Editing Erich Raeder (section)

==Early years==
Raeder was born into a middle-class [[Protestant]] family in [[Wandsbek (quarter)|Wandsbek]] in the [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussian]] province of [[Province of Schleswig-Holstein|Schleswig-Holstein]] in the [[German Empire]]. His father was a headmaster. 

Raeder idolised his father Hans Raeder, who as a teacher and a father was noted for his marked authoritarian views, and who impressed upon his son the values of hard work, thrift, religion and discipline – all of which Raeder was to preach throughout his life.<ref name="Bird, Keith pp. 1-2">Bird ''Erich Raeder'' pp. 1–2.</ref> Hans Raeder also taught his children to support the existing government of alleged "non-political" experts led by Bismarck who were said to stand "above politics" and were alleged to only do what was best for Germany.<ref name="Bird, Keith pp. 1-2" /> In the same way, Hans Raeder warned his children that if Germany were to become a democracy, that would be a disaster as it would mean government by men "playing politics"-doing what was only best for their petty sectarian interests instead of the nation.<ref name="Bird, Keith pp. 1-2" /> 

Like many other middle-class Germans of his time, Hans Raeder strongly disliked the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democrats]], whom he accused of playing "party politics" in the ''Reichstag'' by promoting working class interests instead of thinking about the national good, a stance that his son also adopted.<ref name="Bird, Keith p. 2">Bird ''Erich Raeder'' p. 2.</ref> Throughout his entire life, Raeder claimed that he was ''apolitisch'' (someone who was "above politics", i.e. only thought about the good of the nation instead of his party), and as an "apolitical" officer, Raeder thus maintained that his support for sea power was based upon objective consideration of the national good.<ref name="Bird, Keith p. 2" />