Date of birth:

September 28th, 1916 (Hannover, Germany)

Date of death:

April 3rd, 2014 (Kiel/Schleswig-Holstein, Germany)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Crew of IV/1937
Promotions:
3 Apr 1937 Offiziersanwärter
21 Sep 1937 Seekadett
1 May 1938 Fähnrich zur See
1 Jul 1939 Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Aug 1939 Leutnant zur See
1 Sep 1941 Oberleutnant zur See
1 Aug 1944 Kapitänleutnant

Career:
03.04.1937: entered the Kriegsmarine
00.03.1940-00.12.1941: Leutnant zur See, 2. WO then 1.WO, Torpedoboot "JAGUAR"
00.12.1941-00.06.1942: Oberleutnant zur See, 1 WO, U 431 : 4 patrols 85 days
26.09.1942-04.05.1945: Oberleutnant zur See, Kdt, U 711 : 12 patrols 346 days
01.10.1961-30.09.1963: Fregattenkapitän.a.D., Kdt, 1. Ubootgeschwader, Bundesmarine

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 7th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

December 12th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

December 24th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

May 4th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant zur See

Unit:

Kommandant, U 711, 13. Unterseebootsflottille

Awarded on:

May 11th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kommandant, U 711, 13. Unterseebootsflottille

Awarded on:

August 26th, 1944

Awarded for his claimed successes as a late war U-Boat commander under the most difficult of conditions. They included the following…

I.) Sinking the US freighter “William S. Thaver” (with 7176 GRT) as well as 2 destroyers over the course of 7 war patrols. (Note: none of these are substantiated by post-war records).

II.) Unsuccessfully attacking the Soviet battleship “Archangelsk” on the 23.08.1944.

III.) Bombarding the Soviet radio stations at Pravdyi (18.09.1943) and Blagopolncija (24.09.1943) with the deck gun of his U-Boat.

IV.) Distracting convoy escorts on multiple occasions, thereby allowing other U-Boats to attack.

250th Award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kommandant, U 711, 13. Unterseebootsflottille

Awarded on:

April 29th, 1945

Awarded for further claimed successes, including the following…

I.) Bombarding the Soviet radio station at Stereligowa (21.09.1944).

II.) Claiming the sinking of two freighters with 10200 GRT.

III.) Sinking the British corvette “Bluebell” on the 17.02.1945.

853rd Award

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
• - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
  - Kurowski F., Knight’s Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service, Schiffer Publishing, 1995
  - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001
  - Feldgrau.com