Erich Raeder
The grand admiral who built Hitler's navy and was later imprisoned for waging aggressive war against his nation's neighbors.
1876–1960 (age 84)·German admiral·Birthday: April 24·The Gilded Age
Biography
Erich Raeder's naval career spanned four German regimes, from the Kaiser's Imperial Navy through the Weimar Republic and into the dark heart of the Third Reich. A dedicated officer with a conservative, nationalist worldview, he saw in Adolf Hitler a chance to rebuild the German fleet after the constraints of the Treaty of Versailles. As Commander-in-Chief, he oversaw the rapid, clandestine expansion of the Kriegsmarine, championing a strategy centered on powerful surface raiders and pocket battleships to challenge British sea power. His plans, however, were undercut by the war's early start and the rise of the U-boat. The failure of his large surface vessels, culminating in the loss of the Bismarck, led to his resignation in 1943. At Nuremberg, Raeder's legacy was cemented not as a mere military commander but as an active planner in Nazi aggression, earning him a life sentence for crimes against peace.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Erich was born in 1876, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Erich Was Born
The biggest hits of 1876
Erich's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1876Born
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1881Started school
President: Chester A. Arthur
1889Became a teenager
Eiffel Tower opens in Paris
President: Benjamin Harrison
1892Could drive
President: Benjamin Harrison
1894Could vote
President: Grover Cleveland
1897Turned 21
President: William McKinley
1906Turned 30
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1916Turned 40
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Turned 50
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1936Turned 60
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1946Turned 70
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1956Turned 80
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1960Died at 84
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
Key Achievements
- Served as Commander-in-Chief of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) from 1935 until his resignation in 1943.
- Was promoted to the rank of Grand Admiral, the highest naval rank, by Adolf Hitler in 1939.
- Oversaw the massive pre-war expansion and modernization of the German fleet, known as the Plan Z buildup.
- Was convicted of crimes against peace and war crimes at the Nuremberg Trials and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Did You Know?
He began his naval career in 1894, serving on the personal yacht of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
He was an early and enthusiastic supporter of Hitler's regime, believing it would restore Germany's naval glory.
He was released from prison in 1955 on grounds of poor health and wrote his memoirs before his death.
“The German fleet will be rebuilt, for the sea is our natural element and our future.”
