Arthur Godenau
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Arthur Godenau | |
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| Other name(s) | Artur Leo Gadaszewski |
| Born | 19 January 1903 Netzort, Province of Posen, German Empire |
| Died | 16 February 1983 (aged 80) Laboe |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service |  Kriegsmarine |
| Years of service | 1925–1945 |
| Rank | Kapitänleutnant (captain lieutenant) |
| Unit | SSS Niobe |
| Commands | Räumboot R-17, R-51 and R-73 |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Arthur Godenau (19 January 1903 - 16 February 1983) was a German Kriegsmarine officer who was born in Przyłęki (German: Netzort) and took part in the German operation against Norway.[1][2]
Career
[edit]Godenau was born on 19 January 1903 in Netzort, Kreis Bromberg in Province of Posen within the German Empire, present-day Przyłęki. At birth, his name was Artur Leo Gadaszewski, later renamed to Godenau.[3] He joined the military service of Reichsmarine, the German Navy during the Weimar Republic, on 1 April 1925 with the 1st department of the standing ship division of the North Sea.[Tr 1][Tr 2] On 26 September, Godenau was transferred to the 3rd Half-Flotilla for further training.[4][Tr 3] On 1 April 1927, he was promoted to Obermatrose (Seaman 1st Class).[5]
On 31 August 1934, Godenau was appointed commander of R-11, an R boat in the 1st Minesweeper-Half-Flotilla,[Tr 4] commanding this boat for four months.[4] On 1 January 1939, he was promoted to Stabsobersteuermann, a non-commissioned officers rank.[5]
World War II
[edit]During Operation Weserübung, the German the invasion of Denmark and Norway, Godenau commanded R-17. On 9 April 1940, a German task force consisting of the torpedo boats Albatros and Kondor, accompanied by R-17 and R-21, heavily laden with troops attacked the Norwegian naval base at Horten which became the Battle of Horten Harbour. During the assault, R-17 was sunk by the minelayer Olav Tryggvason.[6]
He earned significant awards, such as Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 31 May 1940 when he commanded R-17 in R-Boat Flotilla I[1] (for successfully helping to ensure the capture of the Horten harbor in an undamaged state).
Godenau was then scheduled to take command of R-51. This was cancelled and he was given command of R-73 which he commissioned on 21 May 1941.[4] On 24 December, Godenau was promoted to Leutnant zur See (lieutenant at sea), effective as of 1 January 1942.[5]
In 1944, Godenau became an instructor with the Befehlshabers der Sicherung der Nordsee (BSN—Commander of the Defense of the North Sea), training new officers at Hörnum.[4]
He later died in Laboe, the circumstances of his death are yet unknown.[7] Buried in Laboe.[1]
Awards
[edit]- Wehrmacht Long Service Award
- Iron Cross (1939)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 31 May 1940 as Stabsobersteuermann and commander of Räumboot R-17 in the 1. Räumbootflottille[8][Note 1]
- Kriegsabzeichen für Minensuch-, U-Boot-Jagd- und Sicherungsverbände (6 November 1940)[5]
Notes
[edit]Translation notes
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ a b c Brazier 2021, p. 28.
- ^ Haarr 2011, p. 141.
- ^ Dörr 1995, p. 207.
- ^ a b c d e Dörr 1995, p. 208.
- ^ a b c d e f g Dörr 1995, p. 209.
- ^ Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz 1993, p. 215.
- ^ https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/45789/Godenau-Arthur.htm
- ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 338.
- ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 197.
Bibliography
[edit]- Brazier, K. (2021). The Complete Knight's Cross: The Years of Victory 1939-1941 (Volume 1). Fonthill Media. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
- Dörr, Manfred (1995). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine—Band 1: A–K [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Surface Forces of the Navy—Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2453-2.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [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] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Haarr, G.H. (2011). The German Invasion of Norway, April 1940. Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-78346-967-3. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
- Hildebrand, Hans H.; Röhr, Albert & Steinmetz, Hans-Otto (1993). Die Deutschen Kriegsschiffe [The German Warships] (in German). Vol. 1. Ratingen: Mundus Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7822-0210-7.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). 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 [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] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.