Dialog!

This is coolbert:

From the Potsdam Agreement:

"it is not the intention of the Allies to enslave the German people. It is the intention of the Allies that the German people be given the opportunity to prepare for the reconstruction of their life on a democratic and peaceful basis . . . it will be possible for them in due course to take their place among the free and peaceful peoples of the world."

In the aftermath of World War Two [WW2], Germany was in a beaten and very sorry state. An occupied nation without redeeming value in the eyes of many people the world over.

Interrogations by the allied powers of captured German military personnel proceeded in earnest. Including the interrogations of the surviving U-boat commanders.

From the book, "George Blake: Double Agent":

"their Lordships of the Admiralty wanted all the available facts on subjects ranging from the strategy of German pocket-battleships to the psychology of U-boat crews. The German invention of the revolutionary "Schnorkel" breathing system for submarines, the magnetic and pressure mines, ingeniously constructed torpedoes"

AND, along with the interrogations, apparently, POLITICAL DIALOG also. German U-boat commanders were seen as being redeemable, having potential great value for the future. Could form the nucleus of a home-grown German leadership providing inspiration and vision so that Germany could once again become a prosperous and valued member of the western world.

Once again, from E.H. Cookridge, author of "George Blake":

"These German officers [U-boat captains] were not in the same category [as Nazi war criminals] . . . The U-boat captains were hard, but honorable according to their flawed code. If Germany was to have any sort of civilized future, they and officers like them from the German army and Luftwaffe were worth saving from their own political beliefs."

[The Kieigsmarine was by far the least politically indoctrinated of the German armed forces. Hitler himself is quoted as having said "I have a reactionary Army, a National Socialist Air Force and a Christian Navy"]

Such political dialog was SUCCESSFUL??

From the ranks of the top U-boat commanders we find a number of men who were of outstanding leadership ability. Persons who when rehabilitated, WERE able to resume their military careers [from 1955 onward] and did serve honorably in the newly reconstituted German Navy. These EVIDENTLY WERE THE TYPE OF MEN "worth saving" through political dialog that the allies had in mind.

Otto Kretschmer.

"In 1955 joined the Bundesmarine (postwar German navy) . . . He retired in September 1970 with a rank of Flotillenadmiral."

Erich Topp.

"He later served in postwar West Germany’s navy, rising to the rank of Rear Admiral, and worked closely with NATO during the Cold War."

Herbert Schultze.

"In 1956 joined the Bundesmarine and served in several staff positions, including another two years at the now renamed Marineschule Mürwik [Marinekriegsschule Mürwik (naval war college)]. He retired in September 1968 as Kapitän zur See."

Robert Gysae.




"During the postwar period he joined the Bundesmarine (post-war German Navy). There he served for four years as Navy attache in the USA and then spent three years as Flottillenadmiral and Commander of the Marinedivision Nordsee before retiring in March 1970."

Klaus Scholtz.



"After the war he served from 1953 to 1956 in the naval arm of Bundesgrenzschutz (Federal Frontier Guard), then transferred to the Bundesmarine. He was then commander of several naval bases, including Kiel, Cuxhaven and Wilhelmshaven. In 1966 he retired as Kapitän zur See."

Adolf Piening.

"In 1956 the later Kapitän zur See Adolf Piening joined the Bundesmarine, serving for 13 years."

We must not forget Captain Rogge either. Captain of the Atlantis and known for his considerate treatment of prisoners of war. Considerate and gracious almost to a fault? Ended the Second World War with the rank of Admiral. Is in a class by himself? WAS ONE ONLY SEVERAL GERMAN FLAG OFFICERS [General or Admiral] NOT TO BE ARRESTED AT THE END OF WW2 FOR INTERROGATION AND INVESTIGATION!!

"[One exerts leadership] with a Christian respect for the human qualities of others, conviction and trust in oneself. - - Captain Berhard Rogge"

[Rogge was one-quarter JEWISH!!]

Bernhard Rogge.

"eventually became a Konteradmiral (rear-admiral) of the West German Bundesmarine."

"June 1, 1957 -- Enters the post-World War II West German Bundesmarine with the rank of Konteradmiral"

"Command of Military Area Command I"

"Commander of Land Forces in Schleswig-Holstein (COMLAND-SCHLESWIG)"

"March 31, 1962 -- Retires from the German Bundesmarine as a Konteradmiral"

With regard to leadership ability, some German U-boat commanders demonstrated their competency on LAND as well as at SEA! Commanders in the very last days of the war of TANK-BUSTING UNITS. Submarine crews, equipped with the panzerfaust pea-shooter anti-tank weapon, engaging and destroying allied tanks in a vain and futile effort to prevent German defeat.

Among those U-boat skippers who fought well both on LAND and SEA were:

Robert Gysae. [see previous entry concerning this man.]

"In the last month of the war (April 1945) he was the commander of the Marinepanzerjagd-Regiment 1 (Navy tank-hunter regiment)."

Peter-Erich Cremer.

"Cremer . . . became commander of the Marine-Panzervernichtungsbataillon (Naval Tank Destroying Battalion) which fought on land against British tanks attempting to occupy the city of Hamburg."



The above shows Cremer [on the left] in his ground command uniform. Note the camo smock.

"(A navy tank destroying unit under command of Korvettenkapitän Cremer, including volunteers from a U-boat base, destroyed 24 tanks during the last few days.)"

Allied efforts at POLITICAL DIALOG successful? German U-boat captains redeemed? YES, I would think so.

coolbert.