"Hafenkommandant" of Pola - Korvettenkapitaen M.A. Sommerfeld

[all1knew]

Hello all,

Can anyone provide any information on M.A. Sommerfeld the Kriegsmarine Commandant of Pola in Yugoslavia? I do not even know his first or middle name. Does anyone know if this individual was executed at the end of the war?

William Kramer

[MarcoPennisi]

Hello all,

Can anyone provide any information on M.A. Sommerfeld the Kriegsmarine Commandant of Pola in Yugoslavia? I do not even know his first or middle name. Does anyone know if this individual was executed at the end of the war?

William Kramer

According to a study by historian Raul Marsetič, Korvettenkapitän Werner Sommerfeld alternated with Fregatenkapitän Karl Montua and Korvettenkapitän Karl Wehrmann in the post of Hafen – Kommandant in Pola (Pula) between Dec 1944 and May 1945.
Werner Sommerfeld was born in Arnswalde on March 31, 1892.
His last post was CO of Marine Artillerie Abteilung 533 from Oct 1944 to Apr 1945.
You can read a most concise military service record in B. Bölscher’s HITLERS MARINE IM LANDKRIEGSEINSATZ: EINE DOKUMENTATION, page 298.
That’s all I could find at a glance.

[hucks216]

Werner Sommerfeld
Born - 31st March 1892 in Arnswalde/Frankfurt -Oder

Promoted to Korvettenkapitän 1st Aug 1941

Marine-Flak-Abt 253, 233 & 231 Aug 1939 to Jun 1940
Battr.Chef Marine-Flak-Abt 702 Jun 1940 to Oct 1941
Kdr Marine-Artillerie-Abt 503 Dec 1941 to Jan 1943
z. Vfg MOKNorwegen Feb 1943 to Mar 1943
Kdr MAA 280 Mar 1943 to Apr 1943
Stabsoffz,b,Stabe Stab Seekomdt Nordholland Apr 1943 to Aug 1943
2.Asto Stab Admiral Agäis Aug 1943 to Oct 1943
2.Asto Stab A.S.M Nov 1943 to Jan 1944
Kdr MAA 629 Jan 1944 to Jul 1944
Hafenkomdt Pola Sep 1944 to Mar 1945
Kdr MAA 533 Mar 1945 to Surrender

(Source: Die Deutsche Kriegsmarine 1939-1945 Vol 3 by Lohmann & Hildebrand)

[all1knew]

Hello again,

I am extremely grateful for the help, thank you.

Did either Montua or Karl Wehrma die in 1945? Is that information available?

William Kramer

[hucks216]

Wehrmann died on 9th May 1945. No idea about Montua but death not recorded in previous mentioned book.

[MarcoPennisi]

Hello again,

I am extremely grateful for the help, thank you.

Did either Montua or Karl Wehrma die in 1945? Is that information available?

William Kramer

There may be some literature listing names and bios of KM officers, but I don't own it . Sorry, can't help to this extent.

[all1knew]

Wehrmann died on 9th May 1945. No idea about Montua but death not recorded in previous mentioned book.

What was his final rank? Does it say if he was executed by partisans?

William Kramer

[hucks216]

Korvettenkapitän, and it doesn't say what killed him - just 'Gefallen 09.05.1945'.

[all1knew]

I have a uniform here (awards added by me) that is supposedly the uniform of the commander at Pola whom was executed by Tito and the partisans at the end of the war. This came out of a former Yugoslavian museum so this information may be accurate but I don't believe the ranks match the shoulder boards. The boards are removable and were perhaps added later.

William Kramer

[MarcoPennisi]

<> the commander at Pola whom was executed by Tito and the partisans at the end of the war. <> William Kramer

the commander at Pola may be referred to Georg Waue who was the last Pula’s Festungskommandant (not Hafenkommandant) and was shot by his captors on May 8th, 1945 (this being the official date estabilished by the German authorities after the war). However, Waue held Konteradmiral rank.

[all1knew]

Waue held Konteradmiral rank.

VERY interesting!!

https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/...Waue-Georg.htm

https://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/164824

I think we may have found a winner. Thank you again for all of your help.

William Kramer

[all1knew]

I see both Pula and Pola spellings. Which is correct? It was a naval base from my understanding, correct?

William Kramer

[enorepap]

Hallo William

Both spelling are correct: Pola in italian and Pula in slav language.

Pola was a naval base since the times of the Austrian Empire.

Some information on the final organization of the Kriegsmarine from the book "Hitlers Marine im Landkriegseinsatz: Eine Dokumentation", by Bernd Bölscher, BoD, Norderstedt, 2015:

Seekommandant Istrien: C.O. from December 1944 to the end of the war Kapt. Z.S. Otto Loycke
Hafenkommandant Triest mit Hafenkompanie: C.O. from March 1945 to the end of the war F. Kapt. Rigele
Hafenkommandant Pola mit Hafenkompanie: C.O. from March 1945 to the end of the war K. Kapt. Wehrmann
Hafenkommandant Cherso/Quarnero mit Hafenkompanie: C.O. from January 1945 to the end of the war F. Kapt. Montua
Hafenkommandant Fiume mit Hafenkompanie: C.O. from December 1944 to the end of the war K. Kapt. Hoppenstedt
Hafenkommandant Senj mit Hafenkompanie: C.O. from November 1944 to the end of the war Kaptlt. Proff
Marine Artillerie Abteilung 626: iniatilly in Salvore (Istria), C.O. from May 1944 to the end of the war K. Kapt. d.R. Hermann Flickenschild

[enorepap]

With regards to the Korvettenkapitän der Reserve Werner Sommerfeld, I can only confirm the information of Marco Pennisi and Hucks: he was the last commander of the Marine Artllerie Abteilung 533 with 5 batteries in the area of Pillau (East Prussia).

Best regards