Wilhelm Marschall: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox military person |
{{more citations needed|date=April 2017}}{{Infobox military person |
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|name=Wilhelm Marschall |
|name=Wilhelm Marschall |
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|birth_date={{birth date|1886|9|30|df=y}} |
|birth_date={{birth date|1886|9|30|df=y}} |
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|death_date={{death date and age|1976|3|20|1886|9|30|df=y}} |
|death_date={{death date and age|1976|3|20|1886|9|30|df=y}} |
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|birth_place=[[Augsburg]] |
|birth_place=[[Augsburg]], [[Bavaria]], [[German Empire]]. |
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|death_place=[[Mölln]] |
|death_place=[[Mölln, Schleswig-Holstein|Mölln]], [[West Germany]]. |
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|image=Bundesarchiv Bild 183-2008-0812-500, Wilhelm Marschall.jpg |
|image=Bundesarchiv Bild 183-2008-0812-500, Wilhelm Marschall.jpg |
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|caption= |
|caption= |
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|nickname= |
|nickname= |
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|allegiance={{ |
|allegiance={{flag|German Empire}}<br />{{flag|Weimar Republic}}<br />{{flag|Nazi Germany}} |
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|branch={{navy|German Empire}}<br>{{navy|Weimar Republic}}<br>{{navy|Nazi Germany}} |
|branch={{navy|German Empire}}<br />{{navy|Weimar Republic}}<br />{{navy|Nazi Germany}} |
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|serviceyears=1906–45 |
|serviceyears=1906–45 |
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|rank=[[Generaladmiral]] |
|rank=[[File:Kriegsmarine epaulette Generaladmiral.svg|40px]] [[Generaladmiral]] |
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|commands={{SMU|UC-74}}<br>{{SMU|UB-105}}<br>{{SMS|Hessen||2}}<br>[[German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer| |
|commands={{SMU|UC-74}}<br />{{SMU|UB-105}}<br />{{SMS|Hessen||2}}<br />[[German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer|''Admiral Scheer'']]<br>Operations Division, [[Oberkommando der Marine|OKM]]<br>[[Fleet commander (Kriegsmarine)|Flottenchef]]<br>Marinegruppenkommando West |
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|unit= |
|unit= |
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|battles=[[World War I]]<br>[[Spanish Civil War]]<br>[[World War II]] |
|battles=[[World War I]]<br />[[Spanish Civil War]]<br />[[World War II]] |
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|awards=[[Pour le Mérite]]<br>[[German Cross]] in Gold |
|awards=[[Pour le Mérite]]<!---<br />[[German Cross]] in Gold---> |
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|laterwork=}} |
|laterwork=}} |
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'''Wilhelm Marschall''' (30 September 1886 – 20 March 1976) was a German [[admiral]] during [[World War II]]. He was also a recipient of the ''[[Pour le Mérite]]'' which he received as commander of the |
'''Wilhelm Marschall''' (30 September 1886 – 20 March 1976) was a German [[admiral]] during [[World War II]]. He was also a recipient of the ''[[Pour le Mérite]]'' which he received as commander of the [[U-boat]] {{SMU|UB-105||2}} during [[World War I]]. The ''Pour le Mérite'' was the [[Kingdom of Prussia]]{{'}}s highest military order for German officers until the end of World War I. |
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==Biography== |
==Biography== |
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Marschall was born in [[Augsburg]], [[Kingdom of Bavaria]], in 1886. |
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In 1906, he entered the [[Kaiserliche Marine]] as a [[Seekadett]]. During [[World War I]] he served as a [[watch officer]] on {{SMS|Kronprinz Wilhelm||2}}. In 1916, he was trained as a [[U-boat]] commander and captained both {{SMU|UC-74||2}} and {{SMU|UB-105||2}} by war's end. He sank 41 merchant ships and two troopships, for a total of 119,170 GRT,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://uboat.net/wwi/men/commanders/195.html |title=Wilhelm Marschall |website=uboat.net}}</ref> and was awarded the [[Pour la Mérite]], Germany's highest military honour.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.naval-history.net/WW1MedalsGer-PlM.htm |title=Imperial German Navy - Awards of Pour le Mérite, "The Blue Max" |website=naval-history.net}}</ref> |
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While in the [[Reichsmarine]], Marschall served primarily as a ''Vermessungsoffizier'' (surveying officer) and in different staff positions. At the end of 1934 he became commander of the pocket battleship [[German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer|''Admiral Scheer'']]. As a [[Konteradmiral]] in 1936, he joined the [[Oberkommando der Marine|Naval High Command]] and headed the operations division. During the [[Spanish Civil War]] Marschall commanded the German naval forces off of the Spanish coast. He was promoted to Admiral and [[Flottenchef]] (fleet commander) in 1939. |
While in the [[Reichsmarine]], Marschall served primarily as a ''Vermessungsoffizier'' (surveying officer) and in different staff positions. At the end of 1934 he became commander of the pocket battleship [[German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer|''Admiral Scheer'']]. As a [[Konteradmiral]] in 1936, he joined the [[Oberkommando der Marine|Naval High Command]] and headed the operations division. During the [[Spanish Civil War]] Marschall commanded the German naval forces off of the Spanish coast. He was promoted to Admiral and [[Flottenchef]] (fleet commander) in 1939. |
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Admiral Marschall, flying his flag in [[battleship]] [[German battleship Gneisenau|''Gneisenau'']], led the German naval force which intercepted and sank the British auxiliary cruiser {{HMS|Rawalpindi||2}} on 23 November 1939, while on patrol off [[Faroe Islands]].<ref>Garzke, William H.; Dulin, Robert O. (1985). Battleships: Axis and Neutral Battleships in World War II. Naval Institute Press, p. 135. ISBN |
Admiral Marschall, flying his flag in [[battleship]] [[German battleship Gneisenau|''Gneisenau'']], led the German naval force which intercepted and sank the British auxiliary cruiser {{HMS|Rawalpindi||2}} on 23 November 1939, while on patrol off [[Faroe Islands]].<ref>Garzke, William H.; Dulin, Robert O. (1985). Battleships: Axis and Neutral Battleships in World War II. Naval Institute Press, p. 135. {{ISBN|978-0-87021-101-0}}</ref> |
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On 8 June 1940, during the latter part of the [[Norwegian Campaign]], Marschall and part of his force (flagship ''Gneisenau'', and her sister-ship [[German battleship Scharnhorst|''Scharnhorst'']]) fell in with British [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Glorious||2}} and two destroyers ({{HMS|Acasta|H09|2}} and {{HMS|Ardent|H41|2}}) about 280 miles west of [[Harstad]], [[Norway]]. |
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⚫ | In 1942 Marschall was named commanding admiral of [[occupied France]] and replaced [[Alfred Saalwächter]] as commander of Marinegruppenkommando West. On 1 February 1943 he was promoted to [[Generaladmiral]], but was replaced as western commander by [[Theodor Krancke]] and deactivated later that spring. |
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In a two-hour action, ''Glorious'' and her accompanying destroyers were all sunk, in exchange for damage to ''Scharnhorst'' (struck by one of ''Acasta's'' [[torpedo]]es, and one shell from each of the destroyers). To this day it is still not known why Marschall abandoned over 1600 Royal Navy sailors from the sinking of the 3 RN ships to their deaths, despite there being no other RN assets in the area. |
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Although the battle resulted in a German victory, Marschall had engaged ''Glorious'' despite orders to avoid action. Marschall's differences with the High Command on this subject, and the severe damage to ''Scharnhorst'' during the engagement, ensured that Marschall was replaced as ''Flottenchef'' by Admiral [[Günther Lütjens]]. Marschall led the inspection of naval education for two years beginning in the summer 1940. |
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During the remainder of the war, Marschall was reactivated twice, once as Sonderbevollmächtigter (special agent) for the [[Danube]], and once as commander of the [[Marineoberkommando West]] shortly before war's end. From 1945–47 he was held as a prisoner of war. |
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⚫ | In 1942, Marschall was named commanding admiral of [[occupied France]] and replaced [[Alfred Saalwächter]] as commander of Marinegruppenkommando West. On 1 February 1943 he was promoted to [[Generaladmiral]], but was replaced as western commander by [[Theodor Krancke]] and deactivated later that spring. During the remainder of the war, Marschall was reactivated twice, once as Sonderbevollmächtigter (special agent) for the [[Danube]], and once as commander of the [[Marineoberkommando West]] shortly before the end of the war. From 1945–47 he was held as a prisoner of war.{{clarify|by whom|date=May 2020}} |
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Marschall died in [[Mölln]], [[West Germany]], in 1976. |
Marschall died in [[Mölln]], [[West Germany]], in 1976. |
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==Awards== |
==Awards== |
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*[[Iron Cross]] 2nd and 1st Class (1914) |
<!----*[[Iron Cross]] 2nd and 1st Class (1914) |
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*[[House Order of Hohenzollern]], Knight's Cross with Swords |
* [[House Order of Hohenzollern]], Knight's Cross with Swords---> |
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*[[Pour le Mérite]] (4 July 1918) |
* [[Pour le Mérite]] (4 July 1918){{citation needed|date=April 2017}} |
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⚫ | |||
*[[Military Merit Order (Bavaria)|Bavarian Military Merit Order]] 4th Class with Swords |
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*[[Order of the Iron Crown (Austria)|Order of the Iron Crown]] 3rd Class with War Decoration |
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* [[Liakat Medal]] in Silver with Sabres |
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*[[Military Merit Cross (Austria-Hungary)|Austrian Military Merit Cross]] 3rd Class with War Decoration |
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*[[ |
* [[Iron Cross]] 2nd and 1st Class |
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*[[Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918]] |
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*[[Wehrmacht Long Service Award|Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung]] 2nd and 1st Class |
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⚫ | |||
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=== Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht === |
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{|class="wikitable" |
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! Date |
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! Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording |
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! Direct English translation |
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|- |
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| Sunday, 9 June 1940 || ''Deutsche Seestreitkräfte, darunter die beiden Schlachtschiffe "Gneisenau" und "Scharnhorst", operierten unter Führung des Admirals Marschall zur Entlastung der um Narvik kämpfenden Truppen im Nordmeer. Hierbei wurden am 8. Juni durch eine Kampfgruppe der englische Flugzeugträger "Glorious" (22 500t) und ein feindlicher Zerstörer in Grund geschossen.''<ref>''Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 1'', p. 194.</ref> || German sea forces, among them the two battleships "Gneisenau" and "Scharnhorst", operated in the Norwegian Sea under the leadership of Admiral Marschall for the relief of the fighting troops at Narvik. The task force destroyed the English aircraft carrier "Glorious" (22 500t) and an enemy destroyer on 8 June. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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===Citations=== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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;Bibliography |
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*{{Cite book |title=Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 1, 1. September 1939 bis 31. Dezember 1941 |location=München, Germany |publisher=Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG |year=1985 |language=German|isbn=3-423-05944-3}} |
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== |
===Bibliography=== |
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⚫ | * {{Cite book |last=Hartwig |first=Dieter |editor-last=Ueberschär |editor-first=Gerd R. |editor-link=Gerd R. Ueberschär |title=Hitlers militärische Elite |trans-title=Hitler's Military Elite |publisher=Primus Verlag |language=de |year=2011 |pages=162–170 |chapter=Generaladmiral Wilhelm Marschall |isbn=978-3-89678-727-9}} |
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{{Commons category-inline|Wilhelm Marschall}} |
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*{{DNB portal|137934335|TYP=}} |
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*{{Wayback |date=20091029025846 |url=http://geocities.com/~orion47/WEHRMACHT/KRIEGSMARINE/Generaladmirals/MARSCHALL_WILHELM.html |title=Axis Biographical Research }} |
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{{Generaloberst of the Third Reich}} |
{{Generaloberst of the Third Reich}} |
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<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] --> |
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{{Persondata |
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| NAME = Marschall, Wilhelm |
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| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = |
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| SHORT DESCRIPTION = German World War II Admiral |
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| DATE OF BIRTH = 30 September 1886 |
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| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Augsburg]] |
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| DATE OF DEATH = 20 March 1976 |
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| PLACE OF DEATH = [[Mölln]] |
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}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Marschall, Wilhelm}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marschall, Wilhelm}} |
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[[Category:1886 births]] |
[[Category:1886 births]] |
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[[Category:1976 deaths]] |
[[Category:1976 deaths]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Military personnel from Augsburg]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Military personnel from the Kingdom of Bavaria]] |
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[[Category:Reichsmarine personnel]] |
[[Category:Reichsmarine personnel]] |
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[[Category:German |
[[Category:Imperial German Navy personnel of World War I]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:General admirals of the Kriegsmarine]] |
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[[Category:Imperial German Navy |
[[Category:U-boat commanders (Imperial German Navy)]] |
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[[Category:U-boat commanders (Imperial Navy)]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class)]] |
[[Category:Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class)]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Gold German Cross]] |
[[Category:Recipients of the Gold German Cross]] |
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[[Category:Knights of the House Order of Hohenzollern]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Military Merit Order (Bavaria), 4th class]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Iron Crown, 3rd class]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Military Merit Cross (Austria-Hungary), 3rd class]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Imtiyaz Medal]] |
[[Category:Recipients of the Imtiyaz Medal]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Liakat Medal]] |
[[Category:Recipients of the Liakat Medal]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the Gallipoli Star (Ottoman Empire)]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of The Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918]] |
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[[Category:Military personnel referenced in the Wehrmachtbericht]] |
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[[Category:German military personnel of the Spanish Civil War]] |
[[Category:German military personnel of the Spanish Civil War]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class]] |
[[Category:Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class]] |
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[[Category:German prisoners of war]] |
[[Category:German prisoners of war in World War II]] |
Latest revision as of 10:26, 21 March 2024
This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2017) |
Wilhelm Marschall | |
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Born | Augsburg, Bavaria, German Empire. | 30 September 1886
Died | 20 March 1976 Mölln, West Germany. | (aged 89)
Allegiance | German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany |
Service/ | Imperial German Navy Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine |
Years of service | 1906–45 |
Rank | Generaladmiral |
Commands | SM UC-74 SM UB-105 Hessen Admiral Scheer Operations Division, OKM Flottenchef Marinegruppenkommando West |
Battles/wars | World War I Spanish Civil War World War II |
Awards | Pour le Mérite |
Wilhelm Marschall (30 September 1886 – 20 March 1976) was a German admiral during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Pour le Mérite which he received as commander of the U-boat UB-105 during World War I. The Pour le Mérite was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German officers until the end of World War I.
Biography
[edit]Marschall was born in Augsburg, Kingdom of Bavaria, in 1886.
In 1906, he entered the Kaiserliche Marine as a Seekadett. During World War I he served as a watch officer on Kronprinz Wilhelm. In 1916, he was trained as a U-boat commander and captained both UC-74 and UB-105 by war's end. He sank 41 merchant ships and two troopships, for a total of 119,170 GRT,[1] and was awarded the Pour la Mérite, Germany's highest military honour.[2]
While in the Reichsmarine, Marschall served primarily as a Vermessungsoffizier (surveying officer) and in different staff positions. At the end of 1934 he became commander of the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer. As a Konteradmiral in 1936, he joined the Naval High Command and headed the operations division. During the Spanish Civil War Marschall commanded the German naval forces off of the Spanish coast. He was promoted to Admiral and Flottenchef (fleet commander) in 1939.
Admiral Marschall, flying his flag in battleship Gneisenau, led the German naval force which intercepted and sank the British auxiliary cruiser Rawalpindi on 23 November 1939, while on patrol off Faroe Islands.[3]
On 8 June 1940, during the latter part of the Norwegian Campaign, Marschall and part of his force (flagship Gneisenau, and her sister-ship Scharnhorst) fell in with British aircraft carrier Glorious and two destroyers (Acasta and Ardent) about 280 miles west of Harstad, Norway. In a two-hour action, Glorious and her accompanying destroyers were all sunk, in exchange for damage to Scharnhorst (struck by one of Acasta's torpedoes, and one shell from each of the destroyers). To this day it is still not known why Marschall abandoned over 1600 Royal Navy sailors from the sinking of the 3 RN ships to their deaths, despite there being no other RN assets in the area.
Although the battle resulted in a German victory, Marschall had engaged Glorious despite orders to avoid action. Marschall's differences with the High Command on this subject, and the severe damage to Scharnhorst during the engagement, ensured that Marschall was replaced as Flottenchef by Admiral Günther Lütjens. Marschall led the inspection of naval education for two years beginning in the summer 1940.
In 1942, Marschall was named commanding admiral of occupied France and replaced Alfred Saalwächter as commander of Marinegruppenkommando West. On 1 February 1943 he was promoted to Generaladmiral, but was replaced as western commander by Theodor Krancke and deactivated later that spring. During the remainder of the war, Marschall was reactivated twice, once as Sonderbevollmächtigter (special agent) for the Danube, and once as commander of the Marineoberkommando West shortly before the end of the war. From 1945–47 he was held as a prisoner of war.[clarification needed]
Marschall died in Mölln, West Germany, in 1976.
Awards
[edit]- Pour le Mérite (4 July 1918)[citation needed]
- Clasp to the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class
- Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class
- German Cross in Gold (23 March 1942)
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ "Wilhelm Marschall". uboat.net.
- ^ "Imperial German Navy - Awards of Pour le Mérite, "The Blue Max"". naval-history.net.
- ^ Garzke, William H.; Dulin, Robert O. (1985). Battleships: Axis and Neutral Battleships in World War II. Naval Institute Press, p. 135. ISBN 978-0-87021-101-0
Bibliography
[edit]- Hartwig, Dieter (2011). "Generaladmiral Wilhelm Marschall". In Ueberschär, Gerd R. (ed.). Hitlers militärische Elite [Hitler's Military Elite] (in German). Primus Verlag. pp. 162–170. ISBN 978-3-89678-727-9.
- 1886 births
- 1976 deaths
- Military personnel from Augsburg
- Military personnel from the Kingdom of Bavaria
- Reichsmarine personnel
- Imperial German Navy personnel of World War I
- General admirals of the Kriegsmarine
- U-boat commanders (Imperial German Navy)
- Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class)
- Recipients of the Gold German Cross
- Recipients of the Imtiyaz Medal
- Recipients of the Liakat Medal
- German military personnel of the Spanish Civil War
- Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class
- German prisoners of war in World War II