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Gustav KieseritzkyGerman naval officer, vice admiral
Date of Birth: 22.09.1893
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Gustav Kieseritzky: German Naval Commander on the Black Sea
- Command on the Black Sea
- Death and Legacy
- Identity of the Attackers
- Significance
Gustav Kieseritzky: German Naval Commander on the Black Sea
Early Life and CareerGustav Kieseritzky was a German naval officer who rose to the rank of Vice Admiral. During the First World War, he received the Iron Crescent from the Turkish Sultan for his role in defeating the Anglo-French landing. He later commanded the naval defense of the occupied French peninsula of Brittany.
Command on the Black Sea
In February 1943, Kieseritzky became the commander of the German Navy on the Black Sea. He was known as the "Admiral of the Black Sea" by the Germans. During the Battle of Eltigen, Soviet aerial reconnaissance discovered a significant increase in the number of German landing barges at Kamysh-Burun. Recognizing the possibility of an enemy counter-landing, the Soviet command ordered an air strike.
Death and Legacy
On November 19, 1943, Kieseritzky visited Kamysh-Burun to award medals to the personnel of the landing barges. As his car approached the port, it was attacked by four Il-2 ground attack aircraft. Kieseritzky was killed instantly, while Corvette-Captain Mähler, the commander of the 3rd Landing Flotilla, was seriously wounded. Kieseritzky was the only high-ranking officer of the Nazi German Navy to die on the Eastern Front during the war.
Identity of the Attackers
The identity of the Soviet aircrew responsible for Kieseritzky's death remains unknown. Soviet intelligence learned of his demise only days later. It is believed that either the 7th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment or the 190th Assault Aviation Regiment carried out the attack.
Significance
The death of Kieseritzky had a significant impact on the German forces on the Black Sea. It deprived them of a highly experienced and capable commander at a critical stage in the war. Moreover, it boosted the morale of the Soviet forces and contributed to their ultimate victory in the region.
