(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Admiral Theodor Krancke
Born: 30 Mar 1893 in Magdeburg
Died: 18 Jun 1973 in Wentorf near Hamburg
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (12 Apr 1913); Leutnant zur See (22 Mar 1915); Oberleutnant zur See (25 Dec 1917); Kapitänleutnant (01 Sep 1922); Korvettenkäpitan (01 Oct 1930); Fregattenkäpitan (01 Nov 1935); Kapitän zur See (01 Apr 1937); Konteradmiral (01 Apr 1941); Vizeadmiral (01 Apr 1942); Admiral (01 Mar 1943)
Career:
Entered the Navy as a Seekadett at Basic-Training and on Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Victoria Louise’ (01 Apr 1912-31 Mar 1913)
Naval-School Mürwik and Special-Briefings (01 Apr 1913-01 Aug 1914)
Watch-Officer with the IX. Torpedo-Boat-Flotilla (01 Sep 1914-17 Apr 1919)
Placed to the Disposal of the Commander of the Torpedo-Boat Forces (21 Apr 1919-20 May 1919)
Adjutant with the Staff of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (21 May 1919-16 Mar 1920)
Granted Leave (17 Mar 1920-31 May 1920)
3rd Adjutant with the Staff of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (01 Jun 1920-28 Feb 1941)
Commandant of the Minesweeper ‘M 52’ (01 Mar 1921-01 Oct 1921)
Flag-Lieutenant and Commandant with the II. Torpedo-Boat-Flotilla (03 Jan 1922-31 Mar 1922)
Commandant of the Torpedo-Boat ‘V 2’ (01 Apr 1922-18 Mar 1924)
Instructor at the Torpedo-School (19 Mar 1924-31 Mar 1925)
Instructor at the Torpedo and Signals School (01 Apr 1925-26 Sep 1927)
Torpedo-Officer on the Liner ‘Schleswig-Holstein’ (28 Sep 1927-09 Oct 1929)
Subsidiary-Leadership-Training (10 Oct 1929-29 Sep 1930)
Chief of the 4th Torpedo-Boat-Half-Flotilla (30 Sep 1930-28 Sep 1932)
3rd Admiral-Staff-Officer in Fleet Command (29 Sep 1932-26 Sep 1935)
Advisor in the Department Land-Fortifications, Reichs Defence Ministry (01 Oct 1935-03 Oct 1937)
Commander of the Naval-Academy (04 Oct 1937-21 Aug 1939)
At the same time, Acting-Fleet-Chief (07 Aug 1938-08 Oct 1938)
Chief Of Staff of the Commander of Security of the North Sea (22 Aug 1939-27 Oct 1939)
Commandant of the Heavy Cruiser ‘Admiral Scheer’ (31 Oct 1939-04 Feb 1940)
Naval-Representative in Special-Staff Weserübung, OKW (05 Feb 1940-11 Apr 1940)
Chief Of Staff of the Commanding Admiral Norway (12 Apr 1940-16 Jun 1940)
Commandant of the Heavy Cruiser ‘Admiral Scheer’ (17 Jun 1940-03 Jun 1941)
Chief of the Naval-Command then Quartermaster-Office, Warfare Command, OKM (04 Jun 1941-19 Apr 1943)
At the same time, Liaison-Officer of OKM to the Führer-Headquarters (01 Jan 1942-28 Feb 1943)
Commander-in-Chief Naval-Group-Command West (20 Apr 1944-20 Oct 1944)
Commander-in-Chief Naval-High-Command West (20 Oct 1944-18 Apr 1945)
Commander-in-Chief Naval-High-Command Norway (26 Apr 1945-26 Aug 1945)
In Captivity (26 Aug 1945-14 Jul 1947)
In Internment (14 Jul 1947-03 Oct 1947)
Released (03 Oct 1947)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz (57): am 21.02.1941 als Kapitän zur See und Kommandant Schwerer Kreuzer "Admiral Scheer"
- Eichenlaub (614): am 18.10.1944 als Admiral und Oberbefehlshaber Marinegruppenkommando West
- 1914 EK I: 27.09.1919
- 1914 EK II: 00.05.1915
- Flottenabzeichen: 00.06.1916
- Grossherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz II. Klasse
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis II. (02.10.1936) und I. (01.04.1937) Klasse
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 01.10.1938: 00.00.1939
- Spange zum EK I: 20.04.1940
- Spange zum EK II: 29.10.1939
- Flottenkriegsabzeichen: 00.00.1941


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