Erich Raeder

Erich Raeder
Raeder in 1940
Chief of the German Navy High Command
In office 1 June 1935 – 30 January 1943
Deputy	Rolf Carls
Preceded by	Himself (as Head of the Naval Command)
Succeeded by	Karl Dönitz
Head of the German Naval Command
In office 1 October 1928 – 1 June 1935
Preceded by	Hans Zenker
Succeeded by	Himself (as Oberbefehlshaber der Marine)
Personal details
Born	Erich Johann Albert Raeder (1876-04-24)24 April 1876 Wandsbek, Schleswig-Holstein, Prussia, Germany
Died	6 November 1960(1960-11-06) (aged 84)[1] Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, West Germany
Resting place	Nordfriedhof cemetery, Kiel[2][3]
Spouse	Augusta Schultz
Children	4
Parents	Hans Friedrich Eduard Raeder (father) Gertrud Wilhelmine Margaretha (mother)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany
Branch	Imperial German Navy Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine
Service years	1894–1943
Rank	Großadmiral
Commands	SMS Cöln
Battles/wars	World War I Raid on Yarmouth Raid on Hartlepool Battle of Dogger Bank Bombardment of   Lowestoft Battle of Jutland Action of 19 August 1916 World War II
Awards	See below
Criminal conviction
Criminal status	Deceased
Convictions	Conspiracy to commit crimes against peace Crimes of aggression War crimes
Trial	Nuremberg trials
Criminal penalty	Life imprisonment

Erich Johann Albert Raeder (24 April 1876 – 6 November 1960)^[1] was a German admiral who played a major role in the naval history of World War II and was convicted of war crimes after the war. He attained the highest possible naval rank, that of grand admiral, in 1939. Raeder led the Kriegsmarine for the first half of the war; he resigned in January 1943 and was replaced by Karl Dönitz. At the Nuremberg trials he was sentenced to life imprisonment but was released early owing to failing health in 1955.