MEK - Marine-Einsatz-Kommando

[Erik E]

Hello!

Looking for some general info on these units. As far as I know, they were attached to the "Kleinkampf-Divisionen".
These special forces carried out operations along the coast, often in cooperation wit SIPO.

In Norway, several MEK units were involved in attacking both Norwegian resistance, MTB depots hidden on islands +++

EE

[jopaerya]

Hello

Sorry, I dont want to harass you again.

M.E.K. 35 Harstad Oblt. MA Grünswedel 60 Mann 1. Kleinkampf-Division
M.E.K. 30 Molde Kplt. Gegner 80 Mann 2. Kleinkampf-Division
M.E.K. 25 Stend (Bergen) Oblt. Honniger ? 60 Mann 3. Kleinkampf-Division
M.E.K. 90 Oslo Oblt. MA Vilke 30 Mann 5. Kleinkampf-Division

Regards Jos

[Erik E]

Hello!

Have you got any dates for this list?

As far as I know, both MEK 30 and MEK 35 were in Stend (Bergen) in April-May 1945.

During MEK30`s attack on the resictancebase "Bjørn West" at Matre north of Bergen, the unit lost 32
soldiers, in addition the SIPO officer which followed the unit was also killed.
After this devastating try, the Kriegsmarine pulled back and handed the mission over to the Heer.


Erik

[jopaerya]

Hello

There is no date on the list but I think its early 1945 , so mayby in the end of the war the Germans put the MEK troop together in Stend. I have no further info on there fight with the Norwegian Resitance .

Regards Jos

[Bjørn from Norway]

Hello!
Here is some on the MEKs, in German as it hails from a German co-researcher and friend.

Marine-Einsatz-Kommandos

Innerhalb der Abwehrorganisation (Admiral Canaris) gab es bereits vor Gründung des Kommandos der Kleinkampfverbände sogenannte "Marineeinsatzkommandos". Es handelte sich dabei um 2 Einheiten von Kampfschwimmern für Sonderaufgaben wie Brückensprengungen, Haftmineneinsätze u.a.m. Mit Aufstellung des Kleinkampfverbandes wurden die Aufgaben auf ihn übertragen. Der K-Verband stellte nach dem Vorbild der bei der Abwehrstelle Hamburg aufgestellten Kommandos MAREI und MARKO weitere MEK's auf, die dann allerdings nummeriert waren. -- Seit Juni 1941 existierte außerdem noch ein Marine-Einsatz-Kommando »Schwarzes Meer« (KKpt. Dr. Armin Roth), das für Erkundungsaufgaben gegen die sowjetische Kriegs- und Handelsschiffahrt und als Vorausabteilung der Seekommandanten zur Besetzung von Hafenanlagen und Schiffen vorgesehen war (Anlagen 1 / Anlage 2), und im Juli 1943 wieder aufgelöst worden ist.


MAR-EI
Kptlt. Opladen 1941 - ..........

MAR-KO
Kptlt. Opladen
Oblt. MA Broecker ......... - 04.44


M EK 20 in Cavella (Italien) Oblt. MA Broecker 04.44 - Ende
MEK 30 Kptlt. MA Gegner 03.44 - Ende
MEK 35 Kptlt. Breusch 11.44 - 03.45 / Kptlt. Woerdemann (Norwegen) 03.45 - Ende
MEK 40 in Dänemark Kptlt. MA Buschkämper
Oblt. MA Schulz 08.44 - 03.45
MEK 60 in Le Havre / Rouen Oblt. MA Prinzhorn 03.44 - Ende
MEK 65 in Boulogne Oblt.z.S. Richert 05.44 - Ende
MEK 70 in Brest
MEK 71 in Toulon Oblt. MA Wolters 04.44 - Ende
MEK 75 in Anzio Oblt.MA Wolters 02.44 - 04.44
MEK 80 in Norditalien Kptlt. MA Krumhaar 03.44 - Ende
MEK 85 Oblt.MA Wadenpfuhl 01.45 - Ende
MEK 90 in Dubrovnik Oblt.M.A. Wilke ----
MEK z.b.V ---- ----

Quellen: Hildebrand/Lohmann, Die deutsche Kriegsmarine 1939-1945, Kapitel 153.4 (Nach Unterlagen von KKpt. Dr. Paul Heinsius);
Mike Whitley, Deutsche Seestreitkräfte 1939 - 1945. Einsatz im Küstenvorfeld. Stuttgart: Motorbuch 1995, S.121-122

[JPK]

In" Internationales Militaria Magazin" Nr111 to 115,(Februar -Dezember 2004)
You will fins a lot of info about

-The Marine-Kleinkampfmittel,
-K-Verbande und KommandoMarinekampfschwimmer:
-Elitetruppe des Geheimdienstes
-Ritterkreuzträger der KM bei den K.d.K Verbanden
-Die Träger des Deutschen Kreuzes in Gold des Kommandos der Marinekleinkampfverbände

Regards
JPK

[Erik E]

Thanks to both!
Interesting info.

I`ve also seen a unit named "MEK 25" which was attached to 4.K-div. in the Bergen/Stavanger area....
A Oblt Z. See Ronninger is listed as commander

Erik

[jopaerya]

Hello All

As you can see the MEK were every where here is a list from Skl 02-11-1944

MEK 71 Pola
MEK 80 Meina (Lago Maggiore)
MEK 40 Scheldegebiet
MEK 60 Nymwegen

Regards Jos

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Gentlemen,

Do you have information about these two units called MAREI and MARKO? What kind of war actions did these two units carried out? I understand that both units were absorbed into the K-Verband as MEK 20. I like to know all about MEK 20 too.

Sincerely,
Edward L. Hsiao

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Gentlemen,

I forgot I also want to know all about MEK Black Sea. What kind of war actions did this unit carried out?

Edward L. Hsiao

[bettika]

Hello,

The MEK PFEIFFER and MAREI consisted of departments that searched offices and authorities in strategically important documents, which were sent to the detention division. From June 1941, a MEK BLACK SEA existed, which was planned for exploration missions against the Soviet naval and merchant shipping and as a preliminary division of the naval commanders to the occupation of port facilities and ships ( Annex 1 / Annex 2 ), and was dissolved again in July 1943. The MEK MARKO Acted first as an advance division in the Caucasus campaign and then moved to Kavala (northern Greece) for so-called "gangs" fighting, thus for sabotage and espionage defense. With the establishment of the Kleinkampfverband the leadership of the naval Einsatzkommandos was transferred to him. After the model of the MAREI and MARKO commandos deployed at the Abwehrstelle Hamburg, the K-Verband set up additional MEKs, which were then numbered. The MEK.20 is to be regarded as a continuation of the MEK MARKO.
http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/km ... nd/mek.htm

for more informations:
Marine-Einsatz-Kommandos im Kommando der Kleinkampfverbände der Kriegsmarine 1944-1945
Hartwig Kobelt
http://www.helios-verlag.com/werke/tite ... a78dd6961a

Brgds
Beate

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Gentlemen,

You mean MEK Black Sea captured Soviet naval and merchant shipping and searched for documents,papers,ship codes what so ever? I'm trying to make sense of the unit's duties. I wonder what equipment and weapons the men of MEK Black Sea used?

Edward L. Hsiao

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Gentlemen,

Too bad there isn't any action reports available in English about the role that MEK Black Sea had in taking out targets in the Soviet Union.
Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Gentlemen,

The MEKs had fought in plenty of actions in the Eastern Front against the Soviets in 1944-1945. Can you think of some examples of MEKs against the Soviets to be put on this topic?

Edward L. Hsiao

[Poot]

It would seem that "KommandoMarinekampfschwimmer" would imply covert, waterborne reconnaissance and (possibly) combat swimmer capacity. That would be more of a naval special warfare emphasis than I was aware of, if so.