Dönitz (surname)

Dönitz is a German surname. It is most notably associated with:

• Karl Dönitz (1891–1980): A German admiral who served as the commander of the U-boat fleet during World War II and briefly as President of Germany following Adolf Hitler's suicide in 1945. He was convicted of war crimes at the Nuremberg trials and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The origin of the name is likely of Slavic origin, potentially derived from a given name like "Doma" or a similar root. Over time, the spelling and pronunciation evolved into its current form. The surname Dönitz is relatively uncommon.