The following is a list of German naval ports during World War II. Ports operated by the Kriegsmarine were divided into two classes - major and minor. For most major ports, a port commander (Hafenkommandanten) was the senior most officer in charge of the port. Ports in the same geographical area were grouped together under administrative units known as Hafenkommandanten im Bereich. Vessels assigned within German ports were organized into harbor defense flotillas.
Smaller ports were overseen by "Port captains" (Hafenkapitäne); however, in some larger ports this title was also used for the port commander. Both major and minor port commanders reported to a naval area commander (Der Kommandant im Abschnitt), who in turn administratively reported to a Navy district commander.[1] For operational military defense, ports were also assigned to one of several sea defense zones.
For major ports within Germany, a position of "Naval Superintendent" (Marineintendantur) served as the port commander and answered directly to the commanders of the Navy regions. Naval superintendent positions established during World War II included Bremen, Wilhelmshaven, Kiel, and Hamburg. The superintendent at Kiel also possessed a deputy port captain.
Naval superintendents were allocated a staff of various department heads to oversee activities in the various German ports. These include a building superintendent (Marine-Baudirektion), naval arsenal (Kriegsmarinearsenal), personnel office (Kriegsmarinedienststelle), and communications unit (Marinenachrichtenabteilung). The larger German ports also typically maintained a naval brig (Prisenhof).
Kriegsmarine ports in the North and Baltic Seas were organized into the following two geographical areas.
Hafenkommandanten im Bereich der Nordsee
Port commanders
Port captains
Hafenkommandanten im Bereich der Ostsee
Port commanders
Port captains
Hafenkommandanten im Bereich des Marinebefehlshabers Dänemark
Port commanders
Port captains
German ports in occupied Norway were among the more numerous of sea ports outside of Germany's given Norway's direct access to the North Sea.[2]
Hafenkommandanten im Bereich des Kommandierenden Admirals Norwegen
Port commanders
Port captains
German ports in the occupied Netherlands and France are listed below.
Hafenkommandanten im Bereich des Marinebefehlshabers der Niederlande
Port commanders
Port captains
Hafenkommandanten im Bereich des Kommandierenden Admirals Frankreich bzw.
Port commanders
Port captains
The following Belgium ports were overseen by the port authorities in occupied France
German ports in the Black Sea and the Aegean were organized into two geographical areas
Hafenkommandanten im Bereich des Admirals Schwarzes Meer
Port commanders
Port captains
Hafenkommandanten im Bereich des Admirals Ägäis
Port commanders
Port captains
The Baltic sea ports of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia were under the command of the Hafenkommandanten im Bereich des Admirals Ostland. Two more major harbors, under port commanders, were at Riga and Reval. Smaller harbors, under port captains, were as follows.
German ports in the Mediterranean Sea were overseen by a single command encompassing all Italian, Albanian, and Dalmatian harbors. The Italian naval area was the only one of the three regions to maintain smaller harbors at the port captain level.
Hafenkommandanten im Bereich Italien, Dalmatien und Albanien
Hafenkapitäne im Bereich Italien