Career
This article incorporates information from the equivalent articles on the German Wikipedia Godt joined the Kaiserliche Marine in summer 1918 as an officer cadet and served on board the SMS Schlesien. After the war he served in the Marinebrigade Ehrhardt. In March 1920 he was accepted in the Reichsmarine, becoming an officer in 1924.
He served aboard numerous surface ships and naval installastions until 1935.
When he was serving on the light cruiser Emden as adjutant to captain Karl Dönitz. Then Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander) Godt transferred to the newly established U-boat arm.
Commanding German submarine U-25 (1936) during the Spanish Civil War. In January 1938 he was appointed to the staff of the commander of the U-boat force, Admiral Dönitz.
In October he became the force"s chief of operations.
He continued in this role until January 1943 when he assumed full tactical command of U-Boat operations after Dönitz was promoted to command the Kriegsmarine. In March Godt was promoted to Konteradmiral (Rear Admiral) and assigned, additionally to his U-boat duties, to a department command at the Naval High Command. In 1945 he become a Prisoner Of War and remained in British custody until 1947.
During this time he also testified as a witness in the Nuremberg trials.
Seekadett (Junior Cadet): 1 July 1918 Fähnrich zur See (Senior Cadet): 1 April 1922 Oberfähnrich zur See (Midshipman): 1 October 1923 Leutnant zur See (Acting Sub-Lieutenant): 1 April 1924 Oberleutnant zur See (Sub-Lieutenant): 1 January 1926 Kapitänleutnant (Lieutenant): 1 July 1933 Korvettenkapitän (Corvette Captain / Lieutenant Commander): 1 April 1937 Fregattenkapitän (Frigate Captain / Commander): 1 July 1940 Kapitän zur See (Lincolnshire Captain): 1 September 1942 Konteradmiral (Rear Admiral, Lower Half): 1 March 1943.