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Raeder, Erich Johann Albert (Großadmiral)

Date of birth:
April 24th, 1876 (Wandsbek/Schleswig-Holstein, German Empire)
Date of death:
November 6th, 1960 (Kiel/Schleswig-Holstein, Germany)
Buried on:
Nordfriedhof Kiel
Service number:
NSDAP-Nr.:
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Erich Johann Albert Raeder was a German Naval Officer. From 1928 until 1943 he was he leading officer of the Oberkommando der Marine and from 1935 the Oberbefehlshaber of the German Navy. In 1943, after having a conflict with Hitler, he resigned.

During the Neurenberg trials, Raeder was on of the most important prisoners charged with warcrimes and found guilty on three points. Although he was sentenced to life imprisonment, he was released in 1955.

Promotions:
April 16th, 1894: Kadett;
May 13th, 1895: Seekadett;
October 25th, 1897: Unterleutnant zur See;
January 1st, 1899: Leutnant zur See;
April 9th, 1900: Oberleutnant zur See;
March 21st, 1905: Kapitänleutnant;
April 15th, 1911: Korvettenkapitän;
April 6th,1917: Fregattenkapitän;
November 29th, 1919: Kapitän zur See;
August 1st, 1922: Konteradmiral;
September 10th, 1925: Vizeadmiral;
October 1st, 1928: Admiral;
April 20th, 1936: Generaladmiral;
April 1st, 1939: Grossadmiral.

Career:
April 1894: Grundausbildung, Kaiserliche Marine;
?: Schulschiff Stosch;
?: Korvette Gneisenau;
?: Signaloffizier;
April 1906: Referent Nachrichtenburo Reichsmanrineamt;
?: Navigationsoffizier Kreuzer York;
1910: Navigationsoffizier Yacht Hohenzollern;
?: Ersten Admiralsoffizier, Befehlshaber der Aufklärungsstreitkräfte;
?: Chef des Stabes, Befehlshaber der Aufklärungsstreitkräfte;
1918: Kommandeur Kreuzer Cöln;
October 1918: Chef der Zentralabteilung, Reichsmarineamt;
1922: Inspekteur des Bildungswesens der Marine;
1924: Befehlshabers der leichten Seestreitkräfte der Nordsee;
January 1925: Chef der Marinestation der Ostsee;
October 1st, 1928: Chef der Marineleitung;
1935: Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine.

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Rank:
Unterleutnant zur See (Sub Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
October 10th, 1898
Shuanglong Baoxing, 3rd Class - 2nd Grade
Rank:
Oberleutnant zur See (Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
December 12th, 1901

Steel version.
China-Denkmünze
Rank:
Kapitänleutnant (Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
June 22nd, 1907
Roter Adlerorden IV. Klasse
Rank:
Kapitänleutnant (Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
September 17th, 1907
Ritter II. Klasse mit Silberne Krone der Haus und Verdienstorden von Herzog Peter Friedrich Ludwig
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander)
Awarded on:
September 5th, 1911

Awarded with Crown.
Roter Adlerorden IV. Klasse
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander)
Awarded on:
September 5th, 1911
Frans Josefsorden - Komturkreuz
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander)
Awarded on:
May 14th, 1912
Basilikon Tagma toy Soteros - Commander
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander)
Awarded on:
April 16th, 1913


Order of St. Stanislaus II class
Harp Madalyasi
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander)
Awarded on:
November 19th, 1914
Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander)
Awarded on:
February 18th, 1915
Eisernes Kreuz 1.Klasse (1914)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander)
Awarded on:
June 3rd, 1916
other sources give 05.06.1916
Ritter des Königlicher Preussischer Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander)
Awarded on:
August 22nd, 1916
Friedrich-August Kreuz 1.Klasse
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander)
Awarded on:
December 20th, 1916

Awarded with Swords and Crown.
IV. Klasse des Militärverdienstordens
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Fregattenkapitän (Commander)
Awarded on:
September 4th, 1918



Awarded with War decoration.
Militärverdienstkreuz III. Klasse
Rank:
Admiral
Awarded on:
November 16th, 1928
Gran Cruz Naval con distintivo Blanco
Rank:
Admiral
Awarded on:
August 1930
Gran Oficial Orden del Merito
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Admiral
Awarded on:
June 3rd, 1931


Haborus Emlékérem kardokkal és sisakkal
Rank:
Admiral (Vice-admiral)
Awarded on:
April 7th, 1934
Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro - Grand'Ufficiale
Rank:
Admiral (Vice-admiral)
Awarded on:
June 28th, 1934
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Admiral (Vice-admiral)
Awarded on:
October 9th, 1934
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
Rank:
Admiral (Vice-admiral)
Awarded on:
December 5th, 1934
Rank:
Admiral (Vice-admiral)
Awarded on:
February 27th, 1936
Rank:
Generaladmiral (Admiral)
Awarded on:
August 16th, 1936
Deutsches Olympia Ehrenzeichen Erster Klasse
Rank:
Generaladmiral (Admiral)
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4.Klasse, 4 Jahre
Rank:
Generaladmiral (Admiral)
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  3.Klasse, 12 Jahre
Rank:
Generaladmiral (Admiral)
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  2. Klasse, 18 Jahre
Rank:
Generaladmiral (Admiral)
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  1.Klasse, 25 Jahre
Rank:
Generaladmiral (Admiral)
Awarded on:
January 30th, 1937
Goldenes Ehrenzeichen der NSDAP
Rank:
Generaladmiral (Admiral)
Awarded on:
September 29th, 1937
Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro - Cavaliere di gran croce
Rank:
Generaladmiral (Admiral)
Awarded on:
November 9th, 1937

On wide band with stars.
Kyuokujitsu sho, 1st Class
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Generaladmiral (Admiral)
Awarded on:
November 30th, 1937
Bulgarian Royal WW1 Veteran Medal
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
April 1st, 1939
Hamburgische Ehrendenkmünze in Gold
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
June 2nd, 1939
Order Orla Bialego
Period:
Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
August 21st, 1939
Gran Cruz Naval con distintivo Blanco
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
September 19th, 1939
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit Spange
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
September 30th, 1939

Had already received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 19th November 1914.
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
September 30th, 1939

Had already received the Iron Cross 1st Class on 18th February 1915.
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Unit:
Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine, Kriegsmarine
Awarded on:
September 30th, 1939
Awarded for his role in leading and preparing the Kriegsmarine for war in all aspects, the results of which were already evident following operations against Poland and in the North sea.

1st Kriegsmarine Award.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
October 26th, 1939
Medaille zur Erinnerung an die Heimkehr des Memellandes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
October 18th, 1940
Kungliga Svärdsorden - Commander 1st Class
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
October 24th, 1940
Kungliga Svärdsorden - Grand Cross
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
September 3rd, 1941

Version with Swords.
Grand Cross to the Order of Saint Alexander
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
October 14th, 1941

Royal Decree no. 2868 dated 14 October 1941.
Ordinul Mihai Viteazul Clasa 3
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
October 14th, 1941

Royal Decree no. 2868 dated 14 October 1941.
Ordinul Mihai Viteazul Clasa 2
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
October 14th, 1941

Royal Decree no. 2868 dated 14 October 1941.
Ordinul Mihai Viteazul Clasa 1
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Großadmiral
Awarded on:
March 25th, 1942

Version with swords.
Vapaudenristin Suurristi (VR SR)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
April 4th, 1942
Ordine Militare di Savoia - Cavaliere di Gran Croce
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
September 26th, 1942
Red Krune Kralja Zvonimira Grand Cross with Swords and Star
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Großadmiral (Admiral of the Fleet)
Awarded on:
February 8th, 1943

On Warribbon with Swords.
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)

Awarded with Sabre.
Silver Imtiyaz medal

Sources

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World War 2 Youtube Series - January 26, 1940

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