(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Konteradmiral Franz Claassen
Born: 15 Nov 1881 in Goldbeck, Pomerania (Pommern)
Died: 02 May 1945 in Pomerania (Missing)
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (10 Apr 1900); Leutnant zur See (27 Sep 1902); Oberleutnant zur See (21 Mar 1905); Kapitäbleutnant (27 Mar 1909); Korvettenkapitän (26 Apr 1917); Fregattenkapitän (01 May 1923); Kapitän zur See (01 Oct 1925); Charaker als Konteradmiral (01 Dec 1928); Konteradmiral z.V. (01 Jan 1942)
Career:
Entered the Navy as a Seekadett, Attended Basic-Training (10 Apr 1899-18 May 1899)
On Board the School-Ship ‘Gneisenau’ (19 May 1899-03 Apr 1900)
Attended Naval-School and Special-Briefings (09 Apr 1900-30 Sep 1901)
On Board the Liner ‘Kaiser Wilhelm II’ (01 Oct 1901-30 Sep 1903)
Company-Officer in the I. Sailor-Division (01 Oct 1903-19 Jan 1904)
Watch-Officer on the Gun-Boat ‘Habicht’ (10 Feb 1904-02 Nov 1904)
With the Naval Expeditionary Corps South-West Africa (29 Nov 1904-06 Mar 1905)
Company-Officer in the I. Sailor-Division (09 Apr 1905-05 Aug 1905)
Watch-Officer on the Small Cruiser ‘Undine’ (06 Aug 1905-30 Sep 1906)
Instructor on the School-Ship ‘Württemberg’ (13 Oct 1906-02 Sep 1908)
Watch-Officer on the Liner ‘Pommern’ (03 Sep 1908-15 Sep 1910)
Company-Officer in the I. Sailor-Division (16 Sep 1910-01 Apr 1911)
Watch-Officer on the School-Ship ‘König Wilhelm’ (02 Apr 1911-31 Mar 1912)
Company-Leader in the I. Shipyard-Division (01 Apr 1912-30 May 1912)
Adjutant at the Imperial Shipyard Kiel (31 May 1912-30 Sep 1912)
Placed to the Disposal of the I. Shipyard-Division (01 Oct 1912-19 Nov 1912)
Torpedo-Officer on the Heavy Cruiser ‘Yorck’ (20 Nov 1912-21 May 1913)
Watch-Officer on the Heavy Cruiser ‘Seydlitz’ (22 May 1913-29 Sep 1913)
Advisor in the Mine-Test-Commission (30 Sep 1913-31 Jul 1914)
Commandant of the Auxiliary-Mine-Scattering-Steamer ‘Deutschland’ (03 Aug 1914-25 Aug 1914)
Commandant of the Auxiliary-Mine-Scattering-Steamer ‘Rügen’ (26 Aug 1914-05 Sep 1915)
1st Torpedo-Officer on the Heavy Cruiser ‘Lützow’ (06 Sep 1915-01 Jun 1916)
Ship’s-Cadre ‘Lützow’ (01 Jun 1916-06 Aug 1916)
1st Torpedo-Officer on the Small Cruiser ‘Frankfurt’ (07 Aug 1916-31 Aug 1916)
Ship’s-Cadre ‘Lützow’ (01 Sep 1916-24 Sep 1916)
1st Torpedo-Officer on the Liner ‘Bayern’ (25 Sep 1916-30 Sep 1916)
Ship’s-Cadre ‘Baden’ (01 Oct 1916-18 Oct 1916)
1st Torpedo-Officer on the Liner ‘Bayern’ (19 Oct 1916-01 Jul 1918)
First Officer on the Small Cruiser ‘Emden’ (02 Jul 1918-03 Dec 1918)
At the same time was Temporary Commandant (06 Aug 1918-12 Oct 1918)
Placed to the Disposal of the Chief of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (04 Dec 1918-13 Feb 1919)
Navigations-Director, Reichs Shipyard Danzig (14 Feb 1919-04 Jun 1919)
With the Naval-Regiment Kiel (05 Jun 1919-02 Jul 1919)
Battalion-Commander in the Coastal-Defence-Regiment Kiel (03 Jul 1919-19 Feb 1920)
Commander of the 2nd Battalion of the III. Naval-Brigade (20 Feb 1920-31 May 1920)
With the Ship’s-Cadre-Detachment of the Baltic Sea (01 Jun 1920-30 Jun 1920)
Advisor in the Reichs-Naval-Service-Office Hamburg (01 Jul 1920-17 May 1921)
Chief of the Central-Department, Naval-Shipyard Wilhelmshaven (18 May 1921-02 Nov 1921)
Construction-Indoctrination ‘Braunschweig’ (03 Nov 1921-30 Nov 1921)
Commandant of the Liner ‘Braunschweig’ (01 Dec 1921-31 Dec 1921)
Battalion-Commander in the Ship’s-Cadre-Division of the North Sea (01 Jan 1922-28 Feb 1922)
First Officer on the Liner ‘Braunschweig’ (01 Mar 1922-04 Apr 1923)
Commander of the Coastal-Defence-Battalion II (05 Apr 1923-25 Sep 1925)
Commandant of Swinemünde (26 Sep 1925-29 Sep 1928)
Retired from Naval Service (29 Sep 1928)
Reichs-Commissioner with the Sea-Offices Stettin and Stralsund (01 Apr 1932-31 Aug 1934)
Civilian Employee in the Kriegsmarine (Placed to ther Disposal of the Kriegsmarine on 01 May 1941) and Commandant in Section Kolberg (02 Aug 1939-00 Apr 1941)
Placed to the Disposal of the Commanding Admiral of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (00 Apr 1941-00 May 1941)
Naval-Commander ‘C’ (Libau-Riga) (Libau now called Liepaja) (00 May 1941-06 Nov 1941)
Placed to the Disposal of the Commanding Admiral of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea and Granted Leave (07 Nov 1941-28 Feb 1942)
Retired from Naval Service (28 Feb 1942)
Missing (02 May 1945)

Decorations & Awards:


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