Reichsmarine

The Reichsmarine (Realm Navy) was the name of the German Navy during the Weimar Republic and first two years of Nazi Germany. It was the naval branch of the Reichswehr, existing from 1919 to 1935. In 1935, it became known as the Kriegsmarine (War Navy), a branch of the Wehrmacht; a change implemented by Adolf Hitler. Many of the administrative and organizational tenets of the Reichsmarine were then carried over into the organization of the Kriegsmarine. The Vorläufige Reichsmarine (Provisional Realm Navy) was formed after the end of World War I from the Imperial German Navy. The provisions of the Treaty of Versailles restricted the German Navy to 15,000 men and no submarines, while the fleet was limited to six pre-dreadnought battleships, six light cruisers, twelve destroyers, and twelve torpedo boats. Replacements for the outdated battleships were restricted to a maximum size of 10,000 tons. The Reichsmarine was considered the armed naval force of the Reichswehrministerium (Ministry of the Reichswehr) which was headed by a civilian minister appointed by the Weimar government. The senior most naval officer was known until 1920 as the Chef der Admiralität (Chief of the Admiralty), after which the title changed to Chef der Marineleitung (Chief of the Naval Command). The naval commander oversaw a headquarters office known as the Marinekommandiertenabteilung which was headquartered in Berlin. The Naval Command also maintained a headquarters intelligence office (Marinenachrichtenoffizier) and a naval archives. Internal to the naval headquarters five offices known as the: Marinekommandoamt (A) – Operations Allgemeine Marineamt (B) – General Administration Marineverwaltungsamt (C) – Personnel and Administration Marinewaffenamt (MWa) – Naval War Office Marinekonstruktionsamt (K) – Naval Construction Office The following officers served as head of the Reichsmarine from 1918 to 1935 Chief of the Admiralty (Chef der Admiralität) Heads of the Naval Command (Chefs der Marineleitung) The fleet command of the Reichsmarine (Flottenkommando) was headquartered at Kiel and consisted of a flag staff and fleet commander embarked on board the flagship of the German fleet.