Befehlshaber der U-Boote

The Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote or BdU (Eng: "Commander of the U-boats") was the supreme commander of the German Navy's U-Boat Arm (Ubootwaffe) during the First and World Wars. The term also referred to the Command HQ of the U-boat arm.[1]

The title was established in June 1917, replacing the role of "Leader of the U-boats" (Führer der Unterseeboote, or FdU) for the High Seas Flotillas. The first incumbent was Kapitan zur See/Kommodore Andreas Michelsen (de), previously head of the High Seas Fleet’s destroyer force.[2] The post was abolished with the end of the war.

It was revived on 17 October 1939, when Karl Dönitz was promoted to rear admiral (Konteradmiral). His previous title had been FdU, a position he had held from January 1936.[3]

On 31 January 1943 Dönitz was promoted to grand admiral (Großadmiral) and became supreme commander (Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine) of the entire Kriegsmarine, replacing Erich Raeder. He retained the title, but was replaced as operational commander at BdU by his chief of staff Eberhard Godt.[4]

Godt's successor was Admiral Hans Georg von Friedeburg, who held the position at the end of the war.

Department Chief

No.		Abteilungschef	Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Friedeburg, HansKapitän zur See Hans-Georg von Friedeburg (1895–1945)	17 October 1939	11 September 1941	1 year, 329 days

2nd Admiral of the U-boats

No.		2. Admiral der Unterseeboote	Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Friedeburg, HansKonteradmiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg (1895–1945)	12 September 1941	30 April 1943	1 year, 230 days

Commanding Admiral of the U-boats

No.		Kommandierender Admiral der Unterseeboote	Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Friedeburg, HansAdmiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg (1895–1945)	1 February 1943	30 April 1945	2 years, 88 days
2		Dobratz, KurtKapitän zur See Kurt Dobratz (1904–1995)	1 May 1945	8 May 1945	7 days

Chief of Staff of the Commanding Admiral of the U-boats

No.		Stabschef des Kommandierenden Admirals der Unterseeboote	Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Beucke, HeinzFregattenkapitän Heinz Ehler Beucke (1904–1979)	March 1943	May 1943	2 months
2		Kratzenberg, ErnstKonteradmiral Ernst Kratzenberg (1896–1984)	June 1943	April 1945	1 year, 10 months
3		Dobratz, KurtKapitän zur See Kurt Dobratz (1904–1995)	April 1945	April 1945	0 months
4		Engler, EwaldFregattenkapitän Ewald Engler (1913–?)	1 May 1945	8 May 1945	0 months

Notes

1. Hague pviii
2. Tarrant p56
3. "Karl Dönitz". uboat.net. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
4. "Eberhard Godt". uboat.net. Retrieved 31 August 2009.

References

• Arnold Hague : The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945 (2000). ISBN 1-55125-033-0 (Canada); ISBN 1-86176-147-3 (UK).
• VE Tarrant (1989) The U-Boat Offensive 1914-1945 Arms & Armour ISBN 0-85368-928-8