page_title: Organization of the Kriegsmarine
section_title: Navy High Command
hierarchical_section_title: Organization of the Kriegsmarine / Navy High Command
caption_attribution_description: For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. Großadmiral Dr. h.c. Raeder R.20 "Ross" Verlag
context_page_description: The organization of the Kriegsmarine refers to the operational and administrative structure of the German Navy from 1935 to 1945. Many of the organizational tenets of the Kriegsmarine were inherited from its predecessor the Reichsmarine. As World War II unfolded, the Kriegsmarine expanded to cover additional regions and responsibilities, most significant of which was the occupation of France and the Battle of the Atlantic.
context_section_description: The ultimate command authority for the Kriegsmarine was the Oberkommando der Marine (OKM), which was headed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Germany Navy (Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine). OKM in turn answered to the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht; naval affairs were often run independently from the wishes of the Army, under the authority of the Oberkommando des Heeres.  The Navy and the Luftwaffe (Air Force) further had little coordination, leading to serious delays in the development of naval aviation.
  The following personnel served as commander-in-chief of the German Navy from the inception of the Kriegsmarine in 1935 until the downfall of Nazi Germany ten years later.
  Erich Raeder: 1935–1943 (also had served as Reichsmarine CinC)
  Karl Dönitz: 1943–1945 (previously had served as Commander of Submarines)
  Hans-Georg von Friedeburg: May 1945 (served for 22 days until suicide)
  Walter Warzecha: May – June 1945 (served for one month until post disbanded)
  Internal to the OKM were several additional offices, the most important of which was the Seekriegsleitung (SKL), which coordinated naval warfare and operational plans.  Offices also existed for naval construction, weapons, as well as general office for naval affairs (Allgemeines Marineamt).  A supply and logistics office, known as the Marinekommandoamt, was in charge of all quartermaster needs.
  The Kriegsmarine did not maintain an independent naval intelligence branch, but instead relied upon the Abwehr, which coordinated intelligence for all branches of the German military.  Admiral Wilhelm Canaris was Chief of the Abwehr for most of its existence until he was replaced just prior to the 20 July plot against Hitler.  Thereafter the Abwehr was folded into the Sicherheitsdienst and was run by the SS under Walter Schellenberg.
caption: Erich Raeder was the longest serving commander of the Kriegsmarine, holding the post for nearly eight years, before resigning due to disagreements of naval policy with Adolf Hitler.
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