Hermann Leopold Ludwig Eugen Hans Heinz Bonatz
(18 August 1897 in
Witzenhausen
Witzenhausen is a small town in the Werra-Meißner-Kreis in northeastern Hesse, Germany.
It was granted town rights in 1225, and until 1974, it was a district seat.
The University of Kassel maintains a satellite campus in Witzenhausen at which is ...
– 1981
) was a German
naval officer
An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service.
Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. He was most notable for being chief of
B-Dienst
The ''B-Dienst'' (german: Beobachtungsdienst, observation service), also called x''B-Dienst'', X-''B-Dienst'' and χ''B-Dienst'', was a Department of the German Naval Intelligence Service (german: Marinenachrichtendienst, MND III) of the OKM, t ...
(german: Beobachtungsdienst, literally: observation or monitoring service) until January 1944. ''B-Dienst'' was Division III Radio Intelligence (german: Abteilung Funkaufklärung) of the
Naval Intelligence Service (german: Marinenachrichtendienst (MND)) of the
Oberkommando der Marine (OKM). This division dealt with the interception and recording, decoding and analysis of the enemy, in particular British, radio communications.
Career
Heinz Bonatz joined the German Imperial Army in 1914. From September 1932 to February 1934, he was acting as commander of the torpedo boat
''Kondor'', at first as ''Oberleutnant zur See'', then from 1933 on as Lieutenant (german:
Kapitänleutnant
''Kapitänleutnant'', short: KptLt/in lists: KL, ( en, captain lieutenant) is an officer grade of the captains' military hierarchy group () of the German Bundeswehr. The rank is rated OF-2 in NATO, and equivalent to Hauptmann in the Heer and ...
). In 1937, he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander (german:
Korvettenkapitän
() is the lowest ranking senior officer in a number of Germanic-speaking navies.
Austro-Hungary
Belgium
Germany
Korvettenkapitän, short: KKpt/in lists: KK, () is the lowest senior officer rank () in the German Navy.
Address
The offici ...
) and in 1941 to Captain (german:
Kapitän zur See
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The rank is equal to the army rank of colonel and air force rank of group captain.
Equivalent ranks worldwide include ...
).
Beginning in 1934 he began studying the characteristics and patterns of British naval wireless communications.
In August 1939, he became an Admiral Staff Officer on the staff of Naval Group Command West. From November 1941 to January 1944, he was head of Division III Radio Intelligence (
SKL Chef
MND III)) of the Departmental Group ''Chief of Naval Communication Services'' (german: Amtsgruppe Marinenachrichtendienst) within the
Seekriegsleitung (SKL).
From July 1944 until March 1945, he served as Chief of the Department of Press and Film (german: Presse- und Filmabteilung) (M I P) in the OKM and from March 1945 as Port Commander
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...
until the end of war.
In June 1945, he was appointed as commander of the ''Deutsches Marinekommando Holland'' (later ''Senior German Naval Officer, Holland'' (german: Höherer deutscher Marineoffizier, Holland)). This German navy unit was clearing mines in the Netherlands until January 1946. In August 1946, Heinz Bonatz was released from the British Civil Internment Camp No. 6 (CIC 6) at Hamburg-Neuengamme.
Publications
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References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonatz, Heinz
1897 births
1981 deaths
Pre-computer cryptographers
History of telecommunications in Germany
Telecommunications in World War II
Imperial German Navy personnel of World War I
Reichsmarine personnel
Kriegsmarine personnel