User:Reguyla\Max Bastian

[Link label/Photo of Max Bastian]

Max Bastian (* August 28th, 1883 in Spandau - † March 11th, 1958 in Wilhelmshaven) was a German Admiral in the Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Life
Max was the son of the private builder and factory owner Franz Bastian and came after visiting the Royal Grammar School in Spandau [1] on 1 April 1902 as a midshipman in the Imperial navy one. He completed his training ship on the cruiser frigate SMS Moltke and then came to the Naval Academy.

After completion of the training took place on October 1, 1904 he was transferred to the East Asia Squadron ; he knew there service on the Great cruiser SMS Hansa. On September 29, 1905 his promotion took place on Ensign and from October 1905 Bastian was as watch officer on the gunboat SMS Luchs used. On his return to Germany he came on November 21, 1906 aboard the first ship of the line SMS Schwaben and was on April 4, 1907 as watch officer on the battleship SMS Emperor Frederick III. was added. In the same function Bastian joined on October 1 on the battleship SMS Kaiser Barbarossa and was here for the October 15, 1907 at sea Lieutenant promoted. From 1 October 1908 to 14 September 1910, he was then an officer in the company I. Department of Ship Master Division in order then to September 30, 1912 as a deck officer on the battleship SMS Prussia to be used. Until 30 June 1914 to the commanding followed Naval Academy in Kiel and his interim transport on March 22, 1913 to lieutenant commander.

World War
He was then made ​​available to the inspection of education the Navy and with the outbreak of one month the First World War as a deck officer on the light cruiser SMS Amazone added. From October 23, 1914 its use was initially a flag lieutenant, then as Admiral Staff Officer in various bars of the Baltic Sea. On November 17, 1916, his son was Helmut Born, like his father struck a naval career.

Weimar Republic
After the First World War he was briefly as naval liaison officer in the border patrol east and in the Navy Archives worked and was then in the German Navy adopted. For almost half a year, he was runner-Admiral Staff Officer on the staff of the commander of the naval station Baltic, came as a department manager in the Naval Command to Berlin and was here on 29 June 1920, Lieutenant Commander promoted. From 15 June 1923 to 31 March 1924 Bastian, interrupted by a two-month use on the battleship was Alsace, again working in the Navy Archives. This was followed by 3 January 1926, the dislocation as navigation officer on the battleship Braunschweig. On January 4, 1926 was appointed the First Admiral Bastian Staff Officer in the Fleet Command and promoted him on April 1, 1927 Commander. From 1 October 1928 he led for one year as commander of the battleship Schlesien, was two months later on December 1, 1928 sea captain and came subsequently to the end of September 1932 as Head of the Budget Department of Marine (Hamar) in the Ministry of Defense after Berlin.

Third Reich
On October 1, In 1932 appointed Bastian commander of the battleships and promoted him on 1 September 1933 Rear Admiral. After he had issued the command on 30 September 1934 it appointed him for one year as II. Admiral of the Baltic Sea (II A d O). Following this, Bastian was from 1 October 1935 to April 3, 1938 Chief of the General Admiralty (B) the Supreme Commander of the Navy. In this capacity, he was first to the December 1, 1935 Vice Admiral promoted and on April 1, 1938 Admiral. To 30 September 1938, he was available of the High Command of the Armed Forces. He then served as president of Reichsfürsorge- and supply Court of the Armed Forces.

President of the Reich Court Martial
Bastian served from September 12, 1939 as President of the Reich Court Martial. In this capacity he was responsible for a number of death sentences. On 31 October 1944 he was at the disposal of the Supreme Commander of the Navy made ​​and adopted honorably retired on November 30, 1944.

Prosecution of war crimes
On March 27, 1947 Bastian was passed without trial by the British in the French and diverse here war crimes accused. Of 12 May 1947, he was sitting in the penitentiary to Wittlich and then to 17 April 1948 in the Bastion XII, without leading to a court hearing.

Awards

 * Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (1914)


 * Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (1914)


 * Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern


 * Preußisches Dienstauszeichnungskreuz


 * Hanseatenkreuz Hamburg


 * Mecklenburgisches Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse


 * Hanseatenkreuz Bremen


 * Hanseatenkreuz Lübeck


 * Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer


 * Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse mit Schwertern


 * Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse mit Schwertern


 * Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuzes mit Schwertern on October 12th, 1944 as Admiral and Präsident des Reichskriegsgerichts