Bernhard Rogge - Biography

Bernhard Rogge (4 November 1899 – 29 June 1982) was a Captain of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) who, during World War II, commanded a merchant raider.

Born in Schleswig, he was one of many German officers who were forced to apply for a German Blood Certificate, that would allow their racial background to be overlooked (he had a Jewish grandparent).[1]

He was awarded a Japanese ornate Samurai sword and the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his actions as the commander of the Hilfskreuzer (auxiliary cruiser) Atlantis (Schiff 16).

Rogge became a Vizeadmiral (vice-admiral) by the end of World War II, and eventually became a Konteradmiral (rear-admiral) of the West German Bundesmarine.

Rogge also was one of the few German officers of flag rank who was not arrested by the Allies after the war. This was due to the way he had exercised his command of Atlantis.

Compliments

The skipper of the British vessel, City of Baghdad, which the Atlantis sunk in July 1941, stated, "His treatment of prisoners left respect, instead of hatred". The Captain of the City of Baghdad, J. Armstrong White, later wrote the foreword to Atlantis, the Story of a German Surface Raider, written by U. Mohr & A. V. Sellwood.

Admiral Karl Dönitz, who was prosecuted for war crimes at the Nuremberg Trials, cited his own support of Rogge in an effort to clear himself of the charge of being antisemitic.

Military career

• 1915 — joins the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial German Navy) as an ensign
• After World War I — serves on various cruisers
• Mid-1930s to 1939 — commander of the German Navy's sail training ship Albert Leo Schlageter
• September 1939 — assigned to the Hilfskreuzer Atlantis
  • mid-December 1939 — the Atlantis is formally commissioned
  • 31 March 1940 — the Atlantis sets out to sea
  • 22 November 1941 — the Atlantis is sunk by
• After World War II — discharged
• 1 June 1957 — enters the post-World War II West German Bundesmarine with the rank of Konteradmiral
  • 1 June 1957 – 29 September 1957 — delegated with the Command of Military Area Command I
  • 30 September 1957 – 31 March 1962 — Commander of Military Area Command I.
  • 15 April 1958 – 31 March 1962 — at the same time, NATO Commander of Land Forces in Schleswig-Holstein (COMLAND-SCHLESWIG)
• 31 March 1962 — retires from the German Bundesmarine as a Konteradmiral

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st Class
• Cross of Honor
• Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. to I. Class
• Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer with Diamonds (sole recipient)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross (7 December 1940)
  • Oak Leaves (31 December 1941)
• Grand Cross of Merit (31 March 1962)

Film

Rogge and the cruise of Atlantis were depicted in the 1960 film Sotto dieci bandiere (Under Ten Flags) starring Van Heflin and Charles Laughton.

Citations

Bibliography