Chief of the Royal Danish Navy

Chief of the Naval Command
Chef for Søværnskommandoen (Danish)
Coat of Arms
Rank flag for Rear admirals
Incumbent
Rear admiral Henrik Ryberg
since 1 April 2022
 Royal Danish Navy
Member ofDefence Command
Reports to Chief of Defence
Term lengthNo fixed length
Formation2 April 1852
First holderChristian Christopher Zahrtmann [da]

The Chief of the Royal Danish Navy is the professional head of the Royal Danish Navy.

History

[edit]

Originally the commander of the navy was the King, with daily control given to the Admiralty and Commissioners College [da].[1] The Admiralty existed from 1660 until the end of absolute monarchy in 1848.[2] In 1852, the position of Navy Inspector (Danish: Flådeinspektør) is established as the commander of the navy.[3] Following the Naval Law of 1909, the position was renamed the General Inspector for the Navy (Danish: Generalinspektør for søværnet).[4] After the Naval Law of 1932, the vice admiral would become Chief of the Naval Command (Danish: Chef for Søværnskommandoen) and director of the Ministry of the Navy.[5] In 1960, the position was renamed to Chief of the Navy (Danish: Chef for Søværnet).[6] Following major reductions in the 1980s, the name was again changed, this time to Inspector of the Navy (Danish: Inspektøren for Søværnet).[6] In 1990, the Marine staff and the position of Inspector of the Navy were abolished, resulting in all areas of responsibility being transferred to the Admiral Danish Fleet.[6] Following the Danish Defence Agreement 2013–17, the Admiral Danish Fleet was disbanded and reorganised into the Naval Staff. On 1 January 2019, as part of the Danish Defence Agreement 2018–23, the name was changed to Chief of the Naval Command (Danish: Chef for Søværnskommandoen).[7]

List of chiefs

[edit]
[edit]
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1
Christian Christopher Zahrtmann [da]
Zahrtmann, Christian ChristopherVice admiral
Christian Christopher Zahrtmann [da]
(1793–1853)		2 April 18521 April 1853364 days[8]
2
Conrad Emil Mourier
Mourier, ConradVice admiral
Conrad Emil Mourier
(1795–1865)		1 April 185328 February 18606 years, 333 days[9][10]
3
Johan Anton Meyer
Meyer, JohanVice admiral
Johan Anton Meyer
(1799–1875)		28 February 186028 December 18622 years, 303 days[11]
4
Carl Edvard van Dockum [da]
Dockum, Carl EdvardVice admiral
Carl Edvard van Dockum [da]
(1804–1893)		28 December 186217 September 18663 years, 263 days[12]
5
Steen Andersen Bille
Bille, SteenVice admiral
Steen Andersen Bille
(1797–1883)		24 September 186627 January 18681 year, 125 days[13]
(4)
Carl Edvard van Dockum [da]
Dockum, Carl EdvardVice admiral
Carl Edvard van Dockum [da]
(1804–1893)		27 January 186827 March 18691 year, 59 days[12]
6
Jørgen Peter Frederik Wulff
Wulff, JørgenVice admiral
Jørgen Peter Frederik Wulff
(1808–1881)		27 March 186919 June 18734 years, 84 days[14]
7
Frederik Laurentius Fiedler Sommer
Sommer, FrederikVice admiral
Frederik Laurentius Fiedler Sommer
(1813–1878)		19 June 187320 July 1878 †5 years, 31 days[15]
–
August Christian Schultz
Schultz, AugustVice admiral
August Christian Schultz
(1813–1908)
Acting		20 July 187824 July 18784 days[16]
8
Gerhard Frederik Wilhelm Wrisberg
Wrisberg, GerhardVice admiral
Gerhard Frederik Wilhelm Wrisberg
(1816–1896)		24 July 187820 February 18867 years, 211 days[14]
9
Julius Meldal [da]
Meldal, JuliusVice admiral
Julius Meldal [da]
(1827–1901)		21 February 188619 July 189711 years, 148 days[17]
10
Hans Henrik Koch
Koch, HansVice admiral
Hans Henrik Koch
(1836–1903)		19 July 18972 January 18991 year, 167 days[18]
11
Fritz Peter Adolph Uldall
Uldall, FritzVice admiral
Fritz Peter Adolph Uldall
(1835–1911)		2 January 18999 March 19056 years, 66 days[19]
12
Carl Frederik Wandel
Wandel, CarlVice admiral
Carl Frederik Wandel
(1843–1930)		9 March 19055 March 19093 years, 361 days[20]

General Inspector for the Navy

[edit]
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1
Carl Frederik Wandel
Wandel, CarlVice admiral
Carl Frederik Wandel
(1843–1930)		5 March 19091 August 19112 years, 180 days[20]
2
Otto Joachim Moltke Kofoed-Hansen
Kofoed-Hansen, OttoVice admiral
Otto Joachim Moltke Kofoed-Hansen
(1854–1918)		1 August 191111 April 1918 †6 years, 222 days[21]
3
Anton Ferdinand Mazanti Evers
Evers, Anton FerdinandVice admiral
Anton Ferdinand Mazanti Evers
(1857–1951)		27 April 191831 March 19234 years, 338 days[22]
4
Henri Konow
Konow, HenriVice admiral
Henri Konow
(1862–1939)		1 April 19237 February 19273 years, 313 days[23]
5
Georg Carl Amdrup
Amdrup, Georg CarlVice admiral
Georg Carl Amdrup
(1866–1947)		7 February 192730 November 19314 years, 296 days[24]
6
Henri L. E. Wenck
Wenck, HenriVice admiral
Henri L. E. Wenck
(1872–1933)		1 December 193131 March 1932121 days[25]

Chiefs of the Naval Command

[edit]
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1
Hjalmar Rechnitzer [da]
Rechnitzer, HjalmarVice admiral
Hjalmar Rechnitzer [da]
(1872–1953)		1 April 193210 May 19408 years, 39 days[26]
–
Emmanuel Briand de Crèvecoeur
Crèvecoeur, EmmanuelRear admiral
Emmanuel Briand de Crèvecoeur
(1882–1968)
Acting		10 May 194025 July 19411 year, 76 days[27]
–
A. H. Vedel
Vedel, AageRear admiral
A. H. Vedel
(1894–1981)
Acting		25 July 194131 July 19416 days[28]
2
A. H. Vedel
Vedel, AageVice admiral
A. H. Vedel
(1894–1981)		1 August 194129 August 19432 years, 28 days[28]
Vacant
No chief following Operation Safari
(2)
A. H. Vedel
Vedel, AageVice admiral
A. H. Vedel
(1894–1981)		5 May 194531 May 195813 years, 26 days[28]

Chiefs of the Navy

[edit]
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1
Hans Alfred Nyholm
Nyholm, HansVice admiral
Hans Alfred Nyholm
(1898–1964)		1 June 195831 May 19612 years, 364 days[29]
2
Svend Erik Pontoppidan
Pontoppidan, Svend ErikVice admiral
Svend Erik Pontoppidan
(1900–1987)		1 June 196130 November 19654 years, 182 days[30]
3
Sven Støckel Thostrup
Thostrup, Sven StøckelVice admiral
Sven Støckel Thostrup
(1915–2006)		1 December 196531 January 198014 years, 62 days[31]
4
Niels Færgemann Lange
Lange, Niels FærgemannRear admiral
Niels Færgemann Lange
(1919–2006)		1 February 198030 June 19822 years, 150 days[32]

Inspector of the Navy

[edit]
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1
Niels Færgemann Lange
Lange, Niels FærgemannRear admiral
Niels Færgemann Lange
(1919–2006)		1 July 198219841–2 years[32]
2
Jørgen Philip Rasmussen
Rasmussen, JørgenRear admiral
Jørgen Philip Rasmussen
(1925–2017)		198419861–2 years–
3
Mogens Michael Telling
Telling, MogensRear admiral
Mogens Michael Telling
(1927–2011)		198619892–3 years[33]
4
Johan Andersen Ruth
Ruth, JohanRear admiral
Johan Andersen Ruth
(born 1930)		198931 December 19900–1 years–

Chiefs of the Admiral Danish Fleet

[edit]
Main article: Admiral Danish Fleet
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1
Knud Erik Johan Borck
Borck, Knud Erik JohanRear admiral
Knud Erik Johan Borck
(1940–2011)		1 January 199130 April 19954 years, 119 days[34]
2
Kristen Husted Winther
Winther, Kristen HustedRear admiral
Kristen Husted Winther
(born 1946)		1 May 199530 June 20005 years, 60 days[34]
3
Tim Sloth Jørgensen
Jørgensen, Tim SlothRear admiral
Tim Sloth Jørgensen
(born 1951)		1 July 200031 July 20022 years, 30 days[34]
4
Kurt Birger Jensen
Jensen, Kurt BirgerRear admiral
Kurt Birger Jensen
(born 1949)		1 August 200231 July 20052 years, 364 days[34]
5
Nils Christian Wang [da]
Wang, Nils ChristianRear admiral
Nils Christian Wang [da]
(born 1958)		1 August 200531 August 20105 years, 30 days[34][35]
6
Finn Hansen [da]
Hansen, FinnRear admiral
Finn Hansen [da]
(born 1957)		1 September 20101 April 20132 years, 212 days[34][36]
–
Jan Leisborch
Leisborch, JanFlotilla admiral
Jan Leisborch
(born 1954)
Acting		1 April 201315 April 201314 days[37]
7
Frank Trojahn
Trojahn, FrankRear admiral
Frank Trojahn
(born 1963)		15 April 201330 September 20141 year, 168 days[34][37]

Chiefs of the Naval Staff

[edit]
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1
Frank Trojahn
Trojahn, FrankRear admiral
Frank Trojahn
(born 1963)		1 October 201431 March 20172 years, 242 days[34][37]
2
Torben Mikkelsen
Mikkelsen, TorbenRear admiral
Torben Mikkelsen
(born 1963)		1 June 201731 December 20181 year, 213 days[38]

Chiefs of the Naval Command

[edit]
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1
Torben Mikkelsen
Mikkelsen, TorbenRear admiral
Torben Mikkelsen
(born 1963)		1 January 20191 June 20223 years, 151 days[39]
–
Carsten Fjord-Larsen
Fjord, CarstenFlotilla admiral
Carsten Fjord-Larsen
Acting		1 June 20221 April 2023304 days[39]
2 Rear admiral
Henrik Ryberg
(born 1963) 		1 April 2023 Incumbent 1 year, 269 days [40]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
Citations
  1. ^ Christensen 2000.
  2. ^ Bjerg 2011a.
  3. ^ Balsved 2008.
  4. ^ arma-dania 2014a.
  5. ^ arma-dania 2014b.
  6. ^ a b c Bjerg 1990, p. 12.
  7. ^ DSM 2018.
  8. ^ Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935b, p. 758.
  9. ^ Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935b, p. 213.
  10. ^ Erichsen 1861, p. 247.
  11. ^ Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935b, p. 181.
  12. ^ a b Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935a, p. 297.
  13. ^ Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935a, p. 136.
  14. ^ a b Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935b, p. 740.
  15. ^ Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935b, p. 533.
  16. ^ Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935b, p. 474.
  17. ^ Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935b, pp. 172–173.
  18. ^ Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935b, p. 9.
  19. ^ Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935b, p. 657.
  20. ^ a b Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935b, p. 675.
  21. ^ Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935b, p. 18.
  22. ^ Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935a, p. 340.
  23. ^ Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935b, p. 24.
  24. ^ Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935a, p. 22.
  25. ^ Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935b, p. 684.
  26. ^ Pontoppidan & Teisen 1984, p. 459.
  27. ^ Pontoppidan & Teisen 1984, p. 70.
  28. ^ a b c Pontoppidan & Teisen 1984, p. 565.
  29. ^ Pontoppidan & Teisen 1984, p. 400.
  30. ^ Pontoppidan & Teisen 1984, p. 436.
  31. ^ Pontoppidan & Teisen 1984, p. 549.
  32. ^ a b Pontoppidan & Teisen 1984, p. 311.
  33. ^ Bjerg 2011b, p. 221.
  34. ^ a b c d e f g h Balsved 2013.
  35. ^ Kristeligt Dagblad 2005.
  36. ^ Hansen 2013.
  37. ^ a b c Søværnets Operative Kommando 2013.
  38. ^ Ministry of Defence 2017.
  39. ^ a b Wester, Kasper Junge (26 April 2022). "Søværnets chef fratræder sin stilling for at lede Forsvarets Skibsprogram". olfi.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  40. ^ Defence Command (14 April 2023). "Søværnet får ny chef" [The Navy Gets a New Chief]. forsvaret.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
Bibliography
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