(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generaladmiral Alfred Saalwächter
Born: 10 Jan 1883 in Neusalz, Oder
Died: 06 Dec 1945 in the USSR
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (22 Apr 1902); Leutnant zur See (29 Sep 1904); Oberleutnant zur See (30 Mar 1906); Kapitänleutnant (10 Apr 1911); Korvettenkapitän (21 Jan 1920); Fregattenkapitän (01 Oct 1925); Kapitän zur See (01 Jan 1928); Konteradmiral (01 Oct 1932); Vizeadmiral (01 Apr 1935); Admiral (01 Jun 1937); Generaladmiral (01 Jan 1940)
Career:
Entered Naval Service as a Seekadett, Basic-Training and On Board the School-Ship ‘Moltke’ (10 Apr 1901-31 Mar 1902)
Naval-School and Special Briefings (01 Apr 1902-30 Sep 1903)
Departed to Wusung (01 Oct 1903-28 Nov 1903)
On Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Hertha’ (29 Nov 1903-12 May 1905)
Company-Officer in the II. Sailor-Division (13 May 1905-18 Sep 1905)
Watch-Officer on the Battleship ‘Hessen’ (19 Sep 1905-31 Mar 1906)
Detached for Service to the II. Torpedo-Battalion (01 Apr 1906-30 Sep 1906)
Detached for Service to the II. Torpedo-Division (01 Oct 1906-30 Sep 1907)
Adjutant of the 1st Battalion of the II. Torpedo-Division (01 Oct 1907-30 Sep 1908)
Watch-Officer on the Heavy Cruiser ‘Gneisenau’ (01 Oct 1908-30 Sep 1909)
Flag-Lieutenant with the Staff of the I. Squadron (01 Oct 1909-30 Sep 1911)
Detached to the Admiral-Staff of the Navy (01 Oct 1911-30 Sep 1913)
Department-Head for Signal and Radio Telegraphy in the Operations-Group of the Admiral-Staff of the Navy (01 Oct 1913-31 Mar 1915)
Flag-Lieutenant in the Staff of the High Seas Forces (01 Apr 1915-31 Mar 1916)
Submarine-Training at the Submarine-School (01 Apr 1916-30 Jun 1916)
Commandant of the Submarine ‘U 25’ of the Submarine-School (01 Jul 1916-30 Sep 1916)
Commandant of the Submarine ‘U 46’ of the III. Submarine-Flotilla (01 Oct 1916-02 Mar 1917)
Commandant of the Submarine ‘U 94’ of the IV. Submarine-Flotilla (03 Mar 1917-00 Mar 1918)
Admiral-Staff-Officer in the Staff of the Commander of Submarines, subsequently with the Processing-Office of the Naval-Station of the North Sea and lastly Detached to the RMA, Admiral-Staff (00 Mar 1918-23 Sep 1919)
1st Adjutant in the Staff of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (24 Sep 1919-16 Mar 1920)
Granted Leave (17 Mar 1920-16 May 1920)
In the Naval-Officer-Personnel-Department, Naval Command (17 May 1920-09 Oct 1923)
1st Admiral-Staff-Officer in the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief of Sea Forces (15 Oct 1923-31 Mar 1925)
1st Admiral-Staff-Officer in Fleet Command (01 Apr 1925-03 Jan 1926)
Placed to the Disposal of the Chief of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (04 Jan 1926-23 Sep 1926)
Commandant of the Cruiser ‘Amazone’ (24 Sep 1926-27 Sep 1927)
Commandant of the Battleship ‘Schlesien’ (28 Sep 1927-30 Sep 1928)
Chief Of Staff of Fleet Command (15 Oct 1928-28 Sep 1930)
Chief of the Naval Defence Department, Naval Command (29 Sep 1930-26 Sep 1933)
Inspector of Training Affairs of the Navy (02 Oct 1933-27 Oct 1938)
At the same time, Acting-Inspector of Torpedo and Mine Affairs (02 Dec 1933-09 Dec 1933)
At the same time, Acting-Inspector of Torpedo and Mine Affairs (01 Apr 1934-30 Jun 1934)
At the same time, Acting-Inspector of Torpedo and Mine Affairs (03 Sep 1934-16 Sep 1934)
At the same time, Acting-Inspector of Torpedo and Mine Affairs (26 May 1935-08 Jun 1935)
At the same time, Acting-Inspector of Torpedo and Mine Affairs (12 Jun 1936-18 Jul 1936)
Commanding Admiral of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (28 Oct 1938-22 Aug 1939)
At the same time, Leader of the Formation-Staff of Naval-Group-Command West (04 Aug 1939-22 Aug 1939)
Commander-in-Chief of Naval-Group-Command West (23 Aug 1939-20 Sep 1942)
Placed to the Disposal of the Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine (21 Sep 1942-30 Nov 1942)
Retired (30 Nov 1942)
Placed to the Disposal of the Kriegsmarine without being mobilised (01 Dec 1942)
Abducted by the Russians, Tried by a Russian Military Tribunal of the Garrison of Berlin for Alleged and Completely Unfounded War Crimes, on 17 Oct 1945 He was sentenced to Death (21 Jun 1945-06 Dec 1945)
Executed by Firing Squad (06 Dec 1945)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz: am 09.05.1940 als Generaladmiral und Marinegruppenbefehlshaber West
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold: am 14.12.1942 als Generaladmiral und Oberbefehlshaber Marinegruppenkommando West
- RK des Kgl. Preuss. Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern: 05.03.1922
- 1914 EK I : 14.02.1918
- 1914 EK II : 01.08.1916
- Ritterkreuz des Königlich Siamesischen Ordens der Krone: 01.11.1905
- Russischer St. Annenorden IV Klasse: 09.05.1910
- Kgl. Preuss. Roter Adler-Orden IV Klasse: 07.11.1912
- k.u.k. Österr. Orden der Eisernen Krone III Klasse: 12.05.1914
- Kgl. Preuss. Krone zum Roter Adler-Orden IV Klasse: 01.08.1916
- K.u.K. Österr. Orden der Eisernen Krone III Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration
- Kgl. Preuss. Dienstauszeichnungskreuz
- Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz: 05.03.1922
- U-Bootskriegsabzeichen, 1918
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I Klasse
- Spange zum EK I
- Spange zum EK II


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