Friedrich Ruge
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Oskar Ruge was an officer in the German Navy
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
After the Armistice Ruge was as an officer aboard the German destroyer B-112, interned at Scapa Flow and in June 1919, he played a role in the scuttling of the German Fleet.
Returning to Germany to continue his naval career in the service of the new Weimar Republic, for the next two decades he concentrated on mines and mine warfare. From 1921 to 1923 he commanded a minesweeper. After studies at Berlin Institute of Technology, he was the senior officer of a flotilla of minesweepers, and, in 1937, achieved the top post in that division.
In World War II, he was a part of the Polish Campaign in 1939 and the North Sea-English Channel operations during 1940. From 1940 to 1943 he was stationed in France, rising through the upper ranks to become Vice Admiral in 1943.
Sent to Italy in 1943, he served as Senior German Naval Officer until mid-summer. He was appointed as Naval Advisor to Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
in November 1943.
In August 1944 he became the Kriegsmarine's Director of Ship Construction, a position in which he served till the end of World War II.
At the end World War II he became a POW. In 1946 he started a new life as a translator, writer and educator in Cuxhaven. He was one of 4 Flag Officers who made up the Naval Historical Team at Bremerhaven, sponsored by the United States Navy.
He entered politics as a political independent to the Cuxhaven Town Council.
During the early 1950s he advised as to how the navy could be restructed in the new Bundesmarine, as detailed in Searle's Wehrmacht Generals. Called out of retirement when Germany became a part of NATO, Ruge was appointed Inspector of the Bundesmarine (a position similar to the U.S. Chief of Naval Operations), a post he occupied until 1961.
Afterward, he became a member of the faculty at Tübingen university, eventually becoming an Associate Professor on 21 July 1967 there. He was a guest lecturer at many universities, including the U.S. Naval War College at Newport, etc.
He died in 1985.
Quoted at Normandy:
Utilization of the Anglo-American air forces is the modern type of warfare, turning the flank not from the side but from above.
In the movie "The Longest Day
" (1962), he played himself, and was a consultant to the film.
German Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Life
Friedrich Ruge was the son and grandson of German educators. Joining the German Imperial Navy as a cadet in March 1914 he was soon a participant in the 1914, 1915, and 1916 Baltic Sea operations. In 1917 and 1918 he sailed with the destroyer raids in the North Sea and English Channel.After the Armistice Ruge was as an officer aboard the German destroyer B-112, interned at Scapa Flow and in June 1919, he played a role in the scuttling of the German Fleet.
Returning to Germany to continue his naval career in the service of the new Weimar Republic, for the next two decades he concentrated on mines and mine warfare. From 1921 to 1923 he commanded a minesweeper. After studies at Berlin Institute of Technology, he was the senior officer of a flotilla of minesweepers, and, in 1937, achieved the top post in that division.
In World War II, he was a part of the Polish Campaign in 1939 and the North Sea-English Channel operations during 1940. From 1940 to 1943 he was stationed in France, rising through the upper ranks to become Vice Admiral in 1943.
Sent to Italy in 1943, he served as Senior German Naval Officer until mid-summer. He was appointed as Naval Advisor to Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
in November 1943.
In August 1944 he became the Kriegsmarine's Director of Ship Construction, a position in which he served till the end of World War II.
At the end World War II he became a POW. In 1946 he started a new life as a translator, writer and educator in Cuxhaven. He was one of 4 Flag Officers who made up the Naval Historical Team at Bremerhaven, sponsored by the United States Navy.
He entered politics as a political independent to the Cuxhaven Town Council.
During the early 1950s he advised as to how the navy could be restructed in the new Bundesmarine, as detailed in Searle's Wehrmacht Generals. Called out of retirement when Germany became a part of NATO, Ruge was appointed Inspector of the Bundesmarine (a position similar to the U.S. Chief of Naval Operations), a post he occupied until 1961.
Afterward, he became a member of the faculty at Tübingen university, eventually becoming an Associate Professor on 21 July 1967 there. He was a guest lecturer at many universities, including the U.S. Naval War College at Newport, etc.
He died in 1985.
Literary works
Ruge was the author of several books, including The Soviets as Naval Opponents, 1941-1945, written for Annapolis Naval Institute in 1979, and Rommel in Normandy, written in 1984.Quoted at Normandy:
Utilization of the Anglo-American air forces is the modern type of warfare, turning the flank not from the side but from above.
In the movie "The Longest Day
The Longest Day (film)
The Longest Day is a 1962 war film based on the 1959 history book The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan, about "D-Day", the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II....
" (1962), he played himself, and was a consultant to the film.
Decorations
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1914)- 2nd Class (26 August 1917)
- 1st Class (2 March 1918)
- Cross of HonorCross of HonorThe Cross of Honor, also known as the Honor Cross or, popularly, the Hindenburg Cross, was a commemorative medal inaugurated on July 13, 1934 by Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg for those soldiers of Imperial Germany who fought in World War I...
- Long Service Award 2nd to 4th class (2 October 1936)
- German Olympics Honor Medal 2nd class (21 December 1936)
- Sudetenland MedalSudetenland MedalThe The Sudetenland Commemorative Medal was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded in the interwar period.-Description:...
- Clasp to the Iron CrossClasp to the Iron CrossThe Clasp to the Iron Cross was a metal medal clasp displayed on the uniforms of German Wehrmacht personnel who had been awarded the Iron Cross in World War I. It was displayed on the uniforms of many high ranking officers during World War II as most had also served in World War I...
- 2nd Class (17 September 1939)
- 1st Class (2 October 1939)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
(21 October 1940) - Minesweeper War BadgeMinesweeper War BadgeThe Minesweeper War Badge or Minesweepers, Sub-Chasers and Escort-Vessel War Badge is a German military decoration awarded to Kriegsmarine members for service on Minesweepers boats Criteria for the award included recommendation...
(15 February 1940) - Mentioned in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
on 16 February 1942 - Order of Merit of the Italian RepublicOrder of Merit of the Italian RepublicThe Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was founded as the senior order of knighthood by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi in 1951...
- Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
, Commanders Cross (1961) - Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (28 September 1961)