Hans-Joachim Dönitz

Who was Hans-Joachim Dönitz?

Hans-Joachim Dönitz was a Rear Admiral in the East German Navy.

His father was a sales representative. After leaving school Hans-Joachim Dönitz studied from 1948 to 1952 in the specialty of sales representative. On May 12, 1952, he entered the service in the Maritime People Police, forerunner of the East German People’s Navy “Volksmarine”. From 1952-54 he studied at the VP-See Officer's School in Stralsund.

After his graduation until 1956, he served as an operations officer in the Sassnitz coastal region. From 1956 to 1959 he attended naval training courses in the Soviet Union. In 1957 he joined the East German Socialist Unity Party. From 1959 to 1961, he served as a navigator in a minesweeper unit. From 1961-62 he was a senior officer for navigation and for engineering in the Volksmarine's training command. He then served as Chief of Staff and navigator in the anti-submarine division in the 4th Flotilla, based at Warnemünde. This was followed by service as Chief of Staff of the Torpedo Boat Brigade in the 6th Flotliia on the island of Ruegen. From 1963-65 he commanded this Brigade.