(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Admiral Theodor Burchardi
Born: 14 May 1892 in Homberg by Kassel
Died: 12 Aug 1983 in Glücksburg, Ostsee
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (15 Apr 1912); Leutnant zur See (03 Aug 1914); Oberleutnant zur See (26 Apr 1917); Kapitänleutnant (01 Feb 1922); Korvettenkapitän (01 Jan 1930); Fregattenkapitän (01 Apr 1935); Kapitän zur See (01 Jan 1937); Konteradmiral (01 Jan 1941); Vizeadmiral (01 Feb 1943); Admiral (01 Jan 1945)
Career:
Entered the Navy as a Seekadett and Attended Basic-Training and On Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Hansa’ (01 Apr 1911-31 Mar 1912)
Attended Naval-School in Mürwik and Special-Briefings (01 Apr 1912-30 Sep 1913)
On Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Seydlitz’ (01 Oct 1913-02 Jan 1915)
On Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Moltke’ (03 Jan 1915-23 Apr 1915)
Course on Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Kaiserin Augusta’ (06 May 1915-15 Jun 1915)
Watch-Officer and Commandant of the Torpedo-Boats ‘G 197’, ‘G 40’ and ‘G 39’ with the 1st Torpedo-Boat-Half-Flotilla (16 Jun 1915-08 Dec 1918)
Boat-Commandant with the 3rd Baltic-Sea-Minesweeper-Flotilla (09 Dec 1918-09 Nov 1919)
Boat-Commandant with the 7th Baltic-Sea-Minesweeper-Half-Flotilla (10 Nov 1919-21 Mar 1920)
Boat-Commandant with the 2nd Half-Flotilla (22 Mar 1920-08 Jul 1920)
With the Ship’s-Cadre, III. Flotilla (09 Jul 1920-22 Aug 1920)
Commandant of ‘M 2’ with the 6th Half-Flotilla (23 Aug 1920-26 Sep 1921)
Company-Chief in the Coastal-Defence-Battalion VI (27 Sep 1921-22 Sep 1924)
Commandant of ‘G 11’, 1st Torpedo-Boat-Half-Flotilla (23 Sep 1924-23 Sep 1926)
Advisor and Adjutant with the Inspection of Naval-Artillery (24 Sep 1926-02 Oct 1927)
Artillery-Officer on the Cruiser ‘Amazone’ (03 Oct 1927-02 Jan 1929)
Artillery-Officer on the Cruiser ‘Nymphe’ (03 Jan 1929-14 Mar 1929)
Crew-Cadre on the ‘Königsberg’ (15 Mar 1929-16 Apr 1929)
Artillery-Officer on the Cruiser ‘Königsberg’ (17 Apr 1929-25 Sep 1931)
Commander of the V. Naval-Artillery-Battalion (26 Sep 1931-30 Sep 1934)
At the same time, Temporary Commander of Pillau (17 Dec 1931-20 Jan 1932)
At the same time, Temporary Commander of Pillau (13 May 1932-18 May 1932)
At the same time, Temporary Commander of Pillau (19 Dec 1932-13 Jan 1933)
At the same time, Temporary Commander of Pillau (13 Dec 1933-20 Jan 1934)
At the same time, Temporary Commander of Pillau (30 Apr 1934-19 May 1934)
Commander of the III. Ship’s-Cadre-Division of the Baltic Sea (01 Oct 1934-04 Oct 1936)
At the same time, Commander of Stralsund (01 Jan 1936-04 Oct 1936)
Director of the Artillery-Office at the Naval-Station Kiel (05 Oct 1936-14 Oct 1937)
Commandant of the Cruiser ‘Köln’ (15 Oct 1937-14 Jan 1940)
Chief of the Central-Department, Kriegsmarine-Shipyard Kiel (15 Jan 1940-03 Feb 1941)
Chief Of Staff, Kriegsmarine-Shipyard Kiel (04 Feb 1941-18 May 1941)
Naval-Commander ‘D’ (19 May 1941-05 Nov 1941)
Naval-Commander/Admiral Eastern Territories (06 Nov 1941-16 Jun 1944)
Admiral/Commanding Admiral Eastern Baltic Sea (17 Jun 1944-18 Apr 1945)
In Captivity (18 Apr 1945-24 Feb 1946)
Released (24 Feb 1946)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz (260): am 29.09.1944 als Vizeadmiral und Kommandierender Admiral Ostland
- Eichenlaub (823): am 08.04.1945 als Admiral und Kommandierender Admiral östliche Ostsee
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold: am 31.03.1944 als Vizeadmiral und Kommandierender Admiral Ostland
- 1914 EK I: 27.09.1919
- 1914 EK II: 24.01.1915
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse: 02.10.1936
- Lettischer Kommandeurorden III. Klasse zu den 3 Sternen: 01.06.1938
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 01.10.1938: 20.12.1939
- Spange zum EK I: 18.01.1940
- Spange zum EK II: 10.10.1939
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an die Heimkehr des Memellandes: 03.06.1940
- Finn. Freiheitskreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern: 07.06.1943


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