Unidentified Naval Officer at Berlin Surrender Ceremony

[USAF1986]

Hi! Recently someone asked a question of Feldgrau.com regarding the identities of the Germans actually present at the various surrender ceremonies. Here is an image of the 8 May 1945 surrender signing at Marshal Georgi K. Zhukov’s headquarters at Berlin-Karlshorst. The ceremony was in the mess hall of the former Pioneer and Engineer School’s barracks located on Zwieseler Strasse 4/Ecke Rheinsteinstrasse (today a museum).

Sitting at the table, from left to right:

• Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen Stumpff, serving effective that date as Chief of the General Staff of the Luftwaffe and, at the same time, delegated with post of Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe.
• Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel, Chief of the Armed Forces High Command (OKW).
• Generaladmiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg, Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine.

Standing, from left to right:

• Unidentified Luftwaffe Major.
• Vizeadmiral Leopold Bürkner, Chief of the Foreign Office (Military Intelligence) on the Armed Forces High Command Staff and also Protocol Chief of the Dönitz Government.
• Unidentified Naval Officer (turned to the side).
• Oberstleutnant Karl Böhm-Tettelbach, Luftwaffe Einsatz-Abteilung on the staff of the Deputy Chief of the Armed Forces Operations Staff (Keitel recalled he brought him along as he was fluent in Russian).
• Unidentified Luftwaffe Major.

Question: Does anyone recognize the naval officer in the center (see closeup)? He appears to be wearing the Knight’s Cross of the War Merit Cross with Swords, German Cross in [presumably Silver] and the ribbon of the War Merit Cross, 2nd Class through his buttonhole. There is no mention of him in Keitel's memoirs.

Thanks for any assistance!

Regards,
Shawn

[USAF1986]

I really should have dug a bit more on this one...it was the German Cross in GOLD not Silver that threw me (and an EK II ribbon too)! The unknown naval officer is Korvettenkapitän Otto Salman! Please see his photo and details at:

http://uboat.net/men/salman.htm

While commanding the submarine “U 52” from 14 November 1939-9 June 1941, he sank 13 ships (56,333 tons) during the course of seven war patrols.

• Knight's Cross of the War Merit Merit Cross with Swords: 2 May 1945, Korvettenkapitän, Chief of the Training Department on the staff of the Commanding Admiral of U-Boats.
• German Cross in Gold: 9 December 1941, Kapitänleutnant, Commander of the submarine “U 52.”

Regards,
Shawn

[Bernhard H. Holst]

hello Shawn.
Thanks for the informative post on the members of the German delegation. You may be interested if you should not already know that K.Kptn. O.Salmann was appointed 1.Adjudant to Gen.Adm. v. Friedeburg as of 1.May 1945 which would explain his participation. (Per Patzwll, Die Ritterkreuztraeger des K.V.K. 1942-1945. 1984 Edition )Also based on the same source V.Adm. L. Buerkner was also recipient of the aforementioned award but does not seem to wear it. I am however not very impressed with Patzwall's accuracy nor care in editing their publications.
Bernhard H. Holst

[USAF1986]

Bernhard,

As always, thanks for the valuable inputs! Also, thanks for the earlier information on Oberst Fritz Poleck.

Hildebrand & Henriot's, "Deutschlands Admirale, 1849-1945, Band 1 (Ackermann-Gygas)" merely lists the award date for Bürkner's Knight's Cross of the War Merit Cross with Swords as 00.05.1945. Thanks again!

Regards,
Shawn

[William Kramer]

Hello all,

Do you have a larger photo or at least know who the Naval ranking Officer is in the bottom right wearing the RK des KvK? Please let me know either way. Thank you.

William Kramer

Could this be Max Bastian?

[Gareth Collins]

It's v. Friedeburg as stated by Shawn in his first post.

[William Kramer]

Hello,

Thanks, guess I should have paid attention better.



Bill

[AlifRafikKhan]

That left two Luftwaffe officers at right and left who are still unidentfied. Is it possible that they're Stumpff's adjutant?