Kurt-Caesar Hoffmann

Vizeadmiral Kurt-Caesar Hoffmann (26 August 1895 – 19 May 1988) was a Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipient during World War II and commander of the battleship GERMAN BATTLESHIP Scharnhorst. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career
Hoffmann joined the military service of the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial Navy) on 1 April 1912 as a Seekadett (midshipman) and took his first ship training on the cruiser SMS Hansa (1898). On 1 April 1913 he underwent further training at the Naval Academy Mürwik and on 12 April 1913 was promoted to Fähnrich zur See (ensign at sea).

He relinquished command of the Coastal Artillery School and was appointed commander of the light cruiser GERMAN CRUISER Königsberg on 27 June 1939. After the outbreak of World War II, he initially remained in command of Königsberg. On 21 September 1939 he took over command from Kapitän zur See Otto Ciliax of the battleship Scharnhorst. Scharnhorst's first operation began on 21 November 1939 lasting until 27 November 1939. Accompanied by her sister GERMAN BATTLESHIP Gneisenau, the light cruiser GERMAN CRUISER Köln, and nine destroyers, Scharnhorst patrolled the area between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. The intent of the operation was to draw out British units and ease the pressure on the heavy cruiser GERMAN CRUISER Admiral Graf Spee, which was being pursued in the South Atlantic. Two days later, the German flotilla, under the command of Admiral Wilhelm Marschall aboard Gneisenau, intercepted the auxiliary cruiser HMS Rawalpindi. At 16:07, lookouts aboard Scharnhorst spotted the British vessel, and less than an hour later Scharnhorst had closed the range. At 17:03, Scharnhorst opened fire, and three minutes later a salvo of her 28 cm guns hit Rawalpindi's bridge, killing the captain and the majority of the staff. During the brief engagement, Rawalpindi managed to score at hit on Scharnhorst, which caused minor splinter damage. Rawalpindi was sunk within 40 minutes.

Awards

 * Iron Cross (1914)
 * 2nd Class (1 August 1916)
 * 1st Class (14 February 1918)
 * Ritterkreuz II. Klasse des Königlichen Sächsischen Albrechts-Ordens mit Schwertern (14 February 1918)
 * Cross of Honor
 * Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung 4th to 1st Class
 * Clasp of the Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (16 October 1939)
 * 1st Class (26 November 1939)
 * High Seas Fleet Badge
 * Destroyer War Badge
 * German Cross in Gold on 20 November 1941 as Kapitän zur See on battleship GERMAN BATTLESHIP Scharnhorst
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross number 106 of the Kriegsmarine on 21 March 1942 as Kapitän zur See and commander of battleship Scharnhorst
 * Cross of Merit 1st Class (15 July 1965)