Editing Karl Dönitz (section)

==Dönitz's relationship to Jews and Nazism==
Despite his postwar claims, Dönitz was seen as supportive of Nazism during the war:
*Several naval officers described him as "closely tied to Hitler and Nazi ideology." On one occasion, he spoke of Hitler's humanity. Another event, in which he spoke to [[Hitler Youth]] in what was defined as an "inappropriate way", earned him the nickname of "Hitler Youth Dönitz".

*He refused to help [[Albert Speer]] stop the scorched earth policy dictated by Hitler, and is also noted to have declared, "In comparison to Hitler we are all pipsqueaks. Anyone who believes he can do better than the Führer is stupid."

*Several [[Anti-Semitism|anti-Semitic]] statements by Dönitz are known. When Sweden closed its international waters to Germany, he blamed this action on their fear and dependence on "international Jewish capital." In August 1944, he declared, "I would rather eat dirt than see my grandchildren grow up in the filthy, poisonous atmosphere of Jewry."

*On German Heroes Day (March 12th) of 1944, Dönitz declared that without Adolf Hitler, Germany would be beset by "the poison of Jewry", and the country destroyed for lack of National Socialism, which, as Dönitz declared, met an uncompromising ideology with defiance.

*Author Eric Zillmer argues that, from an ideological standpoint, Dönitz was anti-Marxist and anti-Semitic. Later, during the Nuremberg trials, Dönitz claimed to know nothing about the extermination of Jews and declared that nobody among "[his] men" thought about violence against Jews.