Arthur Godenau

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Arthur Godenau
Other name(s)Artur Leo Gadaszewski
Born(1903-01-19)19 January 1903
Netzort, Province of Posen, German Empire
Died16 February 1983(1983-02-16) (aged 80)
Laboe
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Kriegsmarine
Years of service1925–1945
RankKapitänleutnant (captain lieutenant)
UnitSSS Niobe
Commands heldRäumboot R-17, R-51 and R-73
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Arthur Godenau (19 January 1903 - 16 February 1983) was a German Kriegsmarine officer who was born in Przyłęki (German: Netzort) and took part in the German operation against Norway.[1][2]

Career[edit]

Godenau was born on 19 January 1903 in Netzort, Kreis Bromberg in Province of Posen within the German Empire, present-day Przyłęki. At birth, his name was Artur Leo Gadaszewski, later renamed to Godenau.[3] He joined the military service of Reichsmarine, the German Navy during the Weimar Republic, on 1 April 1925 with the 1st department of the standing ship division of the North Sea.[Tr 1][Tr 2] On 26 September, Godenau was transferred to the 3rd Half-Flotilla for further training.[4][Tr 3] On 1 April 1927, he was promoted to Obermatrose (Seaman 1st Class).[5]

On 31 August 1934, Godenau was appointed commander of R-11, an R boat in the 1st Minesweeper-Half-Flotilla,[Tr 4] commanding this boat for four months.[4] On 1 January 1939, he was promoted to Stabsobersteuermann, a non-commissioned officers rank.[5]

World War II[edit]

During Operation Weserübung, the German the invasion of Denmark and Norway, Godenau commanded R-17. On 9 April 1940, a German task force consisting of the torpedo boats Albatros and Kondor, accompanied by R-17 and R-21, heavily laden with troops attacked the Norwegian naval base at Horten which became the Battle of Horten Harbour. During the assault, R-17 was sunk by the minelayer Olav Tryggvason.[6]

He earned significant awards, such as Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 31 May 1940 when he commanded R-17 in R-Boat Flotilla I[1] (for successfully helping to ensure the capture of the Horten harbor in an undamaged state).

Godenau was then scheduled to take command of R-51. This was cancelled and he was given command of R-73 which he commissioned on 21 May 1941.[4] On 24 December, Godenau was promoted to Leutnant zur See (lieutenant at sea), effective as of 1 January 1942.[5]

In 1944, Godenau became an instructor with the Befehlshabers der Sicherung der Nordsee [de] (BSN—Commander of the Defense of the North Sea), training new officers at Hörnum.[4]

He later died in Laboe, the circumstances of his death are yet unknown.[7] Buried in Laboe.[1]

Awards[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ According to Fellgiebel as commander of R-51.[9]

Translation notes[edit]

  1. ^ 1st department —I. Abteilung
  2. ^ standing ship division —Schiffsstammdivision
  3. ^ 3rd Half-Flotilla —3. Halbflottille
  4. ^ 1st Minesweeper-Half-Flotilla—1. Räum-Halbflottille

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Brazier 2021, p. 28.
  2. ^ Haarr 2011, p. 141.
  3. ^ Dörr 1995, p. 207.
  4. ^ a b c d e Dörr 1995, p. 208.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Dörr 1995, p. 209.
  6. ^ Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz 1993, p. 215.
  7. ^ https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/45789/Godenau-Arthur.htm
  8. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 338.
  9. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 197.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Brazier, K. (2021). The Complete Knight's Cross: The Years of Victory 1939-1941 (Volume 1). Fonthill Media. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  • Dörr, Manfred (1995). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine—Band 1: A–K [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Surface Forces of the Navy—Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2453-2.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer [in German] (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Haarr, G.H. (2011). The German Invasion of Norway, April 1940. Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-78346-967-3. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  • Hildebrand, Hans H.; Röhr, Albert & Steinmetz, Hans-Otto (1993). Die Deutschen Kriegsschiffe [The German Warships] (in German). Vol. 1. Ratingen: Mundus Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7822-0210-7.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
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