Erich Raeder

Erich Raeder was a German admiral who commanded the Kriegsmarine from 1935 to 1943. The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg convicted him of war crimes and crimes against peace.

Karl Dönitz: A German admiral who succeeded Raeder as commander-in-chief of the Kriegsmarine and led Germany after Hitler’s death. Dönitz replaced Raeder in 1943 and pursued a submarine-centered naval strategy.
Kriegsmarine: The German navy under the Nazi regime from 1935 to 1945. Raeder commanded this service during its expansion and the opening years of the Second World War.
Imperial German Navy: Germany’s navy from the establishment of the German Empire in 1871 until the end of the First World War. Raeder began his career in this service before the postwar restrictions reshaped German naval power.
Nuremberg trials: A series of postwar trials prosecuting leading Nazi officials and organizations for crimes committed during the Second World War. Raeder’s principal criminal trial took place before the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg.
Adolf Hitler: The Nazi dictator of Germany from 1933 until 1945. Hitler’s strategic priorities and disputes with Raeder influenced the navy’s expansion and wartime role.
Plan Z: A proposed German naval expansion program approved in 1939, intended to build a large fleet over several years. The plan embodied Raeder’s ambition to prepare the fleet for a future confrontation with Britain.
German Navy in World War I: The naval forces of the German Empire during the First World War. Raeder served at sea during the war, gaining experience in fleet operations and naval command.
International Military Tribunal: The tribunal established by the Allied powers to try major German leaders after the Second World War. It convicted Raeder of crimes against peace and war crimes in 1946.
Hermann Göring: A leading Nazi official who headed the Luftwaffe and held major political and military authority. Raeder’s efforts to secure naval resources often collided with Göring’s control of the air force.
Battle of the Atlantic: The prolonged struggle between Allied and Axis forces over control of Atlantic shipping during the Second World War. Raeder’s naval strategy helped shape Germany’s early campaign against Allied maritime supply.

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Channel DashRelated: As naval commander, he was involved in planning the ships’ return.