The ''Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote'' or BdU (Eng: "Commander of the

U-boat U-boats are Submarine#Military, naval submarines operated by Germany, including during the World War I, First and Second World Wars. The term is an Anglicization#Loanwords, anglicized form of the German word , a shortening of (), though the G ...

s") was the supreme commander of the German Navy's U-boat Arm (''Ubootwaffe'') during the First and

Second World War 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 ...

s. The term also referred to the Command HQ of the U-boat arm. 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, previously head of the

High Seas Fleet The High Seas Fleet () was the battle fleet of the German Empire, German Imperial German Navy, Imperial Navy and saw action during the First World War. In February 1907, the Home Fleet () was renamed the High Seas Fleet. Admiral Alfred von Tirpi ...

’s destroyer force. The post was abolished with the end of the war. It was revived on 17 October 1939, when

Karl Dönitz Karl Dönitz (; 16 September 1891 – 24 December 1980) was a German grand admiral and convicted war criminal who, following Adolf Hitler's Death of Adolf Hitler, suicide, succeeded him as head of state of Nazi Germany during the Second World ...

was promoted to

rear admiral Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...

(''Konteradmiral''). His previous title had been FdU, a position he had held from January 1936. On 31 January 1943 Dönitz was promoted to

grand admiral Grand admiral is a historic naval rank, the highest rank in the several European navies that used it. It is best known for its use in Germany as . A comparable rank in modern navies is that of admiral of the fleet. Grand admirals in individual ...

(''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. Godt's successor was Admiral Hans Georg von Friedeburg, who held the position at the end of the war and became commander-in-chief of the German navy when Dönitz became head of Nazi Germany after Hitler's suicide.

Imperial German Navy (''Kaiserliche Marine'')

* Andreas Michelsen (June 1917 to November 1918)

''Kriegsmarine''

Commander

Subordinate

;Department Chief ;2nd Admiral of the U-boats ;Commanding Admiral of the U-boats Dobratz had transferred from navy to Luftwaffe in 1935. He rejoined the Kriegsmarine in 1943 and was given command of ''U-1232'' taking it out on one patrol before becoming chief of staff at BdU. ;Chief of Staff of the Commanding Admiral of the U-boats Beucke was withdrawn from command of U-boat (a single patrol with ) in 1942 because his brothers had been killed.

Notes

References

* Arnold Hague : The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945 (2000). (Canada); (UK). * VE Tarrant (1989) ''The U-Boat Offensive 1914-1945'' Arms & Armour {{DEFAULTSORT:Befehlshaber Der U-Boote Kriegsmarine appointments Submarines of the Kriegsmarine U-boats World War II submarines of Germany