Name Adalbert Blanc Battles and wars World War II | ||
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Born 11 July 1907
Wilhelmshaven ( 1907-07-11 ) Allegiance Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Nazi Germany (to 1945)
West Germany Service/branch Reichsmarine
Kriegsmarine
German Navy Rank Fregattenkapitan (Kriegsmarine)
Flottillenadmiral (Bundesmarine) Battles/wars World War II
Operation Walpurgisnacht Died November 7, 1976, Flensburg, Germany Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Unit Niobe, German cruiser Emden, German auxiliary cruiser Orion | ||
Years of service 1926–45, 1956–64 Commands held 9. Sicherungsdivision | ||
Adalbert von Blanc (11 July 1907 – 7 November 1976) was a German naval officer during World War II and later an admiral in the West German Navy. During World War II he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and served as 1st Officer on the auxiliary cruiser Orion.
Blanc joined the British controlled German Mine Sweeping Administration on 15 August 1945. Blanc held command of the 1. Minenräum-Division (1st mine sweeping division) in Kiel. When the administration was disbanded on 31 December 1947, Blanc transferred to the follow organization called Minenräumverband Cuxhaven and became its chief.
The student Georg von Hatzfeld from Heidelberg together with his fellow student René Ledesdorff had occupied the isle of Helgoland on 18 December 1950. The two were joined by Prince Hubertus zu Loewenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg on 29 December 1950. The number of occupants had grown to 13 when Blanc was ordered by the British authorities to send two boats for the evacuation of Helgoland. Blanc refused to obey the order, even when he came under severe pressure and suspended from his command post. A legal proceeding against Blanc was initiated on 3 January 1951. The British court ruled that the order was not among his contractual obligations and he was re-instituted in his position as chief of the Minenräumverband Cuxhaven.