Chief of the Royal Danish Navy

The Chief of the Royal Danish Navy is the professional head 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

History

Originally the commander of the navy was the King, with daily control given to the Admiralty and Commissioners College.[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

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
(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
(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
(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
(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

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

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
(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

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

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

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
(born 1958)
1 August 200531 August 20105 years, 30 days[34][35]
6
Finn Hansen [da]
Hansen, FinnRear admiral
Finn Hansen
(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

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

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 197 days [40]

See also

References

Citations
  1. Christensen 2000.
  2. Bjerg 2011a.
  3. Balsved 2008.
  4. arma-dania 2014a.
  5. arma-dania 2014b.
  6. 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. Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935a, p. 297.
  13. Topsøe-Jensen & Marquard 1935a, p. 136.
  14. 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. 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. Pontoppidan & Teisen 1984, p. 565.
  29. Pontoppidan & Teisen 1984, p. 400.
  30. Pontoppidan & Teisen 1984, p. 436.
  31. Pontoppidan & Teisen 1984, p. 549.
  32. Pontoppidan & Teisen 1984, p. 311.
  33. Bjerg 2011b, p. 221.
  34. Balsved 2013.
  35. Kristeligt Dagblad 2005.
  36. Hansen 2013.
  37. Søværnets Operative Kommando 2013.
  38. Ministry of Defence 2017.
  39. 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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