(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins & Dieter Zinke)

Generaladmiral Karl Witzell
Born: 18 Oct 1884 in Hiersfeld by Wesel
Died: 31 May 1976 in Berlin
Promotions:
F�hnrich zur See (11 Apr 1903); Leutnant zur See (29 Sep 1905); Oberleutnant zur See (15 Oct 1907); Kapit�nleutnant (22 Mar 1913); Korvettenkapit�n (29 Jun 1920); Fregattenkapit�n (01 Apr 1927); Kapit�n zur See (01 Dec 1928); Konteradmiral (01 Sep 1933); Vizeadmiral (01 Dec 1935); Admiral (01 Nov 1937); Generaladmiral (01 Apr 1941)
Assignments:
Entered the Navy as a Seekadett, Attended Basic-Training and on Board the School-Ship 'Moltke' (01 Apr 1902-21 Mar 1903)
Naval-School and Special-Briefings (22 Mar 1903-00 Aug 1904)
Departed to Woosung (00 Aug 1904-24 Oct 1904)
On Board the Heavy Cruiser 'Hertha' (25 Oct 1904-12 May 1905)
On Board the Battleships 'Wittelsbach' then 'Preu�en' (13 May 1905-30 Sep 1905)
Watch-Officer on the Small Cruiser 'Ariadne' (01 Oct 1905-30 Mar 1906)
Adjutant on the School-Ship 'Stein' (31 Mar 1906-08 Mar 1908)
Company-Officer in the II. Torpedo-Division and Watch-Officer on the Torpedo-Boat 'S 114' (09 Mar 1908-01 Oct 1908)
Watch-Officer on the Battleship 'Wittelsbach' (02 Oct 1908-20 Sep 1910)
Company-Officer in the Sailor-Cadre-Battalion Kiautschou (21 Sep 1910-04 Jan 1911)
Departed to Kiautschou with the 'Neckar' (05 Jan 1911-14 Feb 1911)
Company-Officer and Adjutant in the Sailor-Artillery-Battalion Kiautschou (15 Feb 1911-17 Feb 1913)
Returned Home from Tsingtau with 'K�nigin Luise' (18 Feb 1913-31 Mar 1913)
Placed to the Disposal of the II. Naval-Inspection (01 Apr 1913-22 Sep 1913)
3rd Artillery-Officer and Roll-Officer on the Battleship 'Oldenburg' (23 Sep 1913-27 Aug 1915)
Artillery-Officer on the Small Cruiser 'Elbing' (04 Sep 1915-01 Jun 1916)
Acting-Artillery-Officer on the Small Cruiser 'Frankfurt' (02 Jun 1916-31 Aug 1916)
Navigations-Officer and First Officer on the Small Cruiser 'Graudenz' (01 Sep 1916-12 Oct 1919)
Placed to the Disposal of the Chief of the Naval-Station of the North Sea (13 Oct 1919-01 Feb 1920)
Artillery-Officer with the Commander Wilhelmshaven (02 Feb 1920-31 Dec 1920)
At the same time, Member of the Sub-Commission of the Naval-Peace-Commission in Wilhelmshaven (02 Feb 1920-10 Aug 1920)
At the same time, President of the Sub-Commission of the Naval-Peace-Commission in Wilhelmshaven (11 Aug 1920-31 Dec 1920)
At the same time, Adjutant of the Commander Wilhelmshaven (26 Nov 1920-31 Dec 1920)
Detached for Service to Naval Command (01 Jan 1921-04 Feb 1921)
Department-Head in the Weapons-Department, Naval Command (05 Feb 1921-10 Jan 1926)
First Officer on the Battleship 'Braunschweig' (11 Jan 1926-31 Jan 1926)
First Officer on the Battleship 'Schleswig-Holstein' (01 Feb 1926-30 Sep 1927)
Department-Head in the Weapons-Department, Naval Command (01 Oct 1927-30 Sep 1928)
Chief of the Naval-Weapons-Department, Naval Command (01 Oct 1928-30 Sep 1934)
Chief of the Naval-Weapons-Office, Naval Command (01 Oct 1934-10 Jan 1936)
Chief of the Naval-Weapons-Office, OKM (11 Jan 1936-06 Nov 1939)
Chief of the Naval-Weapons-Head-Office, OKM (07 Nov 1939-31 Aug 1942)
Placed to the Disposal of the Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine (01 Sep 1942-30 Sep 1942)
Retired (30 Sep 1942)
In Soviet Captivity (1945-1955)
Released (1955)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuzes mit Schwertern: am 06.10.1942 als Generaladmiral und Chef des Marinewaffenhauptamtes
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Ritterkreuz des Kgl. D�nischen Danebrogordens
- Grossherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz II. Klasse
- Grossherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz I. Klasse
- Kgl. Preuss. Dienstauszeichnungskreuz
- Ehrenkreuz f�r Frontk�mpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
- Spange zum EK I
- Spange zum EK II
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Eichenlaub zur Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung I. Klasse


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