▁Kn opf ▁books ▁Category : 1 9 2 7 ▁children ' s ▁books <0x0A> </s> ▁Hein z ▁Ne uk ir chen ▁( J anu ary ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁– ▁December ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 8 6 ) ▁was ▁an ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁Kriegs marine ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁and ▁a ▁V ize ad mir al ▁in ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Navy ▁( Vol ks marine ) ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁Democratic ▁Republic ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁East ▁German ▁Director ate ▁of ▁Mar itime ▁and ▁Port ▁Indust ries . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁author ▁of ▁several ▁mar itime ▁books . ▁ ▁Ne uk ir chen ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁D uis burg , ▁Germany , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁a ▁small ▁far mer ▁and ▁veget able ▁deal er . ▁After ▁gradu ation ▁from ▁high ▁school ▁he ▁worked ▁an ▁intern ship ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁then ▁one ▁year ▁as ▁a ▁fre el ancer ▁for ▁the ▁Düsseld or fer ▁News . ▁Ne uk ir chen ▁began ▁service ▁in ▁Naz i ▁Germany ' s ▁Kriegs marine ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 . ▁As ▁a ▁crew member ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁cru iser ▁Köln ▁Ne uk ir chen ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Civil ▁War ▁and ▁received ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Cross . ▁From ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁holding ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁a ▁boats w ain , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁har bor ▁protection ▁commander . ▁Following ▁several