Max Valentiner
Encyclopedia
Captain
Christian August Max Ahlmann Valentiner (December 15, 1883 - July 19, 1949) was a German
U-boat
commander
during World War I
.
He was the third highest-scoring U-boat commander of the war, and was awarded the Pour le Mérite
, the highest Prussia
n military
order until the end of the war, for his achievements.
He was also branded a war criminal by the Allies
, for killing hundreds of civilians by sinking the SS Persia without first firing a warning shot on December 30, 1915, which contravened both international law and the Rules of Prize Warfare
.
, Province of Schleswig-Holstein
.
In 1882 the family moved to Ketting on Als where his father held a job as a priest
for two years, then moving to Sonderburg (Sønderborg)
. Valentiner started his time in school in Ketting, then Augustenburg (Augustenborg)
and later in Sonderburg on Reimers school.
At the age of 18, he joined the Kaiserliche Marine
of the German Empire
on April 1, 1902, as a Seekadett on the school ship
SMS Moltke
. On August 15, 1902, he saved a ship's boy from drowning in Swinemünde's harbour, and received his first of many decorations, the Rettungsmedaille.
In 1903, Valentiner joined the naval school where he attended many courses, especially in diving, his preferred topic. He ended his training on the SMS Hansa
. On May 14, 1903, he saved an able seaman in Heligoland
harbour from the waves and certain death, and was awarded the Order of the Crown Medal
for his courage and valour in action.
On September 29, 1905, he was promoted to Leutnant zur See and in 1907 he became an officer
on SMS Braunschweig
. He was promoted again on March 30, 1908, to Oberleutnant zur See. From 1908 to 1910, Valentiner was company commander for 1. Matrosen-Artillerie-Abteilung in Kiel
.
In 1911, Valentiner became officer on the U-boat salvage ship SMS Vulkan
. In this job, on January 17, 1911, he saved all 30 men of U-3
by getting them out of the torpedo tube
after it sank in Kiel Harbour due to an unclosed valve in the ventilation shaft. Among the saved crew was Otto Weddigen
, later the commander of U-9, and Paul Clarrendorf, the commander of U-boot-Abnahme-Kommando in Kiel which enlisted U-boat crews. Valentiner received the Order of the Crown 4th class
for the life-saving mission.
On July 1, 1911, Valentiner took command of the new U-boat U-10
. On board he showed incredible skill and boldness and on training manoeuvres he sank several ships with drill torpedoes without ever being sighted. His performance literally changed the German vision of U-boat warfare.
On March 22, 1914, Valentiner was promoted to Kapitänleutnant and nine days later he became a teacher at the U-boat school in Kiel, a position he held until the outbreak of World War I
on August 4, 1914, when the United Kingdom
declared war on the German Empire.
, the U-boat on which he three years earlier saved 30 men from dying. His orders were to sink Russian warship
s in the Baltic Sea
, but he failed, and blamed the old U-boat which did not have the capabilities of the newer boats in the Kaiserliche Marine. Valentiner returned to base without any successes and was relieved from his command on October 27, 1914. He was sent to Berlin
to face Prince Heinrich
and explain the problems with the older U-boats. The prince was furious and sent him away.
When Valentiner returned to Kiel he was quite surprised to learn that he was to take command of the newest U-boat, U-38. He was also allowed to choose his own officers from the U-boat school.
From December 5, 1914, to September 15, 1917, Valentiner was stationed by 2. U-Halbflottille/U-Flottille Pola at the Austria
n base of Cattaro
, in Montenegro
. From here all German U-boat activities in the eastern Mediterranean Sea
took place. Until the end of March 1915, U-38 had several problems with its diesel engine and repairs were required. Training of the new crew took place between repairs near the British east coast which were considered most safe and simple for training.
After March, U-38 started to patrol in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and on December 30, 1915, U-38 and Valentiner sank the British passengership SS Persia without any warning.
.
The ship was on a voyage from London
to India
stopping in Marseilles. On board was a huge fortune of gold
and gems
from the Indian Maharaja Jagatjij Singh. He had left the ship in Marseilles because he had been warned about the danger from the German U-boats at Crete
. Also on board were several Rolls Royce
automobiles and the actress Eleanor Velasco Thornton who had posed as a model for the Rolls Royce Hood ornament
, known as Spirit of Ecstasy
. Thornton drowned, together with 343 passengers of the 519 aboard. After the attack Valentiner was placed on the Allies
list of war criminals. At home he was awarded with the Knight's Cross with Swords of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern
on May 14, 1916.
On December 3, 1916 Valentiner took U-38 into the Funchal
harbour on Madeira
and sank 3 enemy ships. For this effort he was the sixth U-boat commander rewarded with the Pour le Mérite
, on December 26.
On September 15, 1917, Valentiner left U-38 and Cattaro and returned to Kiel to take command of the new U-157
. Kapitänleutnant Rabe von Pappenhein was to have taken this command but for unknown reasons this was changed. With U-157 Valentiner undertook the longest cruise in the war, from November 27, 1917, to April 15, 1918, a total of 139 days. This cruise came to be his last and in total he sank 150 ships with a tonnage of about 300,000 tons.
Valentiner returned to the U-boat school to teach new submariners his techniques. His experience and advice were taken into account in the construction of the new boat U-143, which was faster and had a much improved dive time, but it was never finished.
, British, and Italian
ships. The Allies demanded to have all war criminals extradited, but most simply resigned quietly and disappeared for a while, including Valentiner.
He went first to Berlin, was deleted from the list of naval officers, and acquired a new passport under the name Carl Schmidt. He then travelled to East Prussia
and lived on an estate, Kadinen, that his father managed, where he waited for the extraditions to proceed. He eventually became impatient with the wait and returned to Kiel. The peace was eventually signed, and per the Treaty of Versailles
, all U-boats were dismantled. Valentiner was relieved of duty for good, despite the fact that he was also promoted to Korvettenkapitän.
Valentiner started a small company in Kiel, trading engines and parts. He later became a shipowner, and also worked for both Drägerwerke (diving equipment) in Lübeck and Adeltwerke in Eberswalde
, northwest of Berlin.
-Danzig, a position he held until March 1945. Meanwhile, on January 1, 1941, he was promoted to Kapitän zur See. On March 31, 1945, he was discharged from the Kriegsmarine
.
hospital from lung disease, likely precipitated by the inhalation of toxic vapours from the engines in the first U-boats, U-10 and U-3.
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Christian August Max Ahlmann Valentiner (December 15, 1883 - July 19, 1949) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
He was the third highest-scoring U-boat commander of the war, and was awarded the Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
, the highest Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
order until the end of the war, for his achievements.
He was also branded a war criminal by the Allies
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
, for killing hundreds of civilians by sinking the SS Persia without first firing a warning shot on December 30, 1915, which contravened both international law and the Rules of Prize Warfare
Rules of Prize Warfare
Prize rules or cruiser rules govern the taking of prizes: vessels captured on the high seas during war. They are intertwined with the blockade rules.Customary rules were originally laid down in the days of sailing ships...
.
Early life
The eldest of the four children of Diakon Otto Friedrich Valentiner and Mathilde Julie Valentiner, Valentiner was born in Tondern (Tønder)Tønder
Tønder is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark on the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 1,278 km², and has a total population of 40,367...
, Province of Schleswig-Holstein
Province of Schleswig-Holstein
The Province of Schleswig-Holstein was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1868 to 1946. It was created from the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, which had been conquered by Prussia and the Austrian Empire from Denmark in the Second War of Schleswig in 1864...
.
In 1882 the family moved to Ketting on Als where his father held a job as a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
for two years, then moving to Sonderburg (Sønderborg)
Sønderborg
Sønderborg Municipality , is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark partially on the Jutland peninsula and partially on the island of Als in south Denmark, at the border with Germany. The municipality covers an area of , and has a total population of 76,236...
. Valentiner started his time in school in Ketting, then Augustenburg (Augustenborg)
Augustenborg
Augustenborg is a town with a population of 3,279 on Als Island in Sønderborg Municipality, Region of Southern Denmark in Denmark. The town lies at the head of Als Fjord. To the east is the Little Belt...
and later in Sonderburg on Reimers school.
At the age of 18, he joined the Kaiserliche Marine
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
on April 1, 1902, as a Seekadett on the school ship
School ship
A training ship is a ship used to train students as sailors. The term is especially used for ships employed by navies to train future officers. Essentially there are two types: those used for training at sea and old hulks used to house classrooms....
SMS Moltke
SMS Moltke (1877)
SMS Moltke was a German three-masted, full-rigged frigate of the Kaiserliche Marine. Construction of the ship began in 1875; on 18 October 1877 SMS Moltke was launched and commissioned on 16 April 1878. She had an unplated iron hull and a steam engine...
. On August 15, 1902, he saved a ship's boy from drowning in Swinemünde's harbour, and received his first of many decorations, the Rettungsmedaille.
In 1903, Valentiner joined the naval school where he attended many courses, especially in diving, his preferred topic. He ended his training on the SMS Hansa
SMS Hansa (1898)
Seiner Majestät Schiff Hansa was a German Victoria Louise class protected cruiser launched from Stettiner Maschinenbau AG Vulcan shipyard in 1898 for service in the Kaiserliche Marine...
. On May 14, 1903, he saved an able seaman in Heligoland
Heligoland
Heligoland is a small German archipelago in the North Sea.Formerly Danish and British possessions, the islands are located in the Heligoland Bight in the south-eastern corner of the North Sea...
harbour from the waves and certain death, and was awarded the Order of the Crown Medal
Order of the Crown (Prussia)
The Order of the Crown was Prussia's lowest ranking order of chivalry. Instituted in 1861 as an award equal in rank to the Order of the Red Eagle, it could only be awarded to commissioned officers , but there was a medal associated with the order which could be earned by non-commissioned officers...
for his courage and valour in action.
On September 29, 1905, he was promoted to Leutnant zur See and in 1907 he became an officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
on SMS Braunschweig
SMS Braunschweig
SMS Braunschweig"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the first of five pre-dreadnought battleships of the Braunschweig class in the German Kaiserliche Marine . She was laid down in 1901 and commissioned in October 1904, at a cost of 23,983,000 marks. She was named after the then Duchy of...
. He was promoted again on March 30, 1908, to Oberleutnant zur See. From 1908 to 1910, Valentiner was company commander for 1. Matrosen-Artillerie-Abteilung in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
.
In 1911, Valentiner became officer on the U-boat salvage ship SMS Vulkan
SMS Vulkan
SMS Vulkan was a U-boat salvage tug in the Kaiserliche Marine laid down in 1907 and commissioned 1908. The ship displaced 1595 tons and had a top speed of 12 knots.The famous U-boat ace Max Valentiner served as salvage officer on Vulkan in early 1911...
. In this job, on January 17, 1911, he saved all 30 men of U-3
SM U-3 (Germany)
SM U-3 Is the third German U-Boat created by the German Empire in their history, and is the first of two submarines in its class. The boat was built by Kaiserliche Werft Danzig and was launched on March 27, 1909. U-3 began its career in World War I as a training boat from August 1, 1914 to November...
by getting them out of the torpedo tube
Torpedo tube
A torpedo tube is a device for launching torpedoes. There are two main types of torpedo tube: underwater tubes fitted to submarines and some surface ships, and deck-mounted units installed aboard surface vessels...
after it sank in Kiel Harbour due to an unclosed valve in the ventilation shaft. Among the saved crew was Otto Weddigen
Otto Weddigen
Otto Eduard Weddigen was a German U-boat commander during World War I.-Biography and career:He was born in Herford and started his military career in the Kaiserliche Marine in 1901...
, later the commander of U-9, and Paul Clarrendorf, the commander of U-boot-Abnahme-Kommando in Kiel which enlisted U-boat crews. Valentiner received the Order of the Crown 4th class
Order of the Crown (Prussia)
The Order of the Crown was Prussia's lowest ranking order of chivalry. Instituted in 1861 as an award equal in rank to the Order of the Red Eagle, it could only be awarded to commissioned officers , but there was a medal associated with the order which could be earned by non-commissioned officers...
for the life-saving mission.
On July 1, 1911, Valentiner took command of the new U-boat U-10
SM U-10 (Germany)
SM U-10 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.U-10 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic.-References:...
. On board he showed incredible skill and boldness and on training manoeuvres he sank several ships with drill torpedoes without ever being sighted. His performance literally changed the German vision of U-boat warfare.
On March 22, 1914, Valentiner was promoted to Kapitänleutnant and nine days later he became a teacher at the U-boat school in Kiel, a position he held until the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
on August 4, 1914, when the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
declared war on the German Empire.
World War I
When World War I broke out, Valentiner took command of U-3SM U-3 (Germany)
SM U-3 Is the third German U-Boat created by the German Empire in their history, and is the first of two submarines in its class. The boat was built by Kaiserliche Werft Danzig and was launched on March 27, 1909. U-3 began its career in World War I as a training boat from August 1, 1914 to November...
, the U-boat on which he three years earlier saved 30 men from dying. His orders were to sink Russian warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
s in the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
, but he failed, and blamed the old U-boat which did not have the capabilities of the newer boats in the Kaiserliche Marine. Valentiner returned to base without any successes and was relieved from his command on October 27, 1914. He was sent to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
to face Prince Heinrich
Prince Heinrich of Prussia
Prince Henry of Prussia was a younger brother of German Emperor William II and a Prince of Prussia...
and explain the problems with the older U-boats. The prince was furious and sent him away.
When Valentiner returned to Kiel he was quite surprised to learn that he was to take command of the newest U-boat, U-38. He was also allowed to choose his own officers from the U-boat school.
From December 5, 1914, to September 15, 1917, Valentiner was stationed by 2. U-Halbflottille/U-Flottille Pola at the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n base of Cattaro
Kotor
Kotor is a coastal city in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Gulf of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative center of the municipality....
, in Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
. From here all German U-boat activities in the eastern Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
took place. Until the end of March 1915, U-38 had several problems with its diesel engine and repairs were required. Training of the new crew took place between repairs near the British east coast which were considered most safe and simple for training.
After March, U-38 started to patrol in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and on December 30, 1915, U-38 and Valentiner sank the British passengership SS Persia without any warning.
.
The ship was on a voyage from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
stopping in Marseilles. On board was a huge fortune of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and gems
Gemstone
A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
from the Indian Maharaja Jagatjij Singh. He had left the ship in Marseilles because he had been warned about the danger from the German U-boats at Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. Also on board were several Rolls Royce
Rolls-Royce (car)
This a list of Rolls-Royce motor cars and includes vehicles produced by:*Rolls-Royce Limited *Rolls-Royce Motors , which was owned by Vickers between 1980 and 1998, and after that by Volkswagen...
automobiles and the actress Eleanor Velasco Thornton who had posed as a model for the Rolls Royce Hood ornament
Hood ornament
A hood/bonnet ornament, or radiator cap, or car mascot is a specially crafted model of something which symbolizes a car company like a badge, located on the front center portion of the hood...
, known as Spirit of Ecstasy
Spirit of Ecstasy
The Spirit of Ecstasy is the name of the hood ornament on Rolls-Royce cars. It is in the form of a woman leaning forwards with her arms outstretched behind and above her...
. Thornton drowned, together with 343 passengers of the 519 aboard. After the attack Valentiner was placed on the Allies
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
list of war criminals. At home he was awarded with the Knight's Cross with Swords of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern
House Order of Hohenzollern
The House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
on May 14, 1916.
On December 3, 1916 Valentiner took U-38 into the Funchal
Funchal
Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira. The city has a population of 112,015 and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries.-Etymology:...
harbour on Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
and sank 3 enemy ships. For this effort he was the sixth U-boat commander rewarded with the Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
, on December 26.
On September 15, 1917, Valentiner left U-38 and Cattaro and returned to Kiel to take command of the new U-157
SM U-157
SM U-157 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.U-157 was engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic....
. Kapitänleutnant Rabe von Pappenhein was to have taken this command but for unknown reasons this was changed. With U-157 Valentiner undertook the longest cruise in the war, from November 27, 1917, to April 15, 1918, a total of 139 days. This cruise came to be his last and in total he sank 150 ships with a tonnage of about 300,000 tons.
Valentiner returned to the U-boat school to teach new submariners his techniques. His experience and advice were taken into account in the construction of the new boat U-143, which was faster and had a much improved dive time, but it was never finished.
Interbellum
Valentiner had been accused of the "cruel and inhuman treatment of crews" in fifteen different incidents involving FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, British, and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
ships. The Allies demanded to have all war criminals extradited, but most simply resigned quietly and disappeared for a while, including Valentiner.
He went first to Berlin, was deleted from the list of naval officers, and acquired a new passport under the name Carl Schmidt. He then travelled to East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
and lived on an estate, Kadinen, that his father managed, where he waited for the extraditions to proceed. He eventually became impatient with the wait and returned to Kiel. The peace was eventually signed, and per the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
, all U-boats were dismantled. Valentiner was relieved of duty for good, despite the fact that he was also promoted to Korvettenkapitän.
Valentiner started a small company in Kiel, trading engines and parts. He later became a shipowner, and also worked for both Drägerwerke (diving equipment) in Lübeck and Adeltwerke in Eberswalde
Eberswalde
Eberswalde is a major town and the administrative seat of the district Barnim in the German Federal State of Brandenburg, about 50 km northeast of Berlin. Population 42144 , geographical location . The town is often called Waldstadt , because of the large forests around it, including the...
, northwest of Berlin.
World War II
In January 1940, Valentiner was appointed group commander for U-Boots-Abnahmekommision (UAK) in KielKiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
-Danzig, a position he held until March 1945. Meanwhile, on January 1, 1941, he was promoted to Kapitän zur See. On March 31, 1945, he was discharged from the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
.
Last years
On June 19, 1949, Valentiner died in SønderborgSønderborg
Sønderborg Municipality , is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark partially on the Jutland peninsula and partially on the island of Als in south Denmark, at the border with Germany. The municipality covers an area of , and has a total population of 76,236...
hospital from lung disease, likely precipitated by the inhalation of toxic vapours from the engines in the first U-boats, U-10 and U-3.