Hans-Georg von Friedeburg
Hans-Georg von Friedeburg was a German admiral, the deputy commander of the U-boat Forces of Nazi Germany and the second-to-last Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine. He was the only representative of the armed forces to be present at the signing of the German instruments of surrender in Luneburg Heath on 4 May 1945, in Reims on 7 May and in Berlin on 8 May 1945. Von Friedeburg committed suicide shortly afterwards, upon the dissolution of the Flensburg Government.
Montgomery (right) and von Friedeburg signing the German surrender at Lüneburg Heath, 4 May 1945
Friedeburg (right) witnessing the surrender being signed by Generaloberst Alfred Jodl with Major Wilhelm Oxenius to the left.
Friedeburg's grave next to that of Wolfgang Lüth
The Oberkommando der Marine was the high command and the highest administrative and command authority of the Kriegsmarine. It was officially formed from the Marineleitung of the Reichswehr on 11 January 1936. In 1937 it was combined with the newly formed Seekriegsleitung (SKL). There were two major re-organisations, in November 1939 and May 1944.
Image: Bundesarchiv Bild 146 1980 128 63, Erich Raeder
Image: Bundesarchiv Bild 146 1976 127 06A, Karl Dönitz (cropped)(2)
Image: Walter Warzecha on the deck of a training ship (cropped)
