View source for Bernhard Rogge

{{Short description|German naval officer}}
{{refimprove|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Bernhard Rogge
|birth_date={{birth date|1899|11|4|df=y}}
|death_date={{death date and age|1982|6|29|1899|11|4|df=y}}
|birth_place=[[Schleswig]], [[Prussia]], [[German Empire]]
|death_place=[[Reinbek]], [[West Germany]]
|image=Rogge, Bernhard, KptzS.jpg
|image_size=
|caption= 
|nickname=
|allegiance={{flag|German Empire}} (to 1918)<br/>{{flag|Weimar Republic}} (to 1933)<br/>{{flag|Nazi Germany}} (to 1945)<br/>{{flag|West Germany}}
|branch=[[Imperial German Navy]] <br/>[[Reichsmarine]] <br/>[[Kriegsmarine]] <br/>[[German Navy|West German Navy]]
|serviceyears=1915–45<br/>1957–62
|rank=[[Vizeadmiral]] (Kriegsmarine)<br/>[[Konteradmiral]] (West German Navy)
|commands=[[Niobe (schooner)|SSS ''Niobe'']] (in deputize)<br />[[Gorch Fock (1933)|SSS ''Gorch Fock'']]<br />[[Albert Leo Schlageter (sailing ship)|SSS ''Albert Leo Schlageter'']]<br />Auxiliary cruiser {{ship|German auxiliary cruiser|Atlantis||2}}
|unit=<!----{{SMS|Freya}}<br />{{SMS|Moltke}}<br />{{SMS|Stralsund}}<br />{{SMS|Pillau}}<br />Light cruiser {{SMS|Amazone||2}}<br />{{SMS|Schleswig-Holstein}}<br />[[Niobe (schooner)|SSS ''Niobe'']]----->
|battles=[[World War I]]
----
[[World War II]]
|awards=[[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves]]<br/>[[Bundesverdienstkreuz|Great Cross of Merit]]
|laterwork=}}
'''Bernhard Rogge''' (4 November 1899 – 29 June 1982) was a German naval officer who, during [[World War II]], commanded a [[merchant raider]]. Later, he became a [[Konteradmiral]] in [[West Germany]]'s [[German Navy|navy]].

Rogge became a ''[[Vizeadmiral]]'' (vice-admiral) by the end of World War II, and, when the [[West Germany|West German]] navy was established after the war, returned to service as a ''Konteradmiral'' (rear-admiral). He also was one of the few German officers of [[Flag officer|flag rank]] who was not arrested by the Allies after the war. This was due to the way he had exercised his command of {{ship|German auxiliary cruiser|Atlantis||2}}.

==Early life==
Rogge was born in [[City of Schleswig|Schleswig]], the son of a [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] minister, and was himself devoutly religious.{{sfn|Gossage|Levitt|2012|p=21}} His grandfather, on his mother's side, was [[Jewish]].

==Military career==
* 1915 — joins the [[Imperial German Navy]] as a volunteer
* After [[World War I]] — serves on various [[cruiser]]s
* Mid-1930s to 1939 — commander of the sail training ship [[Albert Leo Schlageter (sailing ship)|SSS ''Albert Leo Schlageter'']]
* September 1939 — assigned to the {{ship|German auxiliary cruiser|Atlantis}}
** Mid-December 1939 — ''Atlantis'' is formally commissioned
** 31 March 1940 — ''Atlantis'' sets out to sea
** 11 November 1940 — ''Atlantis''  scuttles British cargo ship {{SS|Automedon}} near [[Sumatra]] after retrieving top secret documents for which the Japanese government would reward Rogge with an ornate [[katana]] in April 1943
** 22 November 1941 — ''Atlantis'' is sunk by {{HMS|Devonshire|39|6}}
**15 Apr 1942- Chief of Staff to Inspector of Training Affairs
**1 March 1943- promoted to Konteradmiral and Inspector of Training Affairs
**20 Sept 1944- Cdr Fleet Training Formations
**1 March 1945- promoted to Vizeadmiral
* After [[World War II]] — discharged
* 1 June 1957 — enters the post-World War II [[West Germany|West German]] [[Bundesmarine]] with the rank of Konteradmiral
** 1 June 1957 – 29 September 1957 — delegated with the Command of Military Area Command I 
[[File:2133 Bernhard Rogge.JPG|thumb|upright|right|Grave of Bernhard Rogge]]
** 30 September 1957 – 31 March 1962 — Commander of Military Area Command I
** 15 April 1958 – 31 March 1962 — at the same time, [[NATO]] Commander of Land Forces in [[Schleswig-Holstein]] (COMLAND-SCHLESWIG)
* 31 March 1962 — retires from the German Bundesmarine as a [[Konteradmiral]]

==Assessment==
[[File:Hilfskreuzer Atlantis.jpg|thumb|left|''Atlantis'']]
J. Armstrong White, captain of the British merchant ship [[City of Bagdad]], which ''Atlantis'' sank in July 1940, stated, "His treatment of prisoners left respect, instead of hatred".  White later wrote the foreword to ''Atlantis, the Story of a German Surface Raider'', written by U. Mohr & [[A. V. Sellwood]].

Admiral [[Karl Dönitz]], who was, following [[Adolf Hitler]]'s [[Death of Adolf Hitler|suicide]] briefly [[head of state]] of [[Nazi Germany]] in May 1945, and was prosecuted for war crimes at the [[Nuremberg Trials]], cited his own support of Rogge, who had a Jewish grandparent, in an effort to clear himself of the charge of being [[Antisemitism|antisemitic]].<ref>[[Leon Goldensohn]]. ''The Nuremberg Interviews''. Vintage Books. [[New York City|New York]]. 2004. {{ISBN|1-4000-3043-9}}.</ref>

Rogge confirmed the death sentence of the 21-year-old sailor [[Süß, Johann Christian|Johann Christian Süß]]. Süß was sentenced to death on 10 May 1945, two days after the German capitulation, for "undermining the discipline" and "disruptive speeches" based on paragraph 5 numeral 2 of the ''Kriegssonderstrafrechtsverordnung'' (KSSVO—Special War Criminal Regulation). Süß was executed by firing squad on 11 May 1945.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-46273234.html|title=BORDGERICHT: S. Zt. erschossen|date=1965-07-07|work=Der Spiegel|access-date=2017-10-21|volume=28}}</ref>

==Awards==
* [[Iron Cross]] (1914) 2nd and 1st Class{{sfn|Thomas|1998|p=222}}
* [[General Honor Decoration (Prussia)|General Honor Decoration]] 
* [[Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918]] (7 November 1934){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
* [[War Merit Cross]] 2nd Class with Swords
* [[Wehrmacht Long Service Award]], 4th to 1st Class
* Italian [[Bronze Medal of Military Valor]] (''Medaglia di bronzo al Valore Militare'') (25 September 1941){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
*[[Order of the Sacred Treasure]]  (Japan)
* [[Japanese sword]] (27 April 1942){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
* [[Clasp to the Iron Cross]] (1939) 2nd and 1st Class{{sfn|Thomas|1998|p=222}}
* [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves]]
** Knight's Cross on 7 December 1940 as ''[[Kapitän zur See]]'' and commander of auxiliary cruiser ''Atlantis'' (HSK 2){{sfn|Scherzer|2007|p=636}}{{sfn|Fellgiebel|2000|p=362}}
** 45th Oak Leaves on 31 December 1941 as ''Kapitän zur See'' and commander of HSK 2 auxiliary cruiser ''Atlantis'' (Ship 16){{sfn|Scherzer|2007|p=636}}{{sfn|Fellgiebel|2000|p=56}}
* [[Auxiliary Cruiser Badge]] with diamonds.{{sfn|Angolia|1987|p=139}}
* Commanders Cross, [[Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]] (31 March 1962){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
* [[Auxiliary Cruiser Badge]] with diamonds.{{sfn|Angolia|1987|p=139}}

===Promotions===
{| style="background: transparent;"
| 19 April 1916: || ''[[Fähnrich zur See]]'' (Officer Cadet){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
|-
| 13 December 1917: || ''[[Leutnant zur See]]'' (Ensign/Sub-Lieutenant){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
|-
| 10 January 1921: || ''[[Oberleutnant zur See]]'' (Lieutenant, Junior Grade/Sub-Lieutenant) without patent{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
|-
| 14 May 1921: || ''Oberleutnant zur See'' (Lieutenant, Junior Grade/Sub-Lieutenant){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
|-
| 1 January 1928: || ''[[Kapitänleutnant]]'' (Lieutenant){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
|-
| 1 October 1934: || ''[[Korvettenkapitän]]'' (Lieutenant Commander){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
|-
| 1 November 1937: || ''[[Fregattenkapitän]]'' (Commander){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
|-
| 1 November 1939: || ''[[Kapitän zur See]]'' (Captain){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
|-
| 1 March 1943: || ''[[Konteradmiral]]'' (Rear Admiral){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
|-
| 1 March 1945: || ''[[Vizeadmiral]]'' (Vice Admiral){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
|-
| 1 June 1957: || ''Konteradmiral'' in the Bundesmarine{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=180}}
|}

==Works ==
*Rogge, Bernhard, and Wolfgang Frank. ''Under Ten Flags''. New York: Ballantine, 1960; which is a translation of ''Schiff 16''.<ref>Rogge, Bernhard, and Wolfgang Frank. ''Under Ten Flags''. New York: Ballantine, 1960. {{OCLC|14954520}}</ref>

==References==

===Citations===
{{Reflist|25em}}

===Bibliography===
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite book |last=Angolia |first=John |title=For Führer and Fatherland: Military Awards of the Third Reich |publisher=R. James Bender Publishing |year=1987 |isbn=0912138149}}
* {{Cite book
 |last=Dörr
 |first=Manfred
 |year=1996
 |title=Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine—Band 2: L–Z
 |trans-title=The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Surface Forces of the Navy—Volume 2: L–Z
 |language=de
 |location=Osnabrück, Germany
 |publisher=Biblio Verlag
 |isbn=978-3-7648-2497-6
}}
* {{Cite book
 |last=Fellgiebel
 |first=Walther-Peer
 |year=2000
 |orig-year=1986
 |title=Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile
 |trans-title=The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches
 |language=de
 |location=Friedberg, Germany
 |publisher=Podzun-Pallas
 |isbn=978-3-7909-0284-6
}}
* {{Cite book
 |last1=Gossage
 |first1=Carolyn
 |last2=Levitt
 |first2=Peter
 |year=2012
 |title=The Accidental Captives: The Story of Seven Women Alone in Nazi Germany
 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c9mIr1WMdC8C&q=%22This+devoutly+religious+son+of+a+North+German+Lutheran+pastor%22&pg=PA21
 |publisher=I.B.Tauris
 |isbn=978-1-84885-991-3
}}
* {{Cite book
 |last=Scherzer
 |first=Veit 
 |year=2007
 |title=Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives
 |trans-title=The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives
 |language=de
 |location=Jena, Germany
 |publisher=Scherzers Militaer-Verlag
 |isbn=978-3-938845-17-2
}}
* {{Cite book
 |last=Thomas
 |first=Franz
 |year=1998
 |title=Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z
 |trans-title=The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z
 |language=de
 |location=Osnabrück, Germany
 |publisher=Biblio-Verlag
 |isbn=978-3-7648-2300-9
}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
* {{DNB portal|139261257|TYP=}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Subject bar
| portal1=Biography
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rogge, Bernhard}}
[[Category:1899 births]]
[[Category:1982 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Schleswig, Schleswig-Holstein]]
[[Category:Military personnel from the Province of Schleswig-Holstein]]
[[Category:Vice admirals of the Kriegsmarine]]
[[Category:Bundesmarine admirals]]
[[Category:German Christians]]
[[Category:German Jewish military personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Bronze Medal of Military Valor]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves]]
[[Category:Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]]
[[Category:Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class]]
[[Category:Imperial German Navy personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Reichsmarine personnel]]
[[Category:Counter admirals of the German Navy]]
[[Category:20th-century Freikorps personnel]]