Kurt Fricke (8 November 1889 – 2 May 1945) was an

Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

with the

Kriegsmarine The (, ) was the navy of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The was one of three official military branch, branche ...

(navy) of

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and a recipient of the

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was order of precedence, lower in preceden ...

Biography

Fricke entered the '' Kaiserliche Marine'' as a cadet on 1 April 1910. He served on during his cadetship and graduated from the Naval Academy at Mürwik. After graduating he was posted to the battlecruiser . On 27 September 1913 Fricke was promoted to lieutenant. During World War I, Fricke served at the Battle of Dogger Bank. Fricke was promoted to ''

Oberleutnant zur See (''OLt zS'' or ''OLZS'' in the German Navy, ''Oblt.z.S.'' in the ''Kriegsmarine'') is traditionally the highest rank of Lieutenant in the German Navy. It is grouped as Ranks and insignia of officers of NATO Navies, OF-1 in NATO. The rank was ...

'' in 1916 and transferred to torpedo boats. He served on and . On 7 March 1918 he became an aide-de-camp to the commander of the torpedo boats, in which position he ended the war. After the war he served in the administration of the German navy as adjutant to the commander in chief of the navy. From 1922 to 1924 he served on the ''I. Flottille'', in which he commanded destroyers ''T139'' and ''T148''. In September 1924, Fricke became a company officer in a coastal defence unit. Fricke was promoted to ''

Korvettenkapitän (; ) is the lowest ranking Field officer, senior officer in the German navy. Germany Korvettenkapitän, short: KKpt/in lists: KK, () is the lowest senior officer military rank, rank () in the German Navy. Address The official manner, in li ...

'' (corvette captain) in 1928. He served three years as a marine adjutant to the '' Reichswehrminister''. In 1929 Fricke was made commander of half a squadron of torpedo boats. On 16 September 1931 he became commander of the ''I. Torpedobootsflottille'' (1st Torpedo-boat Flotilla). In 1933 he became ''Führer der Torpedoboote'' (commander of the torpedo-boat branch). On 1 April 1934 Fricke was promoted to ''

Fregattenkapitän () is the middle ranking senior officer in a number of Germanic-speaking navies. Austro-Hungary Belgium Germany , short: FKpt / in lists: FK, is the middle Senior officer military rank, rank () in the German Navy. It is the equivalent o ...

'' (frigate captain). Fricke then was posted as chief of staff to the inspectorate of destroyer and mine-warfare in the rank of ''

Kapitän zur See Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The rank is equal to the army rank of colonel and air force rank of group captain. Equivalent ranks worldwide include ...

'' (captain at sea) (1935). From October 1936 to September 1937 he served at the ''Wehrmacht-Akademie''. After this academic posting, Fricke served on the

Oberkommando der Marine The (; abbreviated OKM) was the high command and the highest administrative and command authority of the ''Kriegsmarine'', a branch of the ''Wehrmacht''. It was officially formed from the ''Marineleitung'' ("Naval Command") of the ''Reichswe ...

as Chief of the Operations department of the ''

Seekriegsleitung The ''Seekriegsleitung'' or SKL (Maritime Warfare Command) was a higher command staff section of the Kaiserliche Marine and the Kriegsmarine The (, ) was the navy of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of ...

'' (Naval War Staff). On 30 April 1939 Fricke became liaison officer to the commander-in-chief of the ''Luftwaffe'',

Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician, aviator, military leader, and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which gov ...

. After the start of the Second World War, Fricke was promoted to '' Konteradmiral'' (rear admiral) on 1 November 1939 and '' Vizeadmiral'' (vice admiral) on 1 June 1941. From 13 June 1941 to 20 February 1943 Fricke was Chief of Staff of the ''Seekriegsleitung''. Promoted to

on 1 April 1942, Fricke was named commander of the ''Marinegruppenkommando Süd'' (21 March 1943 – 11 December 1944). In December 1944 Fricke was placed in the '' Führerreserve''. Fricke was killed on 2 May 1945 during the Battle of Berlin.

Awards

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...

(1914) ** 2nd Class (4 January 1915)Dörr 1995, p. 189. ** 1st Class (28 June 1916) * Friedrich August Cross (Oldenburg) ** 2nd Class (25 May 1916)Dörr 1995, p. 190. ** 1st Class (3 April 1918) * Hanseatic Cross, Hamburg (14 June 1916) * Knight's Cross of the

House Order of Hohenzollern The House Order of Hohenzollern ( or ') was a dynastic order of knighthood of the House of Hohenzollern awarded to military commissioned officers and civilians of comparable status. Associated with the various versions of the order were crosses an ...

with Swords (5 March 1918) * Knight's Cross, First Class of the Order of the Sword (Sweden, 12 July 1930) * The Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 1914/1918 (1934) * Sudetenland Medal (22 May 1939) *

Wehrmacht Long Service Award The Wehrmacht Long Service Award () was a List of military decorations of the Third Reich, military service decoration of Nazi Germany issued for satisfactory completion of a number of years in military service. History On 16 March 1936, Adolf ...

, 1st with 4th Class (2 October 1936) * Order of Naval Merit, 3rd class in White (Spain, 21 August 1939) * Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) ** 2nd Class (1 October 1939) ** 1st Class (27 November 1939) * Memel Medal (26 October 1939) * Order of the Yugoslav Crown, 2nd class with Star (9 November 1939) * Order of Military Merit (Bulgaria), 1st class with War Decoration (Bulgaria, 1942) * Order of the Cross of Liberty, 1st class with Oak Leaves and Swords (Finland, March 25, 1942) *

Order of Michael the Brave The Order of Michael the Brave () is Romania's highest military decoration, instituted by King of Romania, King Ferdinand I of Romania, Ferdinand I during the early stages of the Romanian Campaign (World War I), Romanian Campaign of the World War I ...

, 3rd class (1 September 1942) * Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir with swords (Croatia, 26 September 1942) *

on 1 October 1942 as ''Admiral'' and chief-of-staff in Naval Operations (''Seekriegsleitung'') in the Naval High Command (''Oberkommando der Marine'')Fellgiebel 2000, p. 187. * Grand Cross of the

Order of the Star of Romania The Order of the Star of Romania (Romanian: ''Ordinul Steaua României'') is Romania's highest civil Order and second highest State decoration after the Order of Michael the Brave. It is the oldest Order of Romania. It is awarded by the Preside ...

with swords and military band of virtue (7 October 1942)

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fricke, Kurt 1889 births 1945 deaths Military personnel from Berlin Kriegsmarine personnel killed in World War II Imperial German Navy personnel of World War I Reichsmarine personnel Admirals of the Kriegsmarine Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Knights First Class of the Order of the Sword Crosses of Naval Merit Recipients of the Order of the Yugoslav Crown Grand Crosses of the Order of Military Merit (Bulgaria) Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Liberty, 1st Class Recipients of the Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir Grand Crosses of the Order of the Star of Romania Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class