Herbert Schultze
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Commander
Herbert Schultze (July 24, 1909 – June 3, 1987), was a German
U-boat
commander of the Kriegsmarine
during World War II
. He commanded for eight patrols during the early part of the war, sinking and earning him eighth place on the Aces of the Deep
list. Due to several incidents of openly broadcasting his sinkings to alert the Allies
of the plight of the crews, he became quite a celebrity even on the allied side. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. It was Germany's highest military decoration at the time of its presentation to Herbert Schultze.
and joined the Reichsmarine in April 1930. On 9 October 1930 he became a Seekadett. Serving aboard the cruisers and with other future U-boat aces, including Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock.
In May 1937, with a rank of Oberleutnant zur See
, Schultze transferred to the U-boat force, taking command of the Type IIA U-boat on 31 January 1938. The U-2 was assigned to the U-Bootschulflottille (U-boat school flotilla), and Schultze spent the next year and a half training with the sub.
On 22 April 1939 Schultze commissioned , a Type VIIB U-boat. U-48 was later to become the most successful submarine of the war. U-48 was assigned to 7th U-boat Flotilla, and spent the next four months in training. On 1 June 1939 Schultze was promoted to Kapitänleutnant.
freighter Firby. After the sinking he sent the plain language radio message "cq - cq- cq - transmit to Mr. Churchill. I have sunk the British steamer "Firby". Posit 59.40 North and 13.50 West. Save the crew, if you please. German submarine." This message, addressed to the First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill
directly, made Schultze famous, both in Germany and Great Britain. He sank two more ships for during the first patrol.
After returning to base Schultze gave an interview to William L. Shirer
, an American reporter, on 29 September 1939. During the interview it was established that Schultze had sunk another British ship, the Royal Sceptre and similarly as the Firby had arranged for the crew to be rescued by another allied ship. The interview was recorded and broadcast both in the United States and Great Britain.
Now something of a media celebrity, Schultze left for four more successful patrols. On 1 March 1940 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
for his successes. On 20 May 1940 Schultze handed command of the U-48 over to Hans Rudolf Rösing due to illness stemming from a stomach and kidney disorder. Schultze spent five months in hospital recuperating. From October 1940 Schultze took up duties as Second in Command of the 7th U-boat Flotilla, now based in St Nazaire, France
.
On 17 December 1940 Schultze resumed command of the U-48, relieving Heinrich Bleichrodt
. He led U-48 on three more patrols, and continued sinking enemy shipping at a great rate. Thus Schultze was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 12 June 1941.
On 27 July 1941 Schultze left the U-48 to take command of 3rd U-boat Flotilla operating from La Rochelle
. He served in this capacity until March 1942, when he was assigned to the staff of Marinegruppe Nord as Admiral Staff Officer for U-boats. In December 1942 he was assigned to Admiral Karl Dönitz
staff. On 1 April 1943 he was promoted to Korvettenkapitän. In March 1944 he was assigned as commander of Department II, Marineschule Mürwik
, where he served to the end of the war.
and served in a string of staff positions, including another two years at Marineschule Mürwick. He retired in September 1968. Schultze died in June 1987 in London
, and amongst others, former U-boat ace Otto Kretschmer
spoke at his funeral, saying "Deeply respected by friend and foe, revered by his crew, Herbert Schultze was an exemplary naval officer in the best tradition."
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Herbert Schultze (July 24, 1909 – June 3, 1987), was a 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...
commander of 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 commanded for eight patrols during the early part of the war, sinking and earning him eighth place on the Aces of the Deep
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...
list. Due to several incidents of openly broadcasting his sinkings to alert the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
of the plight of the crews, he became quite a celebrity even on the allied side. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. It was Germany's highest military decoration at the time of its presentation to Herbert Schultze.
Biography
Schultze was born in KielKiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
and joined the Reichsmarine in April 1930. On 9 October 1930 he became a Seekadett. Serving aboard the cruisers and with other future U-boat aces, including Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock.
In May 1937, with a rank of 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...
, Schultze transferred to the U-boat force, taking command of the Type IIA U-boat on 31 January 1938. The U-2 was assigned to the U-Bootschulflottille (U-boat school flotilla), and Schultze spent the next year and a half training with the sub.
On 22 April 1939 Schultze commissioned , a Type VIIB U-boat. U-48 was later to become the most successful submarine of the war. U-48 was assigned to 7th U-boat Flotilla, and spent the next four months in training. On 1 June 1939 Schultze was promoted to Kapitänleutnant.
World War II
Soon after the war started on 1 September 1939 Schultze took U-48 out on its first patrol. On 11 September 1939 he sank the BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
freighter Firby. After the sinking he sent the plain language radio message "cq - cq- cq - transmit to Mr. Churchill. I have sunk the British steamer "Firby". Posit 59.40 North and 13.50 West. Save the crew, if you please. German submarine." This message, addressed to the First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
directly, made Schultze famous, both in Germany and Great Britain. He sank two more ships for during the first patrol.
After returning to base Schultze gave an interview to William L. Shirer
William L. Shirer
William Lawrence Shirer was an American journalist, war correspondent, and historian, who wrote The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, a history of Nazi Germany read and cited in scholarly works for more than 50 years...
, an American reporter, on 29 September 1939. During the interview it was established that Schultze had sunk another British ship, the Royal Sceptre and similarly as the Firby had arranged for the crew to be rescued by another allied ship. The interview was recorded and broadcast both in the United States and Great Britain.
Now something of a media celebrity, Schultze left for four more successful patrols. On 1 March 1940 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
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...
for his successes. On 20 May 1940 Schultze handed command of the U-48 over to Hans Rudolf Rösing due to illness stemming from a stomach and kidney disorder. Schultze spent five months in hospital recuperating. From October 1940 Schultze took up duties as Second in Command of the 7th U-boat Flotilla, now based in St Nazaire, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
On 17 December 1940 Schultze resumed command of the U-48, relieving Heinrich Bleichrodt
Heinrich Bleichrodt
Lieutenant Commander Heinrich Bleichrodt was one of the most successful German U-boat commander of the Second World War. From October 1939 until retiring from front line service in December 1943, he sank 25 ships for a total of . For this he received the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, among other...
. He led U-48 on three more patrols, and continued sinking enemy shipping at a great rate. Thus Schultze was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 12 June 1941.
On 27 July 1941 Schultze left the U-48 to take command of 3rd U-boat Flotilla operating from La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
. He served in this capacity until March 1942, when he was assigned to the staff of Marinegruppe Nord as Admiral Staff Officer for U-boats. In December 1942 he was assigned to Admiral Karl Dönitz
Karl Dönitz
Karl Dönitz was a German naval commander during World War II. He started his career in the German Navy during World War I. In 1918, while he was in command of , the submarine was sunk by British forces and Dönitz was taken prisoner...
staff. On 1 April 1943 he was promoted to Korvettenkapitän. In March 1944 he was assigned as commander of Department II, Marineschule Mürwik
Naval Academy Mürwik
The Naval Academy at Mürwik is the main training establishment for all German Navy officers.It is located at Mürwik which is a part of Germany's most northern city, Flensburg. Built on a small hill directly by the coast, it overlooks the Flensburg Fjord...
, where he served to the end of the war.
After the war
In 1956 Schultze joined the Bundesmarine of West GermanyWest Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
and served in a string of staff positions, including another two years at Marineschule Mürwick. He retired in September 1968. Schultze died in June 1987 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and amongst others, former U-boat ace Otto Kretschmer
Otto Kretschmer
Flotilla Admiral Otto Kretschmer was a German U-boat commander in the Second World War and later an admiral in the Bundesmarine. From September 1939 until being captured in March 1941, he sank 47 ships, a total of 274,333 tons. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak...
spoke at his funeral, saying "Deeply respected by friend and foe, revered by his crew, Herbert Schultze was an exemplary naval officer in the best tradition."
Awards
- DienstauszeichnungWehrmacht Long Service AwardThe Wehrmacht Long Service Award was a military service decoration of Nazi Germany issued for satisfactory completion of a given years of military service...
4th Class (2 October 1936) - Deutsche Olympia-Erinnerungsmedaille (20 April 1937)
- 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 (25 September 1939)
- 1st Class (27 October 1939)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak LeavesKnight'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...
- Knight's Cross on 1 March 1940 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-48
- 15th Oak Leaves on 12 June 1941 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-48
- Croce di GuerraCroce di GuerraThe Croce di Guerra al Valor Militare is an Italian decoration for military valour.- Past recipients :* Edouard Izac, Lieutenant, United States Navy* Douglas MacArthur, General, United States Army...
with Swords (14 October 1941) - 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) (25 October 1939)- with Diamonds (15 July 1941)
- Mentioned three times 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....
(26 February 1940, 2 April 1940 and 12 June 1940)