Oskar Heinecke

Oskar Heinecke
Konteradmiral of the Reichsmarine Heinecke
Birth date	13 July 1878 (1878-07-13)
Place of birth	Eichenbarleben, Province of Saxony, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Death date	25 January 1945 (1945-01-26) (aged 66)
Place of death	Kiel, Province of Schleswig-Holstein, German Reich
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic
Service/branch	Kaiserliche Marine Reichsmarine
Years of service	1897–1918 1919–1928
Rank	Charakter als Admiral
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Iron Cross House Order of Hohenzollern Pour le Mérite
Relations	∞ 1910 Gertrud von Wehren

Oskar Heinecke (13 July 1878 – 25 January 1945) was a German officer of the Kaiserliche Marine and the Reichsmarine, finally vice admiral (Vizeadmiral). On 19 August 1939, the Tannenbergtag, he was given the charakter (honorary title) as admiral (Charakter als Admiral) of the Kriegsmarine.

Military career (selection)

• Chief of the 10. Torpedo Boats Half Flotilla (1 August 1914-17 September 1915)
• Chief of the V. Torpedo Boats Flotilla (18 September 1915-31 July 1916)
• Chief of the II. Torpedo Boats Flotilla (1 August 1916-14 February 1919)
• Commanded for Service to the Imperial Naval Office (15 February 1919-2 October 1919)
• Commandant of the Light Cruiser „Königsberg“ (3 October 1919-10 March 1920)
• Granted Leave (11 March 1920-31 May 1920)
• Fortress Commandant of Cuxhaven (1 June 1920-18 October 1922)
• Inspector of Naval Depots (19 October 1922-29 March 1925)
• Inspector of Torpedo and Mine Affairs (30 March 1925-3 October 1927)
  • At the same time, Acting Inspector of Training Affairs of the Navy (1 July 1925-18 August 1925)
  • At the same time, Acting Inspector of Training Affairs of the Navy (5 January 1927-21 February 1927)
  • At the same time, Acting Inspector of Training Affairs of the Navy (1 August 1927-11 August 1927)
• Placed at the Disposal of the Chief of the Naval Station of the Baltic Sea (4 October 1927-31 December 1927)
• Retired (31 December 1927)

Family

Oskar was the son of Dr. med. Theodor Heinecke (ᛉ 19 December 1842 in Ebendorf; ᛣ 1905 in Eichenbarleben) and his wife Helene „Helenchen“, née Diesterweg (ᛉ 18 June 1856 in Dahlenwarsleben by Magdeburg; ᛣ 11 February 1936). He had three siblings.

Marriage

Heinecke was married twice, the second time 1910 to Gertrud von Wehren (ᛉ 7 May 1888 in Eisenach). Their son Horst (ᛉ 25 July 1913 in Wilhelmshaven ) joined the Reichsmarine (Crew 1933), served by the Kriegsmarine on ships and later on U-Boats. He fell (⚔) in January 1943 as Kapitänleutnant on "U 553“ under Korvettenkapitän Karl Thurmann, when it sank with 46 crew members in the North Atlantic.

Promotions

• 7. April 1897 Kadett (after 1899 Seekadett)
  • joined the Kaiserliche Marine as such
• 27 April 1898 Seekadett (after 1899 Fähnrich zur See)
• 23 September 1900 Leutnant zur See
• 15 March 1902 Oberleutnant zur See
• 27 April 1907 Kapitänleutnant
• 22 March 1914 Korvettenkapitän
• 5 February 1920 Fregattenkapitän
• 1 January 1921 Kapitän zur See
• 1 October 1926 Konteradmiral
• 25 January 1937 Charakter als Vizeadmiral
• 19 August 1939 Charakter als Admiral, announced on 27 August 1939 (Tannenbergtag)

Awards and decorations

• Knight's Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog (DD3) on 17 September 1901
• Prussian Red Eagle Order (Roter Adlerorden), 4th Class on 1 August 1909
• Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
  • EK I on 14 February 1918
• Oldenburg Friedrich-August-Kreuz, 2nd and 1st Class (OFA1/OK1)
• Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Knight's Cross with Swords (HOH3⚔) on 4 December 1917
• Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg (HH)
• Military Merit Cross (Austria-Hungary), 3rd Class with the War Decoration (ÖM3K)
• Pour le Mérite on 5 March 1918 as Korvettenkapitän and Chief of the II. Torpedo Boats Flotilla
• Prussian Long Service Cross for 25 years (Königlich Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz)
• The Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords