German Mine Sweeping Administration
The German mine clearing service in 1945 formed on allied transfer from remaining parts of the Navy, and had the task to remove the mines in the German coastal waters. The English name was " German Minesweeping Administration" ( GMSA ), while several German names have survived, including " German Minenräumleitung " ( DMRL ), " German Mine Bomb Disposal " and " German Minenräumverwaltung ".
- 7.1 See also
- 7.2 External links
- 7.3 Literature
- 7.4 Notes and references
Installation and tasks
On the day of unconditional surrender, 8 May 1945, ordered the commander of the Allied Forces, that the Navy had to provide mine -clearing vehicles for clearing mined waters. To the management and conservation of German naval units and naval shipyards working under Allied control, ensure to first was the Supreme Command of the Navy ( OMC) under the leadership of General Admiral created by the Allies Walter Warzecha exist. It had the following tasks:
- A repair, maintenance and equipment of minesweeping units,
- B. Wide supply with mine detector,
- C. Next supply of technical means of communication for minesweepers,
- D Wide supply and distribution of fuels from German sources,
- E port and waterway construction, harbor buoys and navigational lights -,
- F Management German naval bases
- Grade g, clothing, food.
After dissolution of the OMC July 21, 1945, the German Minenräumleitung (DM / RL ) was established, which took over these tasks.
Line
For the coordination of mine clearance in European waters, the Allies, the International Mine Clearance Board ( IMCB ) had set up in London. The DMRL received her Räumaufträge about the British occupation.
As "head of the German Minenräumleitung " (Chief DM / RL ) was used by the British Navy Rear Admiral Fritz Krauss, who acted in this task by the end of 1947. British director was a "Commodore German Minesweeping Administration". The staff of the DMRL was initially located in Gluckstadt, later in Hamburg at the headquarters of the British naval commander in Schleswig- Holstein in the so-called Navy House.
Deputy Head D.M. / R.L. until March 1946 Captain Heinrich Gerlach. The staff of the D.M. / R.L. three directors were also used, including Captain Alfred Schumann. For staff were some of the leading officers of the former surgery department, among them the future of the Marine inspectors Zenker and Jeschonnek.
Personnel and vehicles
In May 1945, over 800 vehicles were taken for the unexploded device. In the fall of 1945, the DMRL still had about 300 vehicles and 27,000 marines, so on significantly more staff had conceded as the Imperial Navy after the Treaty of Versailles. By 1946, this number was reduced to about 15,000 men.
The soldiers served as service verpflichtetes not Dismissed from the Navy staff in the status Surrendered Enemy Personnel who did not seem to them the rights of a prisoner of war. First, the crews wore their old navy uniforms with all orders, but without swastikas. The cohesion of the soldiers and in the face of danger developing in daily unexploded esprit de corps were the Allies soon suspect. Therefore, in May 1946, new uniforms and their own ranks were introduced.
The swastika flag was not allowed to be performed from the time of surrender to. The Allies referred to, instead, a modified double Stander international signal flag "C" to set, which was led by German ships until 1951. On 16 May 1945 the Reich government in Flensburg ordered that the British used in the order in mine unexploded German warships have to lead to the gaff national signal pennant "8". Without the need for an instruction is delivered, some vehicles also led the plain yellow flag signal Q, which was understood because of its designation as a flag " nonsense " as a protest against the flag of the Commander's order.
Units and formations
The German unexploded mine was divided into six minesweeping. There were forces under French leadership, which were not under the German mine clearing service line. In the central Baltic forces were deployed under Soviet leadership.
1 mines clearing
The 1 billion in Kiel was responsible for the German coastal waters in the western Baltic Sea, and was led by Commander Adalbert von Blanc. It consisted (as of October 15, 1945 ) from four Minensuchflottillen, two Minenräumflottillen, a Sperrbrecherflottille, a KFK - guard association of seven KFK - groups, a KFK - special group, a boat and some group workshop ships.
2 mines clearing
The second MRD ( " North A") in Cuxhaven was responsible for the waters off the German North Sea coast and was led by Commander Herbert Max Schulz. Their bases were Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven. Part of the stationed on the river Weser and Jademündung vehicles was later contracted to → 6 mines clearing.
For the second MRD included four Minensuchflottillen, two Minenräumflottillen, a Sperrbrecherflottille, a Transportflottille, a Netzräumverband, a fog volume group and several other emergency vehicles.
3 mines clearing
The 3rd MRD in Copenhagen was responsible for the Danish waters and was led by Commander Gustav Forstmann. It consisted of two Minensuchflottillen, a Minenräumflottille, a Sperrbrecherflottille and a Netzräumgruppe. There were 28 German minesweepers which had been submitted to the Danish Navy.
4 mines clearing
The 4 billion in Kristiansand was responsible for the Norwegian coast and was led by Commander Philip. His lead ship was the speedboat escort ship Adolf Lüderitz. The 4 billion consisted of three Minensuchflottillen, six Minenräumflottillen, five Vorpostenflottillen, a KFK - group, six Transportflottillen and associations, and two Landungsflottillen. They operated from the ports of Kristiansand as a main base and Stavanger, Oslo, Trondheim, Tromsø and Bergen.
5 mines clearing
The 5 billion in IJmuiden and Borkum was responsible for the Dutch waters and was led by Lieutenant Commander Harald Schaper. It consisted of a Minensuchflottille and two Minenräumflottillen. There were eleven German minesweepers, which were delivered to the Dutch Navy.
6 mines clearing
The 6 BILLION ( " North B") in Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven had been spun off from the second MRD. She was responsible for the waters off the Weser, Jade and Ems estuary and was led by Lieutenant Commander Kurt Ambrose. The 6 billion consisted of a Minensuchflottille, a fog volume group and several other emergency vehicles.
Resolution
When the Soviet Union protested against the existence of the association as a secret German rearmament, he was resolved December 31, 1947. At this time the German waters were cleared of naval mines, but there was still danger by land mines.
To continue the evacuation of underground mines have not been resolved, the Minenräumverband Cuxhaven ( MRVC ) was set up in January 1948 under British control, which continued the tasks of DMRL to 1951. This considerably smaller, civil is dressed consequence organization with homeport Cuxhaven held just over 12 minesweepers and about 600 men. After dissolution of the MRVC a small part of the personnel from the newly emerging Seegrenzschutz and the American-led Labor Service Unit (B ) was taken.
In various mine explosions and accidents total of 10 vehicles were lost. 348 members lost their lives in the German mine clearing service.
Public perception
In the public and press, the members of mine Räumdienstes the Allies were partially treated with hostility because of its military activities as incorrigible militarists or as auxiliary volunteers ( " student assistants " ) mocked. Thus, the acronym has been reinterpreted as " General Montgomery SA ", "Take, seeking Adolf " or " Secret of the SA Navy ."