Bernhard Rogge

Bernhard Rogge (4 November 1899 – 29 June 1982) was a Captain (Kapitän zur See) of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) who, during World War II, commanded a merchant raider.

He was awarded a Japanese ornate Samurai sword and the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his actions as the commander of the Hilfskreuzer (auxiliary cruiser) GERMAN AUXILIARY CRUISER Atlantis (Schiff 16).

Rogge eventually became a Vizeadmiral (vice-admiral—equivalent to a two star admiral during World War II) by the end of World War II, and, when the West German Bundesmarine was established after the war, returned to service as a Konteradmiral (rear-admiral—a two star admiral).

Rogge also was one of the few German officers of flag rank who was not arrested by the Allies after the war. This was due to the way he had exercised his command of GERMAN AUXILIARY CRUISER Atlantis.

Early life
Rogge was born in Schleswig, the son of a Lutheran minister, and was himself devoutly religious.

Rogge was one of many German officers who were forced to apply for a German Blood Certificate, that would allow their racial background to be overlooked (he had a Jewish grandparent).

Compliments
The skipper of the British vessel, City of Baghdad, which the Atlantis sank in July 1941, stated, "His treatment of prisoners left respect, instead of hatred". The Captain of the City of Baghdad, J. Armstrong 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 prosecuted for war crimes at the Nuremberg Trials, cited his own support of Rogge in an effort to clear himself of the charge of being antisemitic.

Rogge confirmed the death sentence of the 21 year old sailor Johann Christian Süss. Süss was sentenced to death on 10 May 1945, one day 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.

Military career

 * 1915 — joins the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial German Navy) as an ensign
 * After World War I — serves on various cruisers
 * Mid-1930s to 1939 — commander of the German Navy's sail training ship SSS Albert Leo Schlageter
 * September 1939 — assigned to the Hilfskreuzer GERMAN AUXILIARY CRUISER Atlantis
 * Mid-December 1939 — the Atlantis is formally commissioned
 * 31 March 1940 — the Atlantis sets out to sea
 * 22 November 1941 — the Atlantis is sunk by HMS Devonshire (39)
 * After World War II — discharged
 * 1 June 1957 — enters the post-World War II West German Bundesmarine with the rank of Konteradmiral
 * 1 June 1957 – 29 September 1957 — delegated with the Command of Military Area Command I
 * 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

Awards

 * Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st Class
 * Cross of Honor
 * Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. to I. Class
 * Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
 * Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
 * Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer with Diamonds (sole recipient)
 * 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)
 * 45th Oak Leaves on 31 December 1941 as Kapitän zur See and commander of HSK 2 auxiliary cruiser Atlantis (Ship 16)
 * Grand Cross of Merit (31 March 1962)

Film
Rogge and the cruise of Atlantis were depicted in the 1960 film Sotto dieci bandiere (Under Ten Flags) starring Van Heflin and Charles Laughton.