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'''Karl Witzell''' (18 October 1884, Hiersfeld near [[Wesel]] – 31 May 1976, [[Berlin]]) was a German naval officer who rose to the rank of [[General Admiral]] in the [[Kriegsmarine|''Kreigsmarine'']] of [[Nazi Germany]]. He was the head of the ''[[Marinewaffenhauptamt]]'' (Marine Ordnance Office) since the mid 1930s and during the [[Second World War]].
'''Karl Witzell''' (18 October 1884, Hiersfeld near [[Wesel]] – 31 May 1976, [[Berlin]]) was a German naval officer who rose to the rank of [[General Admiral]] in the [[Kriegsmarine|''Kreigsmarine'']] of [[Nazi Germany]]. He was the head of the ''[[Marinewaffenhauptamt]]'' (Marine Ordnance Office) since the mid 1930s and during the [[Second World War]].


During the [[interwar period]], Witzell, like [[Oberbefehlshaber der Marine|Chief of the German Navy High Command]] [[Erich Raeder]], was an advocate of a powerful surface navy that included the heaviest ships. He argued that only the largest vessels could allow an Atlantic striking force to effectively break through and destroy British trade routes. Witzell, Raeder, and many others in the naval staff continued to strongly believe in the importance of capital ships and surface vessels. This perspective ultimately contributed to the development of [[Plan Z]] in January 1939.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Doherty |first=Richard |title=Churchill's Greatest Fear: The Battle of the Atlantic 3 September 1939 to 7 May 1945 |publisher=Pen and Sword |year=2015 |isbn=9781473879416 |publication-date=Nov 30, 2015 |pages=20-22}}</ref>
The ''Marinewaffenhauptamt'' oversaw the development, testing and production of naval weapons of all kinds, as well as electronic counter-measures and radio communications. During the [[interwar period]], Witzell, like [[Oberbefehlshaber der Marine|Chief of the German Navy High Command]] [[Erich Raeder]], was an advocate of a powerful surface navy that included the heaviest ships. He argued that only the largest vessels could allow an Atlantic striking force to effectively break through and destroy British trade routes. Witzell, Raeder, and many others in the naval staff continued to strongly believe in the importance of capital ships and surface vessels. This perspective ultimately contributed to the development of [[Plan Z]] in January 1939.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Doherty |first=Richard |title=Churchill's Greatest Fear: The Battle of the Atlantic 3 September 1939 to 7 May 1945 |publisher=Pen and Sword |year=2015 |isbn=9781473879416 |publication-date=Nov 30, 2015 |pages=20-22}}</ref>


Witzell, along with field marshal [[Erhard Milch]], the ''Generalluftzeugmeister'' (Chief of Air Equipment) for the Air Force, and general [[Emil Leeb]], Chief of the ''[[Waffenamt]]'' (Army Ordnance Office), served on the Armaments Committee (''Rüstungsamt''). Formed on May 6, 1942, under the leadership of Reich Minister [[Albert Speer]], this committee aimed to centralize the research and development efforts of the three branches of the Armed Forces. By establishing a unified planning agency, the committee sought to streamline ordnance research and optimize resource allocation, ensuring better-coordinated advancements in military technology across the ''[[German Army (1935–1945)|Heer]]'', ''[[Luftwaffe]]'', and ''Kriegsmarine''.<ref>{{Citation |last=Hentschel |first=Klaus |title=Hermann Göring et al.: Record of a Conference Regarding the Reich Research Council, July 6, 1942 |date=1996 |work=Physics and National Socialism |pages=304–308 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-9008-3_99 |access-date=2024-10-27 |place=Basel |publisher=Birkhäuser Basel |isbn=978-3-0348-9865-2}}</ref>
Witzell, along with field marshal [[Erhard Milch]], the ''Generalluftzeugmeister'' (Chief of Air Equipment) for the Air Force, and general [[Emil Leeb]], Chief of the ''[[Waffenamt]]'' (Army Ordnance Office), served on the Armaments Committee (''Rüstungsamt''). Formed on May 6, 1942, under the leadership of Reich Minister [[Albert Speer]], this committee aimed to centralize the research and development efforts of the three branches of the Armed Forces. By establishing a unified planning agency, the committee sought to streamline ordnance research and optimize resource allocation, ensuring better-coordinated advancements in military technology across the ''[[German Army (1935–1945)|Heer]]'', ''[[Luftwaffe]]'', and ''Kriegsmarine''.<ref>{{Citation |last=Hentschel |first=Klaus |title=Hermann Göring et al.: Record of a Conference Regarding the Reich Research Council, July 6, 1942 |date=1996 |work=Physics and National Socialism |pages=304–308 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-9008-3_99 |access-date=2024-10-27 |place=Basel |publisher=Birkhäuser Basel |isbn=978-3-0348-9865-2}}</ref>

Revision as of 07:27, 27 October 2024

Karl Witzell
Born(1884-10-18)18 October 1884
Hiersfeld near Wesel, Rhine Province
Died31 May 1976(1976-05-31) (aged 91)
West-Berlin
Allegiance German Empire (to 1918)
 Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany
Service / branch Imperial German Navy
 Reichsmarine
 Kriegsmarine
Years of service1902–42
RankGeneraladmiral
UnitSMS Elbing
SMS Frankfurt
SMS Graudenz
SMS Schleswig-Holstein
SMS Braunschweig
Battles / warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the War Merit Cross
Other workDeutsche Gesellschaft für Wehrtechnik

Karl Witzell (18 October 1884, Hiersfeld near Wesel – 31 May 1976, Berlin) was a German naval officer who rose to the rank of General Admiral in the Kreigsmarine of Nazi Germany. He was the head of the Marinewaffenhauptamt (Marine Ordnance Office) since the mid 1930s and during the Second World War.

The Marinewaffenhauptamt oversaw the development, testing and production of naval weapons of all kinds, as well as electronic counter-measures and radio communications. During the interwar period, Witzell, like Chief of the German Navy High Command Erich Raeder, was an advocate of a powerful surface navy that included the heaviest ships. He argued that only the largest vessels could allow an Atlantic striking force to effectively break through and destroy British trade routes. Witzell, Raeder, and many others in the naval staff continued to strongly believe in the importance of capital ships and surface vessels. This perspective ultimately contributed to the development of Plan Z in January 1939.[1]

Witzell, along with field marshal Erhard Milch, the Generalluftzeugmeister (Chief of Air Equipment) for the Air Force, and general Emil Leeb, Chief of the Waffenamt (Army Ordnance Office), served on the Armaments Committee (Rüstungsamt). Formed on May 6, 1942, under the leadership of Reich Minister Albert Speer, this committee aimed to centralize the research and development efforts of the three branches of the Armed Forces. By establishing a unified planning agency, the committee sought to streamline ordnance research and optimize resource allocation, ensuring better-coordinated advancements in military technology across the Heer, Luftwaffe, and Kriegsmarine.[2]

Decorations

Bibliography

  • Hildebrand, Hans (1989). P–Z (in German). Vol. 3. Osnabrück: Biblio. pp. 568–569. ISBN 3764814993. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)


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  1. ^ Doherty, Richard (2015). Churchill's Greatest Fear: The Battle of the Atlantic 3 September 1939 to 7 May 1945. Pen and Sword (published 30 November 2015). pp. 20–22. ISBN 9781473879416.
  2. ^ Hentschel, Klaus (1996), "Hermann Göring et al.: Record of a Conference Regarding the Reich Research Council, July 6, 1942", Physics and National Socialism, Basel: Birkhäuser Basel, pp. 304–308, ISBN 978-3-0348-9865-2, retrieved 27 October 2024
  3. ^ Hildebrand 1989, p. 569.
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