Felix Scheffler
Encyclopedia
Felix Scheffler World War II Wehrmacht veteran, Konteradmiral, and first Chief of the East German People's Navy (Volksmarine).
From 1933 to 1937, Scheffler was a seafarer. From 1937 to 1941. he served as a Sergeant Major in the German Army (Wehrmacht
). Captured by the Soviet Army
he was held in captivity from 1941 to 1947. Scheffler joined the National Committee Free Germany (NKFD) in 1943. From 1944 to 1945, he voluntarily participated in the partisan movement in Belarus
. He was part of a special intelligence unit of the German anti-fascists under the name "Group-117", which operated in the Lipichanskoy Forest. This group also included Hugh Bars, Carl Rinagel, and Herbert Geynchke.
From 1947 to 1948, he was the directorate secretary for the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
(SED) party school in Klein Machnow. From 1948 to 1950, he was a member of the Democratic Farmer’s Party of Germany (DBD) serving as the organizational secretary. He rejoined the SED in 1950.
In 1950 Scheffler joined the People’s Police Sea (Volkspolizei See) the forerunner of the People's Navy (Volksmarine). From 1950 to 1954, he was Deputy Director of the People’s Police Sea (Volkspolizei See) command. On October 1, 1952, he was appointed as Konteradmiral. He was appointed as the Chief of the People's Police Sea (Volkspolizei See) in 1955, and for a brief period from Mar 1, 1956 to Dec 31, 1956, he served as Chief of the People’s Navy (Volksmarine). From 1955 to 1975, he served in various leading positions in the People’s Navy (Volksmarine). He attended the Soviet Voroshilov Naval Academy in Leningrad from 1957 to 1959. In 1959, he became the Deputy Chief of the People's Navy (Seestreitkräfte/Volksmarine)(Deputy for Education, 1959–1961; Deputy for Technology, 1962–63 and 1964-1975 the Chief of Rear Services). He retired from the Volksmarine on March 1, 1975.
From 1933 to 1937, Scheffler was a seafarer. From 1937 to 1941. he served as a Sergeant Major in the German Army (Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
). Captured by the Soviet Army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
he was held in captivity from 1941 to 1947. Scheffler joined the National Committee Free Germany (NKFD) in 1943. From 1944 to 1945, he voluntarily participated in the partisan movement in Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
. He was part of a special intelligence unit of the German anti-fascists under the name "Group-117", which operated in the Lipichanskoy Forest. This group also included Hugh Bars, Carl Rinagel, and Herbert Geynchke.
From 1947 to 1948, he was the directorate secretary for the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
(SED) party school in Klein Machnow. From 1948 to 1950, he was a member of the Democratic Farmer’s Party of Germany (DBD) serving as the organizational secretary. He rejoined the SED in 1950.
In 1950 Scheffler joined the People’s Police Sea (Volkspolizei See) the forerunner of the People's Navy (Volksmarine). From 1950 to 1954, he was Deputy Director of the People’s Police Sea (Volkspolizei See) command. On October 1, 1952, he was appointed as Konteradmiral. He was appointed as the Chief of the People's Police Sea (Volkspolizei See) in 1955, and for a brief period from Mar 1, 1956 to Dec 31, 1956, he served as Chief of the People’s Navy (Volksmarine). From 1955 to 1975, he served in various leading positions in the People’s Navy (Volksmarine). He attended the Soviet Voroshilov Naval Academy in Leningrad from 1957 to 1959. In 1959, he became the Deputy Chief of the People's Navy (Seestreitkräfte/Volksmarine)(Deputy for Education, 1959–1961; Deputy for Technology, 1962–63 and 1964-1975 the Chief of Rear Services). He retired from the Volksmarine on March 1, 1975.