Karl Doenitz

## Karl Dönitz

### Role

Grand Admiral and commander of the Kriegsmarine, potential leader of the Greater German Reich

### Ideology

 National Socialism
X Reformed National Socialism (possible)

**Karl Doenitz** is a German admiral who serves as Commander of the Kriegsmarine under Adolf Hitler. While not a direct potential successor of Hitler, he can ascend to be leader of Germany via several different options.

## Gameplay

### German Civil War

Karl Doenitz will stay loyal to the "legitimate government" of Germany, as will most of the Kriegsmarine. However, given the Kriegsmarine's importance and how few of its officers defect to the Emergency Wehrstaat or the Waffen-SS Ordenstaat, the two splinter states will be inclined to pardon Doenitz and much of the Kriegsmarine, in exchange for them receiving his valuable ships and officer corps, if they win the civil war. However, the Ordenstaat is the only one that has the option to not pardon Doenitz. If this option is chosen, Doenitz will give the order to scuttle the Kriegsmarine immediately, knowing that Heinrich Himmler or Reinhard Heydrich will be coming to arrest Doenitz regardless. Josias von Waldeck-Pyrmont will not have the option to arrest Doenitz, due to his stance as a "moderate" in the SS.

#### Wehrstaat victory

No matter which leader of the Wehrstaat is victorious, Doenitz and the Kriegsmarine will be given a pardon by the Wehrstaat and be allowed to continue as commander of the Kriegsmarine. He is a candidate for Reichspresident if Henning von Tresckow or Hans Speidel is chosen, but will voice his concerns over their desire to turn away from Nazism.

#### Ordenstaat victory

Similar to the Wehrstaat, Doenitz will have the option to be pardoned. However, unlike the Wehrstaat, there is an option for him to be arrested. If Heinrich Himmler or Reinhard Heydrich is in control of a victorious Ordenstaat, they can choose not to pardon Doenitz and instead issue arrest orders. However, if these orders are issues, an SS informant will tip off Doenitz, and he will give the order to scuttle the Kriegsmarine, depriving the SS of his ships.

If Josias von Waldeck-Pyrmont is chosen, he will choose to pardon Doenitz, along with several Wehrmacht officers in an effort to "rebuild" Germany.

#### Volksbewegung victory

If Goebbels' breakaway faction somehow manages to win, Doenitz will be pardoned by Goebbels.

### Becoming leader

Given his neutrality during the succession crisis yet still being a National Socialist, Karl Dönitz has the respect of much of the party, and can be nominated and elected as a successor to several of Hitler's possible successors, namely Martin Bormann and Hermann Goering. Although neutral, Doenitz privately favors Goering, seeing him as the "safest choice," and abhors Himmler.

#### Martin Bormann

If Martin Bormann's Chancellorship is affirmed by the Senate, but Bormann's cronyism and corruption is exposed by his coalition government, Doenitz will be nominated by the Senate as a possible candidate to succeed Bormann. He will only be an option if Bormann ascended peacefully to the top.

#### Hermann Goering

If Hermann Goering dies from a drug-induced stroke and is in charge of the legitimate government (not the Wehrstaat), Doenitz will be put forward as a "compromise candidate" between the reformists and hardliners of the party. If Goering accepts control of the Wehrstaat, Doenitz will be granted a pardon by Goering, but will not be available as a candidate to succeed him.