Reinhard Heydrich - Naval Career

Naval Career

In 1922 Heydrich joined the Navy, taking advantage of the security, structure, and pension it offered. He became a naval cadet at Kiel, Germany's chief naval base. On 1 April 1924 he was promoted to senior midshipman (Oberfähnrich zur See) and sent to officer training at the Mürwik Naval College. In 1926 he advanced to the rank of ensign (Leutnant zur See) and was assigned as a signals officer on the battleship Schleswig-Holstein, the flagship of Germany's North Sea Fleet. With the promotion came greater recognition; he received good evaluations from his superiors and had few problems with other crewmen. He was promoted on 1 July 1928 to the rank of sub-lieutenant (Oberleutnant zur See). However, the increased rank fuelled his ambition and arrogance.

Heydrich became a notorious womaniser, having countless affairs. In December 1930 he attended a rowing club ball and met Lina von Osten. The two became romantically involved and soon announced their engagement. Lina was already a Nazi Party follower; she had attended her first rally in 1929. Admiral Erich Raeder dismissed Heydrich from the navy in April 1931. Heydrich had been charged with "conduct unbecoming to an officer and a gentleman" for breaking an engagement promise to a woman he had known for six months before the von Osten engagement. Heydrich was devastated by the dismissal and found himself without prospects for a career. But he kept the engagement and married von Osten in December 1931.