Fritz Hans Wilhelm Berger (15 April 1900 â 27 June 1973) was a German naval officer and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipient during World War II.
Berger was born on 15 April 1900 in Allenstein, present-day Olsztyn in Poland, then in East Prussia within the German Empire. In 1913, he attended the Kadettenanstalt (cadet school) in Potsdam. In August 1914, Berger transferred to the main cadet school at Berlin-Lichterfelde where he graduated in December 1916. On 2 January 1917, he joined the Imperial German Navy, receiving his basic military training at the Naval Academy Mürwik.
Following the Kapp Putsch, Berger fought in the Ruhr uprising from 25 March to 10 April 1920.
On 9 November 1921, Berger became a watch officer on the light cruiser .
On 1 October 1928, Berger commanded the recommissioned Type 23 torpedo boat . Möwe had just been upgraded after initial sea trials revealed stability problems. The boat was assigned to the 4th Torpedoboat-Demi-Flotilla and sailed to RÃÂa de Arousa and A Coruña in April/May 1929. On 22 August, Möwe was decommissioned again and Berger and his crew transferred to the torpedo boat . Berger's command of Seeadler ended on 19 October when she was briefly decommissioned again. Berger was then given command of the torpedo boat which he commanded until September 1930.
From 28 September 1935 to 6 October 1937, Berger served as the communication officer on the light cruiser . During this assignment, he attended navigation training on the survey vessel Meteor (20 November â 15 December 1935).
On 8 January 1938, Berger became the first commander of the newly commissioned built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. In this capacity, Berger participated in fleet parade held on 22 August which was attended by Adolf Hitler and Miklós Horthy, the Regent of Hungary.
World War II in Europe began on Friday, 1 September 1939, when German forces invaded Poland. Two days earlier, Berger commanding Z8 Bruno Heinemann, accompanied by the destroyers , and began patrolling the eastern Baltic Sea. On this patrol, they intercepted the polish destroyers Grom, Burza and Bà Âyskawica leaving Gdynia before they headed for England. From 1âÂÂ3 September, Z8 Bruno Heinemann was in blockade position off Hel. On 4 September, Z8 Bruno Heinemann headed to the North Sea before returning to the shipyard at Wilhelmshaven. On 29 September, Z8 Bruno Heinemann on route to the Baltic Sea again came under attack by Royal Air Force Bristol Blenheim bombers, sustaining minor damage.
Berger was appointed chief of the 1. Zerstörerflottille (1st Destroyer Flotilla) on 5 December 1939. From 12 to 13 December, Berger participated in an offensive mine laying operation led by Kapitän zur See Friedrich Bonte. The destroyers , Z8 Bruno Heinemann, Z14 Friedrich Ihn, Z15 Erich Steinbrinck and laid mines off Newcastle that sank eleven ships of .
From 6 to 7 January 1940, Berger led the German destroyers Z14 Friedrich Ihn, Z15 Erich Steinbrinck and Z16 Friedrich Eckoldt of the 1. Zerstörerflottille in an offensive mine laying operation into the Thames Estuary. The operation resulted in the sinking of , six merchant vessels totaling of Allied shipping, further damaging another ship. From 9 to 10 February, Berger again led destroyers of the 1. Zerstörerflottille in an offensive mine laying operation. His task force consisting of , Z4 Richard Beitzen and Z16 Friedrich Eckoldt laid mines in the Shipwash area, off Harwich, that sank six ships of and damaged another.
From 22 to 23 February, Berger participated in Operation Wikinger. German aerial reconnaissance had reported British fishing trawlers at the Dogger Bank and the six destroyers , Z3 Max Schultz, Z4 Richard Beitzen, , and Z16 Friedrich Eckoldt were dispatched under Bonte's command. In addition, the Luftwaffe sent Heinkel He 111 bombers of II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Kampfgeschwader 27 (KG 26âÂÂ26th Bomber Wing) into the same area. Due to poor inter-service communication and co-operation between the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe, Z1 Leberecht Maass was sunk by friendly fire when she was hit by three bombs and Z3 Max Schultz was sunk by British mines.
Berger, as chief of the 1. Zerstörerflottille, boarded the at Bremerhaven on 6 April in preparation for the Norwegian campaign. On 13 April, Berger was wounded in combat when he received to grazing shot to the head. The next day, he formed the Marine-Regiment "Narvik" which was renamed to Marine-Regiment "Berger" on 18 April. The regiment was staffed from surviving sailors of the ten German destroyers lost in the campaign and subordinated to General Eduard Dietl's 3rd Mountain Division. On 4 August, Berger was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross () for his actions in the Battles of Narvik.
On 14 August 1940 Berger was appointed chief of the 5. Zerstörerflottille. In this capacity, he led , Z15 Erich Steinbrinck and on an escort mission for the minelayers Tannenberg, Roland and Cobra laying mines in the southwestern North Sea. Berger participated in Operation Cerberus, also known as the Channel Dash, the breakout of the German ships , , and from Brest on 11âÂÂ13 February 1942.
Berger was appointed commander of the naval defenses at Trondheim on 7 June 1943. He served in this capacity until 8 May 1945 when he became a prisoner of war. Initially held at Trondheim, Berger was later taken to England. On 9 May 1948, he was released from captivity.
Berger died on 27 June 1973 at the age of in Bielefeld, West Germany.