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Hendrik Born (5 July 1944 – 2 August 2021) was a Vizeadmiral (vice admiral) of the East German Navy (Volksmarine) and the last chief of the People's Navy and its youngest Vizeadmiral.
In Leningrad, Born met Inessa Andreewna Komkova who later became his wife. He completed his studies at the Soviet Naval Academy in 1976 and graduated with distinction. On 1 October 1976, Born was promoted to the rank of Korvettenkapitän (lieutenant commander). Born was selected to take command of a "Koni" coastal frigate 142 in the 4th Fleet. While waiting for the delivery of this ship, Born and his crew trained on board its sister ship the "Rostock" and lived on a 4th Fleet accommodation ship until 1978. However there was a significant delay in delivery of this ship from the Soviet Union. Most of Born's crew were short term specialists whose three years enlistment ended before the ship was delivered. Unfortunately another officer took command of it in 1979 when it was christened the "Berlin".
In 1978, Born was placed on the staff of the 4th Fleet as part of the staff operational work group. In preparation for the large Warsaw Pact maneuver "Brotherhood of Arms 80" („Waffenbrüderschaft 80“), he worked in a Rostock, East Germany office building called the Rostocker Ständehaus on the exercise's naval plans including its deception plan. On 7 October 1980, Born was promoted to the rank of Fregattenkapitän (commander), and in 1981 became the Deputy Director for operational work and later chief of staff of the 4th Protection Brigade.
In 1981, he moved to the 1st Flotilla at Peenemünde, where he served as the Deputy Commander and Deputy Chief of Staff. He assumed command of the 1st Fleet in 1984, a position he held until 1989. On 7 March 1985, he was promoted to Kapitän zur See (captain at sea) and again promoted on 7 October 1988 to Konteradmiral (rear admiral). He became the youngest admiral of the People's Navy. In August 1988, he led a naval visit to the Swedish Navy in Gothenburg, Sweden.
After Admiral Theodor Hoffmann became the East German Minister of National Defense, he selected Born as his replacement as the Chief of the People's Navy. Born was promoted to Vizeadmiral (vice admiral) on 11 December 1989. He held this position until his retirement on 2 October 1990. Born was the first Chief of the People's Navy, who was not the Deputy Minister of National Defense. After German Reunification Born served a few weeks as a civilian adviser to Bundesmarine Flottillenadmiral (flotilla admiral) Dirk Horten who had taken command of what was left of the People's Navy.
Born died on 2 August 2021, aged 77.
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