Georg Lassen
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Commander
Georg Lassen (born May 12, 1915) is a former German
U-boat
captain
who served with the Kriegsmarine
during World War II
. He was a Watchkeeping Officer on at the outbreak of the war and later the skipper of the and winner of the Iron Cross
. He sank 26 ships for a total of during 4 patrols, leading to a remarkable average of per patrol. His total tonnage made him the 10th most successful U-boat ace
of the war.
, a Berlin
suburb. He joined the Kriegsmarine
as Seekadett on 25 September 1935. When World War II started, Lassen was an Oberleutnant zur See
and serving as I. Wach-Offizier (1st Watch Officer) on under Kapitänleutnant Otto Schuhart
. While serving with U-29 Schuhart sank 13 ships, including the aircraft carrier . On 3 January 1941 Lassen assumed command over the U-29, which served as a training boat in 24th U-boat Flotilla by this time. He ended his command on 14 September.
On 16 October 1941 Lassen commissioned the Type IXC U-Uboat . Lassen spent about four months training the crew and testing the boat with 4th U-boat Flotilla, before U-160 became operational and was transferred to 10th U-boat Flotilla on 1 March 1942.
U-160 left on her first patrol in early March 1942. During this patrol Lassen sank or damaged six ships for a total of . On 10 August 1942 he received the Ritterkreuz
. On 1 September he was promoted to . On his fourth and final patrol to South Africa
n waters in March 1943 he sank or damaged six ships in less than 5 hours for a total of during the night between 3 March and 4 March. On 8 March 1943 he sank the SS James B. Stephens
and on 9 March he received a radio message awarding him with the (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves).
On 14 June 1943 Lassen was transferred away from U-160 to take up duties as a tactics instructor and commander of the "Offiziers-kompanie" in 1. U-Boot-Lehrdivision, a training unit for future U-boat commanders. On 1 April 1945 he was promoted to Korvettenkapitän.
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Georg Lassen (born May 12, 1915) is a former German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
who served with the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was a Watchkeeping Officer on at the outbreak of the war and later the skipper of the and winner of the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
. He sank 26 ships for a total of during 4 patrols, leading to a remarkable average of per patrol. His total tonnage made him the 10th most successful U-boat ace
Aces Of The Deep
Aces of the Deep is a World War II Submarine simulator game developed and published by Dynamix for MS-DOS in 1994."Aces of the Deep" was the last installment of Dynamix's "Aces" series, which included the flight simulators Red Baron, Aces of the Pacific, and Aces over Europe...
of the war.
Biography
Georg Lassen was born in SteglitzSteglitz
Steglitz is a locality of the Steglitz-Zehlendorf borough in the south-west of Berlin, the capital of Germany. The locality also includes the neighbourhood of Südende.-History:...
, a Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
suburb. He joined the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
as Seekadett on 25 September 1935. When World War II started, Lassen was an Oberleutnant zur See
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
and serving as I. Wach-Offizier (1st Watch Officer) on under Kapitänleutnant Otto Schuhart
Otto Schuhart
Otto Schuhart was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
. While serving with U-29 Schuhart sank 13 ships, including the aircraft carrier . On 3 January 1941 Lassen assumed command over the U-29, which served as a training boat in 24th U-boat Flotilla by this time. He ended his command on 14 September.
On 16 October 1941 Lassen commissioned the Type IXC U-Uboat . Lassen spent about four months training the crew and testing the boat with 4th U-boat Flotilla, before U-160 became operational and was transferred to 10th U-boat Flotilla on 1 March 1942.
U-160 left on her first patrol in early March 1942. During this patrol Lassen sank or damaged six ships for a total of . On 10 August 1942 he received the Ritterkreuz
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
. On 1 September he was promoted to . On his fourth and final patrol to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n waters in March 1943 he sank or damaged six ships in less than 5 hours for a total of during the night between 3 March and 4 March. On 8 March 1943 he sank the SS James B. Stephens
SS James B. Stephens
The SS James B. Stephens was a 7,176 ton American liberty ship in World War II. She was built by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation of Portland, Oregon in 1942 with the hull number 580, and operated by United States Lines, New York and homeported in Portland. For her role of sailing in dangerous...
and on 9 March he received a radio message awarding him with the (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves).
On 14 June 1943 Lassen was transferred away from U-160 to take up duties as a tactics instructor and commander of the "Offiziers-kompanie" in 1. U-Boot-Lehrdivision, a training unit for future U-boat commanders. On 1 April 1945 he was promoted to Korvettenkapitän.
Achievements
- 26 ships sunk for a total of
- 5 ships damaged for a total of
- Dienstauszeichnung 4th Class (5 April 1939)
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939)- 2nd Class (26 September 1939)
- 1st Class (18 July 1940)
- Memel MedalMemel MedalThe Return of Memel Commemorative Medal was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded in the interwar period, and the last of the series of Occupation Medals.-Description:...
(26 October 1939) - U-boat War BadgeU-boat War BadgeThe U-Boat War Badge was a German war badge that was awarded to U-boat crew members during World War I and World War II.-History:The U-boat War Badge was originally instituted during the First World War on February 1, 1918. It was awarded to recognize U-boat crews who had completed three war patrols...
(1939) (18 July 1940) - U-boat Front ClaspU-boat Front ClaspThe U-boat Front Clasp or U-boat Combat Clasp, as it is better known, was a German badge that was awarded to holders of the U-boat War Badge to recognize continued combat service and valor during World War II.-History:...
(22 October 1944) - Awarded the Ritterkreuz mit EichenlaubKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
- Mentioned in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
on 14 April 1942