37 Facts About Erich Raeder

Erich Johann Albert Raeder was a German admiral who played a major role in the naval history of World War II and was convicted of war crimes after the war.

Erich Raeder attained the highest possible naval rank, that of grand admiral, in 1939.

Erich Raeder was born into a middle-class Protestant family in Wandsbek in the Prussian province of Schleswig-Holstein in the German Empire.

Hans Erich Raeder taught his children to support the existing government of alleged "non-political" experts led by Bismarck who were said to stand "above politics" and were alleged to only do what was best for Germany.

Erich Raeder joined the Kaiserliche Marine in 1894 and rapidly rose in rank, becoming chief of staff for Franz von Hipper in 1912.

Erich Raeder's rise up the ranks was due mostly to his intelligence and hard work though from 1901 to 1903 Erich Raeder served on the staff of Prince Heinrich of Prussia, and gained a powerful patron in the process.

In 1904, Erich Raeder, who spoke fluent Russian, was sent to the Far East as an observer of the Russo-Japanese War.

Erich Raeder served as Hipper's chief of staff during World War I, as well as in combat posts.

Erich Raeder took part in the Battle of Dogger Bank in 1915 and in the Battle of Jutland in 1916.

Erich Raeder later described Hipper as an admiral who "hated paperwork"; accordingly, Hipper delegated considerable power to Erich Raeder, who thus enjoyed more influence than his position as chief of staff would suggest.

In May 1916 Erich Raeder played a major role planning a raid by Hipper's battlecruisers that aimed to lure out the British battlecruiser force which would then be destroyed by the main High Seas Fleet.

On 14 October 1918, Erich Raeder received a major promotion with appointment as deputy to Admiral Paul Behncke, the Naval State Secretary.

Erich Raeder had doubts about submarines, but he spent the last weeks of the war working to achieve the Scheer Programme of building 450 U-boats.

Erich Raeder played a major role in attempting to crush the mutiny.

Tirpitz's attacks on the Emperor's leadership during the war had caused a split in the officer corps between the followers of "the Master" and the Kaiser, and Erich Raeder saw Trotha as the only officer acceptable to both factions.

On 1 October 1928, Erich Raeder was promoted to admiral and made chief of the Naval Command of the Reichsmarine, the Weimar Republic Navy.

On 1 June 1935, the Reichsmarine was renamed the Kriegsmarine and Erich Raeder became its commander-in-chief with the title of Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine.

On 20 April 1936, Erich Raeder was promoted to the new rank of Generaladmiral and granted the rank and authority of a Reichsminister but without the formal title.

On 30 January 1937, Hitler conferred the Golden Party Badge on Erich Raeder, thereby enrolling him in the Party.

Erich Raeder believed the navy was unprepared for the start of World War II by at least five years.

Erich Raeder wanted the Kriegsmarine to play an active part because he feared the budget would be cut after the war.

Erich Raeder was unhappy with the outcome of the Battle of the River Plate and believed that Hans Langsdorff should not have scuttled the ship, but instead sailed out to engage the Royal Navy.

Fleet commander Hermann Boehm was held responsible and was sacked by Erich Raeder, who issued orders that ships were to fight until the last shell and either win or sink with their flags flying.

Erich Raeder briefed Hitler on the idea in October, but planning did not begin until December 1939.

British fears of Erich Raeder's plan resulted in the Attack on Mers-el-Kebir, in which the Royal Navy attacked the French navy despite being at peace with France.

On 11 July 1940, Hitler and Raeder agreed to continue building the battleships called for by Plan Z Raeder had bases built at Trondheim on the Norwegian Sea and at Saint-Nazaire and Lorient on the Bay of Biscay.

Erich Raeder declined to invade the Azores because of the surface ship losses the previous year.

Erich Raeder urged Hitler to declare war on the United States throughout 1941 so the Kriegsmarine could begin sinking American warships escorting British convoys.

In late 1941, Erich Raeder planned the "channel dash" which sent the remaining two battleships in the French ports to Germany, for further operations in Norwegian waters.

On 30 January 1943, following Hitler's outrage over the Battle of the Barents Sea, Karl Donitz, the supreme commander of the Kriegsmarine's U-boat arm, was promoted to grand admiral, and Erich Raeder was named admiral inspector, a ceremonial office.

Erich Raeder had failed to inform Hitler of the battle, which Hitler learned about from the foreign press.

Erich Raeder was captured by Soviet troops on 23 June 1945 and imprisoned in Moscow.

Erich Raeder was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Erich Raeder was surprised as he had expected to be sentenced to death.

Erich Raeder's wife, supported by German veterans, led several campaigns to free him until, on account of his ill health, he was released on 26 September 1955.

Erich Raeder died of natural causes in Kiel on 6 November 1960.

Erich Raeder is buried in the Nordfriedhof in Kiel.