Bernhard Rogge

Infobox Military Person
name=Bernhard Rogge
born=birth date|1899|11|4|df=y
died=death date and age|1982|6|29|1899|11|4|df=y
placeofbirth=Schleswig
placeofdeath=Reinbek


caption=Bernhard Rogge
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|German Empire German Empire (to 1918)
flagicon|Germany Weimar Republic (to 1933)
flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (to 1945)
flagicon|West Germany West Germany
branch=navy|German Empire
navy|Weimar Republic
navy|Nazi Germany
navy|West Germany
serviceyears=1915-1962
rank=Vizeadmiral
Konteradmiral
commands=German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis
unit=
battles=World War I
World War II
awards="Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub"
Great Cross of Merit
laterwork=

Bernhard Rogge (November 4, 1899 – June 29, 1982) was a Captain (German: "Kapitän zur See") of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) who, during World War II, commanded a merchant raider.

Born in Schleswig, he was one of many German officers who were forced to apply for a German Blood Certificate, that would allow their racial background to be overlooked (he had a Jewish grandparent). [http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/righitpix.html]

He was awarded a Japanese ornate Samurai sword and the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his actions as the commander of the Hilfskreuzer (auxiliary cruiser) "Atlantis" ("Schiff 16").

Rogge became a Vizeadmiral (vice-admiral) by the end of World War II, and eventually became a Konteradmiral (rear-admiral) of the West German Bundesmarine.

Rogge also was one of the few German officers of flag rank who was not arrested by the Allies after the war. This was due to the way he had exercised his command of "Atlantis".

Compliments

The skipper of the British vessel, "City of Baghdad", which the "Atlantis" sunk in July 1941, stated, "His treatment of prisoners left respect, instead of hatred".The Captain of the "City of Bagdad" was Captain J. Armstrong White. He wrote the foreword of "Atlantis, The story of a German Surface Raider" written by U. Mohr & A.V. Sellwood.

Military Career of Bernhard Rogge

*1915 -- Joins the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial German Navy) as an ensign
*After World War I -- serves on various cruisers
*Mid-1930s to 1939 -- commander of the German Navy's sail training ship "Albert Leo Schlageter"
*September 1939 -- assigned to the Hilfskreuzer "Atlantis"
**mid-December 1939 -- the "Atlantis" is formally commissioned
**March 31, 1940 -- the "Atlantis" sets out to sea
**November 22, 1941 -- the "Atlantis" is sunk by HMS "Devonshire"
*After World War II -- discharged
*June 1 1957 -- Enters the post-World War II West German Bundesmarine with the rank of Konteradmiral
**June 1 1957 - September 29 1957 Delegated with the Command of Military Area Command I
**September 30 1957- March 31 1962 -- Commander of Military Area Command I.
**April 15 1958- March 31 1962 -- At the same time, NATO Commander of Land Forces in Schleswig-Holstein (COMLAND-SCHLESWIG)
*March 31 1962 -- Retires from the German Bundesmarine as a Konteradmiral

Awards

* Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st Class
* Cross of Honor
* "Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung" IV. to I. Class
* "Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938"
* Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
* "Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer" with Diamonds (sole recipient)
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
** Knight's Cross (7 December 1940)
** Oak Leaves (31 December 1941)
* Great Cross of Merit (31 March 1962)