and oversaw the development, testing and production of naval weapons of all kinds, as well as electronic counter-measures and radio communications. The Allgemeines Marineamt ("General Navy Department") founded in January 1936, renamed Allgemeine Marinehauptamt ("General Navy Head Department") in November 1939, and again to Kriegsmarine-Wehr ("Navy Defense") in 1944, was concerned mainly with administrative matters; it included legal, medical, economic, construction and export departments. The Konstruktionsamt ("Construction Department"), formed in 1936, was renamed Amt Kriegsschiffsbau ("Department of Warship Construction") in 1939, and later the same year to Hauptamt Kriegsschiffsbau ("Head Department of Warship Construction"), before reverting to its previous designation in 1944. As its name suggests this department dealt with the construction of new vessels for the navy, dealing with the design and engineering of ships and U-boats, working with suppliers and shipyards, and liaising with the Ministry of Armaments and War Production. The Flottenchef (Fleet commander) of the Kriegsmarine was also considered a serving member of the OKM. List of commanders The Commanders-in-Chief (Oberbefehlshaber der Marine) of the Kriegsmarine were: Flags of the Commander-in-Chief On 7 November 1935 a decree was issued by Werner von Blomberg, the Reichskriegsminister and Commander-in-Chief of the German Armed Forces ordering the introduction of a new pattern of flag for use by the Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine. The flag consisted of a white square on which was displayed a large black Iron Cross. Placed behind it were two straight bladed unsheathed swords in bright yellow, crossed at right angles to each other. The flag was modified when on 1 April 1939 Erich Raeder rose to the rank of Großadmiral. The flag continued to be in use when Karl Dönitz came into this position on 30 January 1943. The swords were replaced by a pair of Admiral's batons crossed at right angles. Superimposed over both the crossed batons and the Iron Cross was a Wehrmachtsadler ("Armed Forces' Eagle") in gold, facing towards the hoist. On 30 January 1943 a further special flag was introduced for Großadmiral Raeder in order to represent his position as Admiralinspekteur of the Kriegsmarine. It was in the same design as for the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, but with the addition of a wide light blue border. References German High Command during World War II Kriegsmarine Naval headquarters Germany, Nazi