(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Vizeadmiral Helmuth Brinkmann
Born: 12 Mar 1895 in Lübeck
Died: 26 Sep 1983 in Dießen, Bavaria
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (03 Apr 1914); Leutnant zur See (18 Jan 1915); Oberleutnant zur See (07 Jan 1920); Kapitänleutnant (01 May 1925); Korvettenkapitän (01 Jan 1933); Fregattenkapitän (01 Jan 1937); Kapitän zur See (01 Oct 1938); Konteradmiral (01 Sep 1942); Vizeadmiral (01 Feb 1944)
Career:
Entered the Navy as a Seekadett, Attended Basic-Training and On Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Vineta’ (01 Apr 1913-31 Mar 1914)
Attended Naval-School in Mürwik (01 Apr 1914-02 Aug 1914)
On Board the Liner ‘Kaiser Friedrich III’ (07 Aug 1914-06 Jan 1915)
On Board the Liner ‘Kaiser Karl der Große’ (07 Jan 1915-05 Mar 1915)
Radio-Officer on the Small Cruiser ‘Regensburg’ (06 Mar 1915-28 Oct 1915)
With the 2nd Torpedo-Boat-Half-Flotilla (29 Oct 1915-31 Jul 1918)
At the same time, Watch-Officer on the Torpedo-Boat ‘G 196’ (29 Oct 1915-03 Jun 1917)
At the same time, Watch-Officer on the Torpedo-Boat ‘G 192’ (19 Aug 1917-29 Sep 1917)
At the same time, Watch-Officer on the Torpedo-Boat ‘V 190’ (30 Sep 1917-12 Nov 1917)
At the same time, Watch-Officer on the Torpedo-Boat ‘S 133’ (08 Jun 1918-31 Jul 1918)
Navigations-Course (01 Aug 1918-20 Sep 1918)
Watch-Officer on the Torpedo-Boat ‘G 86’ of the 1st Torpedo-Boat-Half-Flotilla (21 Sep 1918-30 Nov 1918)
Watch-Officer and Adjutant with the 2nd Torpedo-Boat-Half-Flotilla (01 Dec 1918-16 May 1920)
Commandant of the Tender ‘T 144’ (31 Jul 1920-29 Sep 1922)
Commandant of the Torpedo-Boats ‘G 7’, ‘G 10’ and ‘S 18’ with the I. Torpedo-Boat-Flotilla (30 Sep 1922-10 Feb 1925)
Company-Chief in the Ship’s-Cadre-Division of the Baltic Sea (12 Feb 1925-17 Sep 1926)
Advisor in the Ship’s-Cadre-Division of the Baltic Sea (18 Sep 1926-02 Oct 1928)
2nd Adjutant in the Command of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (03 Oct 1928-05 Nov 1930)
Navigations-Officer on the Cruiser ‘Königsberg’ (06 Nov 1930-21 Dec 1932)
Advisor in the Reichs-Defence-Ministry (10 Jan 1933-31 Mar 1935)
Commandant of the Aviso ‘Grille’ (20 May 1935-06 May 1938)
Advisor in the Naval-Defence-Department, OKM (09 May 1938-26 Oct 1938)
Chief of Naval-Defence-Department, OKM (27 Oct 1938-24 Jul 1940)
Commandant of the Heavy Cruiser ‘Prinz Eugen’ (01 Aug 1940-04 Aug 1942)
Chief Of Staff of Naval-Group-Command South (05 Aug 1942-21 Nov 1943)
Commanding Admiral of the Black Sea (22 Nov 1943-09 Nov 1944)
Naval-Liaison-Officer to the Mountain-Army-High-Command 20 (10 Oct 1944-21 Dec 1944)
2nd Admiral of the Baltic Sea (06 Jan 1945-31 May 1945)
At the same time, 2nd Admiral of the North Sea (20 Apr 1945-31 May 1945)
On Captivity (31 May 1945-29 Nov 1947)
Released (29 Nov 1947)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz (215): am 17.05.1944 als Vizeadmiral und Kommandierender Admiral Schwarzes Meer
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold: am 25.03.1942 als Kapitän zur See und Kommandant Schwerer Kreuzer “Prinz Eugen”
- 1914 EK I : 24.07.1920
- 1914 EK II : 10.10.1915
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914/1918: 15.10.1934
- Kgl. Spanischer Marine-Verdienstorden II. Klasse: 08.11.1934
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
- Komturkreuz des Kgl. Italien. Ordens der Krone: 08.10.1937
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 01.10.1938
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an die Heimkehr des Memellandes
- Spange zum EK I: 09.06.1941
- Spange zum EK II: 03.06.1941
- Flottenkriegsabzeichen: 05.04.1942
- Komturkreuz des Kgl. Ungar. Verdienstordens mit Schwertern: 12.01.1943
- Komturkreuz des Kgl. Ungar. Verdienstordens mit Stern und Schwertern: 18.02.1943
- Grossoffizierskreuz des Kgl. Bulgar. Militär-Verdienstordens mit der Kriegsdekoration: 16.03.1943
- Kgl. Rumän. Orden “Michael der Tapfere” III. Klasse: 30.05.1944


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