entered the Kaiserliche Marine in 1907 as a cadet. During the First World War he served as a commander of torpedoboats. When the German fleet surrendered to the British he commanded a squadron of torpedo boats, with this he partook in the Scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Flow, after which he was taken prisoner by the British.[1]

After being released Schniewind continued to serve in the Marinebrigade Ehrhardt and later the Reichsmarine. From 1925 to 1926 he served as adjutant to the Minister of War Otto Gessler. In 1932 Schniewind became captain of the light cruiser Köln. In 1934 Schniewind was appointed to another staff function. He was promoted to Konteradmiral (rear admiral) in 1937 and to Vizeadmiral (vice admiral) in 1940.[1]

He served as Chief of Staff of the Seekriegsleitung from 1938 to 1941. After the sinking of the Bismarck Schniewind was appointed as successor to Günther Lütjens as the fleet commander of the Kriegsmarine after Lütjens was lost with his ship. In 1943 Schniewind became commander of Marinegruppenkommandos Nord. On 1 March 1944 Schniewind was promoted to Generaladmiral. On 30 July 1944, Schniewind was relieved of command and for the duration of the war he saw no further employment.[1]

After the War he was arrested and prosecuted during the High Command Trial for his role in the invasion of Norway (Operation Weserübung) but he was acquitted, after which he was released from captivity. From 1949 to 1952 he served with the Naval Historical Team in Bremerhaven.[1]

Awards

References

Citations
  1. Hildebrand 1989, pp. 247–248.
  2. Dörr 1996, p. 230.
  3. Scherzer 2007, p. 678.

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.
  • Hildebrand, Hans (1989). P–Z. Deutschlands Admirale 1849–1945. Die militärischen Werdegänge der See-, Ingenieur-, Sanitäts-, Waffen- und Verwaltungsoffiziere im Admiralsrang (in German). 3. Osnabrück: Biblio. pp. 247–248. ISBN 3764814993.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
Military offices
Preceded by
none		 Chief of Staff of the Seekriegsleitung
October 1938 – 10 June 1941		 Succeeded by
Admiral Kurt Fricke
Preceded by
Admiral Günther Lütjens		 Fleet commander of the Kriegsmarine
June 1941 – July 1944		 Succeeded by
Admiral Wilhelm Meendsen-Bohlken
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