Inspector of the German Navy
Inspekteur der Marine
Standard of the Inspector of the Navy
Incumbent
Konteradmiral Jan Christian Kaack
Acting since 22 January 2022
Federal Minister of Defence
AbbreviationInspM
Reports toGeneral Inspector of the Bundeswehr
PrecursorOberkommando der Marine

The Inspector of the Navy (German: Inspekteur der Marine) is the commander of the Navy of the modern-day German Armed Forces, the Bundeswehr. Since the various bodies responsible for the high command of the German Navy were merged in 2012, the Inspector has been based at the Navy Command at Rostock.[1] Before then, the Inspector was head of the Naval Staff of the Ministry of Defence, based in Bonn. Both the Inspector and his deputy hold the rank of vice admiral (German: Vizeadmiral).[2]

The Inspector is responsible for the readiness of personnel and materiel in the German Navy, in that regard he reports directly to the Federal Minister of Defence. The Inspector commands the Navy Command; however, the subordinate departments of the Navy are led by their heads at Navy Command and do not report directly to the Inspector. The Inspector sits under the General Inspector of the Bundeswehr and is a member of the Defence Council for Bundeswehr-wide matters.[1]

List of Inspectors of the Navy

No. Portrait Inspector of the Navy Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
1
Friedrich Ruge
Ruge, FriedrichVizeadmiral
Friedrich Ruge
(1894–1985)		June 1956August 19615 years, 2 months-
2
Karl-Adolf Zenker
Zenker, Karl-AdolfVizeadmiral
Karl-Adolf Zenker
(1907–1998)		August 196130 September 19676 years, 1 month-
3
Gert Jeschonnek
Jeschonnek, GertVizeadmiral
Gert Jeschonnek
(1912–1999)		1 October 196730 September 19713 years, 11 months-
4
Heinz Kühnle
Kühnle, HeinzVizeadmiral
Heinz Kühnle
(1915–2001)		1 October 197131 March 19753 years, 5 months-
5
Günter Luther
Luther, GünterVizeadmiral
Günter Luther
(1922–1997)		1 April 197531 March 19804 years, 11 months-
6
Ansgar Bethge
Bethge, AnsgarVizeadmiral
Ansgar Bethge
(1924–2008)		1 April 198031 March 19854 years, 11 months-
7
Dieter Wellershoff
Wellershoff, DieterVizeadmiral
Dieter Wellershoff
(1933–2005)		1 April 1985September 19861 year, 5 months-
8
Hans-Joachim Mann
Wellershoff, DieterVizeadmiral
Hans-Joachim Mann
(born 1935)		1 October 198630 September 19914 years, 11 months-
9
Hein-Peter Weyher
Weyher, Hein-PeterVizeadmiral
Hein-Peter Weyher
(born 1935)		1 October 1991April 19953 years, 6 months-
10
Hans-Rudolf Boehmer
Boehmer, Hans-RudolfVizeadmiral
Hans-Rudolf Boehmer
(born 1938)		April 1995September 19983 years, 5 months-
11
Hans Lüssow
Lüssow, HansVizeadmiral
Hans Lüssow
(born 1942)		1 October 1998February 20034 years, 4 months-
12
Lutz Feldt
Feldt, LutzVizeadmiral
Lutz Feldt
(born 1942)		1 March 2003April 20063 years, 1 month-
13
Wolfgang E. Nolting
Nolting, WolfgangVizeadmiral
Wolfgang E. Nolting
(born 1948)		April 200628 April 20104 years-
14
Axel Schimpf
Schimpf, AxelVizeadmiral
Axel Schimpf
(born 1952)		28 April 201028 October 20144 years, 6 months-
15
Andreas Krause
Krause, AndreasVizeadmiral
Andreas Krause
(born 1956)		28 October 201424 March 20216 years, 4 months-
16
Kay-Achim Schönbach
Schönbach, Kay-AchimVizeadmiral
Kay-Achim Schönbach
(born 1965)		24 March 202122 January 20229 months-
17
Jan Christian Kaack
Kaack, Jan ChristianVizeadmiral
Jan Christian Kaack
(born 1962)		22 January 2022Incumbent2 years, 2 months-

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Schimpf, Axel (2013). "Das Marinekommando in Rostock - Die Marine auf Zukunftskurs". Marineforum (in German) (1/2): 22ff.
  2. ^ Informationen zur Neuausrichtung der Bundeswehr auf der Bundeswehr-Homepage

External links

Inspectors of the Navy
Chiefs of the navy by country
Categories