(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Vizeadmiral Karl Topp
Born: 29 Sep 1895 in Voerde, Westphalia (Westfalen)
Died: 24 Apr 1981 in Jever, Oldenburg
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (23 Dec 1914); Leutnant zur See (13 Jul 1916); Oberleutnant zur See (28 Sep 1920); Kapitänleutnant (01 Apr 1926); Korvettenkapitän (01 Oct 1933); Fregattenkapitän (01 Apr 1937); Kapitän zur See (01 Apr 1939); Konteradmiral (01 Feb 1943); Vizeadmiral (01 Jan 1945)
Career:
Entered the Navy as a Seekadett, Attended Basic-Training and on Board the Heavy Cruiser 'Victoria Louise' (01 Apr 1914-06 Aug 1914)
On Board the Liner 'Thüringen' (07 Aug 1914-04 Mar 1917)
Torpedo-Officer on the Liner 'Thüringen' (04 Mar 1917-09 Sep 1917)
Submarine-Training at the Submarine-School (10 Sep 1917-14 Nov 1917)
Davon with the I. Submarine-Flotilla Mediterranean (18 Nov 1917-21 Jan 1919)
Watch-Officer on the Submarine 'UC 54' (18 Nov 1917-09 Apr 1918)
Watch-Officer on the Submarine 'UB 48' (10 Apr 1918-15 May 1918)
Watch-Officer on the Submarine 'UC 67' (16 May 1918-21 Jan 1919)
Placed to the Disposal of the Chief of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (22 Jan 1919-25 May 1919)
Adjutant on the Cruiser 'Graudenz' (28 May 1919-10 Mar 1920)
Coding-Officer with the Staff of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (11 Mar 1920-30 May 1920)
Watch-Officer with the II. Flotilla (01 Jun 1920-30 Sep 1921)
Flag-Lieutenant with the Staff of the Commander of Sea Forces of the North Sea (01 Oct 1921-30 Sep 1923)
Adjutant of the Ships-Cadre-Division of the North Sea (01 Oct 1923-18 Feb 1925)
Company-Leader with the Ships-Cadre-Division of the North Sea (19 Feb 1925-25 Sep 1925)
At the same time, Commandant of the Test-Boat 'UZ 35' (30 Aug 1924-12 Sep 1924)
Commandant of the Torpedo-Boat 'V 6' of the 3rd Torpedo-Boat-Half-Flotilla (26 Sep 1925-27 Sep 1927)
Company-Leader in the I. Battalion of the Ships-Cadre-Division of the North Sea (28 Sep 1927-15 Apr 1928)
Location-Major in Wilhelmshaven (16 Apr 1928-07 Oct 1928)
Company-Leader in the I. Battalion of the Ships-Cadre-Division of the North Sea (08 Oct 1928-30 Sep 1929)
Subsidiary-Leadership-Course (01 Oct 1929-01 Apr 1931)
Maritime Operation-Director in the Equipment-Department, Naval-Shipyard Wilhelmshaven (02 Apr 1931-05 Oct 1931)
At the same time, Detached for Service to Naval Command (07 Sep 1931-24 Sep 1931)
3rd Admiral-Staff-Officer in the Staff of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (06 Oct 1931-28 Sep 1934)
Navigations-Officer on the Cruiser 'Emden' (29 Sep 1934-30 Sep 1935)
First Officer on the Cruiser 'Emden' (01 Oct 1935-30 Aug 1936)
General-Advisor for Military Questions of Ship-Construction, OKM (14 Sep 1936-31 Mar 1939)
Chief of the Military Department, Office for Warship-Construction, OKM (01 Apr 1939-14 Oct 1939)
Chief of the Military Office-Group, Head-Office for Warship-Construction, OKM (15 Oct 1939-30 Dec 1940)
Construction-Indoctrination 'Tirpitz' (15 Jan 1941-24 Feb 1941)
Commandant of the Battleship 'Tirpitz' (25 Feb 1941-24 Feb 1943)
Chief of the Technical Office-Group for Shipyards and Administration, Head-Office for Warship-Construction, OKM (01 Mar 1943-31 Mar 1943)
Chief of the Military Office-Group, Head-Office for Warship-Construction, OKM (16 Mar 1943-12 Jul 1943)
Chairman of the Ship-Construction-Commission of the Reichs-Minister for Armaments and War Production (13 Jul 1943-30 Apr 1945)
Chief of the Office for Warship-Construction, OKM (10 May 1945-15 Oct 1945)
In Captivity (15 Oct 1945-02 Dec 1946)
Released (02 Dec 1946)

Decorations & Awards:
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Grossherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz II. Klasse
- Grossherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz I. Klasse
- k.u.k. Österr. Militär-Verdienstkreuz III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration
- U-Bootskriegsabzeichen, 1918
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
- Spange zum EK I
- Spange zum EK II
- Flottenkriegsabzeichen


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