(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)

Admiral Otto Backenköhler
Born: 01 Feb 1892 in Göttingen
Died: 05 Feb 1967 in Kiel
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (15 Apr 1911); Leutnant zur See (27 Sep 1913); Oberleutnant zur See (22 Mar 1916); Kapitänleutnant (01 Jan 1921); Korvettenkapitän (01 Jan 1929); Fregattenkapitän (01 Sep 1934); Kapitän zur See (01 Apr 1936); Konteradmiral (01 Jan 1940); Vizeadmiral (01 Apr 1942); Admiral (01 Apr 1943)
Career:
Entered the Navy as Seekadett and Attended Basic-Training and on Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Freya’ (01 Apr 1910-31 Mar 1911)
Attended Naval-School in Mürwik and Special-Courses (01 Apr 1911-30 Sep 1912)
On Board the Liner ‘Westfalen’ (01 Oct 1912-16 Jan 1916)
Watch-Officer with the 9th Torpedo-Boat-Half-Flotilla (17 Jan 1916-31 Mar 1918)
Commandant of Torpedo-Boat ‘G 8’ with the 10th Torpedo-Boat-Half-Flotilla (01 Apr 1918-13 Jul 1918)
Commandant of Torpedo-Boat ‘V 5’ with the 10th Torpedo-Boat-Half-Flotilla (13 Jul 1918-26 Oct 1918)
Boat-Commandant in the 12th Torpedo-Boat-Half-Flotilla (27 Oct 1918-07 Nov 1918)
Boat-Commandant in the 1st Escort-Flotilla, then 1st North-Seas-Minesweeper-Flotilla, then Iron Flotilla (02 Feb 1919-16 Mar 1920)
Granted Leave (17 Mar 1920-30 Jun 1920)
Boat-Commandant with the 4th then 7th Half-Flotilla (01 Jul 1920-31 Aug 1921)
Commandant of the Tender ‘M 138’ (01 Oct 1921-07 Feb 1922)
Commandant of the Torpedo-Boat ‘V 2’ (08 Feb 1922-31 Mar 1922)
Commandant of the Torpedo-Boat ‘T 196’ and at the same time, Flag-Lieutenant of the II. Torpedo-Boat-Flotilla (01 Apr 1922-30 Sep 1923)
Detached to the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief of Naval Forces (15 Oct 1923-09 Nov 1924)
Chief of the 4th Torpedo-Boat-Half-Flotilla (10 Nov 1924-23 Sep 1926)
3rd Admiral-Staff-Officer (Asto) with the Staff of Fleet-Command (24 Sep 1926-27 Sep 1929)
1st Adjutant with the Staff of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (30 Sep 1929-20 Sep 1931)
1st Admiral-Staff-Officer (Asto) in the Staff of the Commander of Reconnaissance Forces (24 Sep 1931-08 Oct 1933)
Commander of the Torpedo-School (11 Oct 1933-29 Sep 1935)
At the same time, Commander of the Naval-Signals-School (11 Oct 1933-30 Sep 1934)
Commandant of the Cruiser ‘Köln’ (01 Oct 1935-15 Oct 1937)
Chief Of Staff Of Fleet-Command (16 Oct 1937-30 Oct 1938)
Chief Of Staff of Naval-Station Of The Baltic Sea (31 Oct 1938-23 Oct 1939)
Chief Of Staff, Fleet-Command (24 Oct 1939-31 Jul 1940)
Chief of the Torpedo-Office, Naval-Weapons-Head-Office, OKM (08 Aug 1940-08 Mar 1943)
Chief Of The Naval-Weapons-Head-Office, OKM (09 Mar 1943-30 Apr 1944)
Chief Of Kriegsmarine-Armaments, OKM (01 May 1944-15 Jul 1945)
In POW-Captivity (15 Jul 1945-10 Dec 1946)
Released (10 Dec 1946)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuzes mit Schwertern: am 03.01.1945 als Admiral und Chef der Kriegsmarinerüstung / OKM
- Deutsches Kreuz in Silber: am 07.08.1943 als Admiral und Chef des Marinewaffenhauptamtes/ OKM
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
- Spange zum EK I
- Spange zum EK II
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Flottenkriegsabzeichen


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