Otto Schultze

Not to be confused withOtto Schultz.

Otto Schultze
Otto Schultze
Born	(1884-05-11)11 May 1884 Oldenburg
Died	22 January 1966(1966-01-22)(aged 81) Hamburg
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Imperial German Navy Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1900–1942
Rank	Generaladmiral
Unit	SMSKönig
Commands held	U-63 SMSElsass
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Pour le Mérite German Crossin Silver
Relations	Heinz-Otto Schultze(son)

Otto Schultze(11 May 1884 – 22 January 1966) was aGeneraladmiralwith theKriegsmarineduringWorld War IIand a recipient of thePour le MériteduringWorld War I.ThePour le Méritewas theKingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I. As aU-boatcommander during World War I, he was credited with the sinking of 53 merchant ships for a total of 132,567gross register tons,andHMSFalmouthof 5,275 long tons (5,360 t) displacement.

Early career

Schultze was born on 11 May 1884 inOldenburgand following his primary education, he joined theKaiserliche Marine(Imperial Navy) on 7 April 1900 as aSeekadett(sea cadet). He initially served onKönigduring World War I before transferring to the U-boat service in 1915, taking command ofU-63.He surrendered command ofU-63in mid-December 1917. He then served as a first officer of the admiral staff of the commander in chief of the U-boats at theMediterranean Sea.At the same time, he held the position of chief of the I.U-Boot-Flottille(1st U-boat Flotilla). Between the wars, he held various staff positions. From September 1927-September 1929, he was commander ofElsass.In October, he took command of theMarinestation der Nordsee(North Sea Naval Station). He was promoted toVizeadmiral(vice admiral) in 1934 and toadmiralin 1936 retiring in 1937.

World War II

On 1 January 1939, Schultze was recalled to active service and placed to the disposal of theKriegsmarine.Following a few months without command, he was appointed Commanding admiral of the North Sea Naval Station, which he had commanded in 1935–1937. While in this capacity, with headquarters inWilhelmshaven,Schultze was responsible for the area stretched from theNorth Seato the West Coast and toDenmarkand it also controlled theScheldeDelta.

Schultze remained in this command until 28 November 1939, when he was relieved by AdmiralHermann Denschand placed to theFührerreserve.He remained without command again until 2 March 1941, when he was ordered toParisfor duty as Commanding Admiral of France. Schultze remained in that capacity until the end of August 1942 and receivedGerman Crossin Silver on 31 August 1942. He was promoted to the rank ofGeneraladmiral(equivalent of U.S. four starAdmiral) and placed to the disposal of theKriegsmarine.Schultze retired on 30 September 1942.

GeneraladmiralOtto Schultze died on 22 January 1966, aged 81, inHamburg.His son,Heinz-Otto Schultzealso served in theKriegsmarineand receivedKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossasKapitänleutnantand commander ofU-432.He was killed in action on 25 November 1943 in the South Atlantic.

Awards

• Iron Cross(1914) 2nd and 1st Class
• Knight's Cross 2nd Class of theHouse and Merit Order of Peter Frederick Louiswith Swords
• Friedrich-August-Kreuz,2nd and 1st Class
• Austrian Military Merit Cross,3rd Class with War Decorations
• Austrian Order of the Iron Crown,3rd Class with War Decorations
• Liakat Medal,in Silver with Sabre
• Gallipoli Star( "Iron Crescent", Ottoman Empire)
• Prussian Service Award Cross
• U-Boot Badge 1918
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award,1st Class
• The Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Clasp to the Iron Cross(1939) 2nd Class
• War Merit Cross,2nd and 1st Class with Swords
• Knight's Cross of theHouse Order of Hohenzollernwith Swords
• Pour le Mérite(18 March 1918)
• German Crossin Silver on 31 August 1942 asGeneraladmiraland commanding admiral France

References

Bibliography

• Hildebrand, Hans H. and Henriot, Ernest (1990a).Deutschlands Admirale 1849-1945 Band 3: P-Z(in German). Biblio Verlag. Osnabrück.ISBN3-7648-1499-3.
• Hildebrand, Hans H.; Röhr, Albert; Steinmetz, Hans-Otto (1990b).Die Deutschen Kriegsschiffe. Biographien - ein Spiegel der Marinegeschichte von 1815 bis zur Gegenwart. (10 Bände)(in German). Mundus Verlag.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001).Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II[The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall.ISBN978-3-931533-45-8.

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur."WWI U-boat commanders: Otto Schultze".German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.Retrieved5 April2011.