Walther Franz

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Walther Franz
Walther Franz.jpg
Birth date 7 August 1880 (1880-08-07)
Place of birth Mülheim an der Ruhr, Rhine Province, German Empire
Death date 19 January 1956 (1956-01-20) (aged 75)
Place of death Schöningen, Lower Saxony, West Germany
Allegiance  German Empire
 Weimar Republic
 National Socialist Germany
Service/branch  Kaiserliche Marine
Freikorps Flag.jpg Freikorps
 Reichsmarine
 Kriegsmarine
Years of service 1897–1918
1919
1919–1930
1939–1944
Rank Vice Admiral z. V.
Battles/wars World War I
World War II
Awards Iron Cross
War Merit Cross

Walther Franz (7 August 1880–19 January 1956) was a German officer of the Kaiserliche Marine, the Freikorps, the Reichsmarine and the Kriegsmarine, finally Vizeadmiral (Vice Admiral) in WW II. He must not be confused with the Lieutenant General of the Luftwaffe Walther August Georg Franz.

Military career (chronology)

Paul von Hindenburg with naval officers of the Reichsmarine and others: Hermann Wilhelm Bauer (1), Hans Zenker (2), Walther Franz (3), Wilhelm Prentzel (4).
  • Entered the Navy as a Kadett and Attended Basic-Training and on Board the School-Ship SMS Charlotte (07 Apr 1897-23 Apr 1898)
  • On Board the School-Ship SMS Sophie (24 Apr 1898-09 Apr 1899)
  • Attended Naval-School and Special-Briefings (10 Apr 1899-01 Oct 1900)
  • On Board the Liner SMS Baden (02 Oct 1900-30 Sep 1901)
  • Departed to East Asia (01 Oct 1901-02 Dec 1901)
  • Watch-Officer on Board the Light Cruiser SMS Bussard (03 Dec 1901-24 Oct 1902)
  • Watch-Officer on the Light Cruiser SMS Thetis (26 Oct 1902-19 Jun 1903)
  • Returned Home from East Asia (20 Jun 1903-10 Aug 1903)
  • Company-Officer, II. Shipyard-Division or II. Werftdivision (11 Aug 1903-30 Sep 1903)
  • Company-Officer, Adjutant and Company-Leader, II. Sailor-Artillery-Battalion or II. Matrosen-Artillerie-Abteilung (01 Oct 1903-24 Aug 1906)
  • Detached to the Inspection of Coastal Artillery and Mine Affairs (25 Aug 1906-30 Sep 1906)
  • Watch-Officer on the Liner SMS Braunschweig (01 Oct 1906-05 Oct 1907)
  • Watch-Officer on the Liner SMS Mecklenburg (06 Oct 1907-30 Sep 1909)
  • Company-Officer with the II. Sailor-Artillery-Battalion (01 Oct 1909-03 Aug 1910)
  • Artillery-Officer on the Liner SMS Braunschweig (15 Sep 1910-31 Jul 1912)
  • Artillery-Officer on the Liner SMS Kaiser (01 Aug 1912-25 Aug 1913)
  • 2nd Admiral-Staff-Officer, Staff of the Commander of Reconnaissance-Ships (26 Aug 1913-06 Feb 1916)
  • 2nd Admiral-Staff-Officer, Command of the High Seas Fleet (07 Feb 1916-02 Sep 1918)
  • Commandant of the Light Cruiser SMS Königsberg (03 Sep 1918-05 Mar 1919)
  • Battalion-Commander, Volunteer Regiment Kiel (Bataillonskommandeur im Freiwilligen-Regiment Kiel) of the Freikorps (06 Mar 1919-30 Sep 1919)
  • Artillery and Navigations Director, Reichs-Shipyard Wilhelmshaven, on 14/03/1920 Naval-Shipyard Wilhelmshaven; At the same time, Liaison-Officer of the Naval-Peace-Commission (01 Oct 1919-18 May 1923)
  • Senior Shipyard Director, Naval-Shipyard (Marinewerft) Wilhelmshaven (19 May 1923-03 Oct 1928)
  • Commander of the Sea-Forces of the North Sea and 2nd Admiral of the Liner-Division (11 Oct 1928-21 Dec 1929)
  • Commander of Liners (pre-dreadnought battleships) or Befehlshaber der Linienschiffe (01 Jan 1930-27 Feb 1930)
  • Retired (31 Mar 1930)

Kriegsmarine

  • Placed to the Disposal of the Kriegsmarine (24 May 1939)
  • Reichs-Commissioner (Reichskommissar) at the Prize-Court (03 Sep 1939-16 Sep 1939)
    • The Prisenhof Wilhelmshaven was either very short-lived or did not become operational.
  • Placed to the Disposal of the Commanding Admiral of the Naval Station of the North Sea (17 Sep 1939-28 Sep 1941)
  • Chief of the Naval-Printing-Administration, OKM (29 Sep 1941-17 May 1944)
  • Retired (31 May 1944)

Promotions

  • Kadett (Officer Candidate) 7 April 1897 (after 1899 Seekadett)
  • Seekadett (Officer Kadett) 27 April 1898
    • renamed Fähnrich zur See on 1 January 1899
  • Leutnant zur See (2nd Lieutenant) 23 September 1900
  • Oberleutnant zur (1st Lieutenant) 15 July 1902
  • Kapitänleutnant (Lieutenant Captain) 27 April 1907
  • Korvettenkapitän (Corvette Captain – Lieutenant Commander) 22 March 1914
  • Fregattenkapitän (Frigate Captain – Commander) 8 March 1920
  • Kapitän zur See (Captain at Sea – Captain) 1 October 1921
  • Konteradmiral (Rear Admiral) 1 April 1927[1]
  • Vizeadmiral (Vice Admiral) 1 December 1928
  • Vizeadmiral z. V. of the Kriegsmarine 24 May 1939

Awards and decorations (small excerpt)

WaltherFranz(1).jpg

References