Date of birth:

May 9th, 1916 (Stettin/Pommerania, Germany)

Date of death:

March 11th, 2013 (Bad Pyrmont/Lowersaxony, Germany)

Nationality:

German

Paul Brasack was born on 9th May 1916 in Stettin. On 1st April 1937 he went into service with the Reichsmarine as Seeoffiziersanwärter. Between 1st September 1939 and 31st March 1940 he was in Verfügung with the Marineluftstreikraefte and followed a Beobachterausbildung in the Fliegerwaffenschule (See) at Parow. He becam a Beobachter and Staffeloffizier on 1st April 1940 with the Küstenfliegerstaffel 1 / Küstenfliegergruppe 706 and in July 1940 he became a Beobachter with Küstenfliegergruppe 126 which later was transformed to the I. Kampfgeschwader 28. From 1st June 1941 he was placed with the Stab IX.Fliegerkorps. In October 1941 he was appointed to the Ergänzungsgruppe Kampfgeschwader 28 and from October 1941 until 28th February 1942 as Ausbildungsoffizier in Kampfgeschwader 4.
On 1st March 1942 Paul Brasack transferred to the U-boats with 2.Admiral der Unterseeboote, U.W.O-Lehrgang in 2.Unterseeboots-Lehr-Division, Gotenhafen and he followed the U.T.O-Lehrgang in Torpedoschule, Flensburg-Mürwik.
Between 10th August 1942 and 26th November 1942 he acted as Wachoffizier-Überplanmäßig on U 590 (Müller-Edzards) / 6.U-Flottille, St.Nazaire, with which he conducted two patrols. from December 1942 Brasack followed the Kommandantenschießlehrgang with the 24.U-Flottille, Memel. From 30th January 1943 he attended the Baubelehrung U 422 on the Danziger Werft AG shipyard, Danzig under supervision of the 7.KLA, Danzig-Neufahrwasser.
He became the Kommandeur of U 737 / 8.U-Bootsflotille, Danzig on 5th February 1943 and later within the 13.U-Bootsflotille at Trontheim. With this ship he completed ten patrols. From December 1944 until 8th May 1945 he was the Ausbildungsoffizier and Schießleiter with the 25.U-Bootsflottille at Libau. Brasack was a Prisoner-of-war from 9th May 1945 intil 15th August 1947.

After the Second World War he served with the Bundesmarine in the Bundeswehr from 1st October 1957 until 30th September 1974.

Promotions:
3rd April 1937: Offiziersanwärter
1st April 1938: Fähnrich zur See
1st July 1939: Oberfähnrich zur See
1st August 1939: Leutnant zur See
1st September 1941: Oberleutnant zur See
1st July 1944: Kapitänleutnant
1st October 1957: Korvettenkapitän
24th April 1961: Fregattenkapitän
25th July 1968: Kapitän zur See

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant zur See (2nd Lieutenant at Sea)

Awarded on:

February 28th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant zur See (2nd Lieutenant at Sea)

Unit:

1. / Küstenfliegergruppe 706

Awarded on:

May 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant zur See (2nd Lieutenant at Sea)

Unit:

Küstenfliegergruppe 126

Awarded on:

November 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant zur See (2nd Lieutenant at Sea)

Unit:

Küstenfliegergruppe 126

Awarded on:

March 10th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant zur See (2nd Lieutenant at Sea)

Unit:

Küstenfliegergruppe 126

Awarded on:

June 24th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant zur See (1st Lieutenant at Sea)

Unit:

Wachoffizier U 590

Awarded on:

September 24th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Kapitänleutnant

Unit:

Kommandant U 737

Awarded on:

October 28th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kommandant U 737

Awarded on:

October 30th, 1944

As commander Brasack was not credited with sinking any ships. His U-boat was part of a wolf pack which operated against Convoy JW 56A and Convoy JW 56B. While attacking the latter convoy on the 30.01.1944 he fired at the destroyer “HMS Milne”, but missed, and the torpedo exploded in the destroyers’ wake. His actions against these convoys distracted the escorting destroyers, enabling other U-boats from his wolf pack to attack and sink 3 US transports. For these actions he was awarded the Knight's Cross.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Kapitänleutnant

Unit:

Kommandant U 737

Awarded on:

March 24th, 1945

• Photo 1: Andrew Straube
• Photo: Andrew Straube via www.Death-Cards.com
  
• - DIXON, JEREMY, The U-boat Commanders, Naval Institute Press, 2019.
  - Dörr M., Einer von Dreiunddreissig, Internationales Militaira Magazine Nr 124, september-oktober 2006, Heinz Nickel Buchbetrieb, Zweibrücken
  - Dörr M., Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945 - Teil IV Die U-Boot-Waffe
  - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
  - Kurowski F., Knight's Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1995, ISBN 0-88740-748-X
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  - Ehrentafel der Deutschen Kriegsmarine dd 18-11-1944
  - Axis History Forum
  - Marine Soldaten