Heinz Neukirchen

Who was Heinz Neukirchen?

Heinz Neukirchen was officer in the World War II Kriegsmarine, Vice Admiral in the People's Navy of the German Democratic Republic as well as President of the East German Directorate of Maritime and Port Industries. He was the author of several maritime books.

Neukirchen was the son of a small farmer and vegetable dealer. After graduation from high school he worked an internship from 1931 to 1932, then one year as a freelancer for the Düsseldorfer News. Neukirchen began service in the Germany Navy Kriegsmarine in 1935. From 1939 to 1940, he worked as a boatswain's harbor protection commander. Following several warrant officer courses, Neukirchen served from 1943 to 1944 as a watch officer on a mine ship. In the last year of World War II, he was a Lieutenant and commander of U-Boat hunters stationed in Norway. In addition to this duty he served in 1945 as a battery commander of Marine infantry. From 1945 to 1949 he was in Soviet captivity.

He joined the National Democratic Party Germany in 1949, and worked until 1950 as an employee or manager of the NDPD political department in Mecklenburg. After one year he became the Deputy Chairman of the Board of the NDPD for the Berlin district.