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How Admiral Karl Dönitz Became The Unlikely Man To Take Over For Hitler
A twisting tale of the crumbling Third Reich
Admiral Karl Dönitz was a strange choice to take over for Adolf Hitler in the waning hours of the Third Reich. When he ascended to leadership, there were many ardent Nazis across the country who openly asked who he was. Dönitz was not a part of Hitler’s inner circle, and while he was a devoted Nazi, he never seemed to subscribe to some of the most extreme or radical positions that Hitler and his closest confidants did. Dönitz didn’t become a member of the Nazi Party until 1944 (though he very much subscribed to the overall ideals of the party.) The German navy was instrumental in waging submarine warfare around the world, but the navy was not the heart of the Nazi system like the army was.
In fact, prior to 1943, Admiral Dönitz hardly met with Hitler at all. It wasn’t until he was named Commander of the German Navy that he began to have regular contact with the Führer.
At first glance, it seems like it would have made more sense for Hitler to pass his Reich onto one of his closest advisors or into the hands of the army, which was fighting for its life when Hitler decided to end his own. So how did Admiral Dönitz make the surprising rise to President of Germany?
