Education
He studied history at the University of Hamburg under Professor Doctor Moltmann and received his Doctor of Philosophy in 1974 with a thesis entitled Reichsmarine und Landesverteidigung, 1919-1928.
He studied history at the University of Hamburg under Professor Doctor Moltmann and received his Doctor of Philosophy in 1974 with a thesis entitled Reichsmarine und Landesverteidigung, 1919-1928.
Werner Rahn entered the Naval Academy Mürwik and served at sea and ashore in a variety of appointments, reaching the rank of captain. He served as lecturer in military history at the Naval Academy Mürwik, and later Docent for military history at the Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr at Hamburg. From 1980 to 1997, he served at the German Armed Forces Military History Research Office in Freiburg im Breisgau as head of the naval history section and deputy director, and later after that office moved to Potsdam, as Director from 1995 to 1997.
He retired from active service in the German Navy in 1997.