The inspector of the navy, Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach, draws conclusions from his statements on Russian President Vladimir Putin, Crimea and the Ukraine conflict. Recordings of a video conference previously published on the internet show Schönbach and two other naval officers talking to members of an Indian think tank, during which he expressed his personal opinion on the current political situation. It is not yet clear whether these recordings were published legally.
At 21:40 German time, the German Navy spokesman published the following press release:
"I have just asked the Federal Minister of Defence to relieve me of my duties and responsibilities as Inspector of the Navy with immediate effect. My ill-considered statements on security and military policy made in India are increasingly weighing on my office. In order to avert further damage to the German Navy, the Bundeswehr and, above all, the Federal Republic of Germany, I consider this step to be necessary.
The Federal Minister has accepted my request.
The Commander of the Fleet and Deputy to the Chief of Naval Operations, Rear Admiral Jan Kaack, will lead the German Navy until a successor is appointed."
Since then, there has been no photo of Schönbach on the Inspector of the Navy's Twitter account; the status there is "currenty vacant".
After just ten months in office, the senior officer is stepping down from his post. In March 2021, he succeeded Vice Admiral Andreas Krause as the inspector of Germany's smallest armed force. Since then, he has spoken out in an interview with the marine forum (issue 9-2021) made clear and unambiguous statements about grievances in the navy and the Bundeswehr.
English 
German
Chapeau!
Vice-Admiral Schönbach has stated facts (which are a personal expression of opinion and therefore differ from the "official view" of the government) and then bears responsibility for his statements.
There is NO long-term strategy for a foreign policy in the German government/state leadership...
The current cover is probably the one with the shortest half-life since the existence of the Marineforum.
...and so there is at least the suspicion that he had to leave because of his - politically uncomfortable - stance. The video conference is probably just a welcome occasion?
Did the horses run away with him? Even if they were subsequently labelled as "personal opinion", former Admiral Schönbach should have realised that these statements were an absolute no-go in his official capacity as inspector of the navy. Boundaries were clearly overstepped here. He apparently realised this himself shortly afterwards, which is why his resignation was logical, but also inevitable. The task now is to calm the foreign policy waters. But the shrill cacophony of voices from all possible political and social directions on the Ukraine-Russia crisis in this country is damaging the credibility of German politics.
I am stunned. Is a German officer, even the highest officer in our navy, not allowed to share his views? Isn't it even his job to make clear statements here? Are the Russians our enemy now? I thought he was one of our biggest trading partners and energy suppliers. Who is pushing such a man out of office? Are they the same people who immediately label everyone and I mean everyone who criticises this and past policies as "right-wing" and immediately marginalise them? I am shocked at what is possible after 16 years of Mum and the current office holders ... where does fascism actually begin?