born April 24, 1876, Wandsbek, Ger.
died Nov. 6, 1960, Kiel, W.Ger.
German naval officer.
After serving as chief of staff to an admiral in World War I, he himself rose to the rank of admiral. As naval commander in chief from 1928, he urged the construction of submarines (forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles ) and fast cruisers. Appointed grand admiral in 1939, he supervised the invasion of Denmark and Norway in 1940. Differences with Adolf Hitler led to his dismissal from supreme command in 1943. He was sentenced to life in prison at the Nürnberg trials , but he was released because of ill health in 1955.