Karl-Friedrich Merten
Encyclopedia
Captain
Karl-Friedrich Merten (15 August 1905 – 2 May 1993) was a German
U-boat
commander
during World War II
. He is credited with the sinking of 27 ships for a total of of allied shipping. For this achievement he was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). 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.
, he joined the Reichsmarine
in 1926. After training he spent many years on surface ships. He joined the U-Boat service on May 1, 1940. From October 1940 until January 1941 he joined as a trainee Captain with the experienced Heinrich Liebe
.
On 11 February 1941, Merten commissioned and lead 5 successful patrols. He operated all over the world, patrolling in the Atlantic Ocean
, the Caribbean Sea
and the Indian Ocean
. U-68 was in the U-boat wolf pack Eisbär
(Polar Bear Group), consisting of four submarines, U-68 (Merten), (Werner Hartenstein
), (Carl Emmermann
), (Hans-Georg Friedrich Poske
) a fifth U-boat, (Helmut Witte
) joined the group later, which in the course of a few weeks during September/October 1942, sank more than of shipping off South Africa
.
On 22 September 1941 Merten torpedoed his first ship the British Steamer sailing in convoy SL-87 and on the 6 November 1942 he sunk his last ship the British Steamer . His total was 29 ships sunk at a tonnage of 170,151.
After this patrol Merten was appointed to the U-boat flotilla in Pillau, and this and other training appointments curtailed his operational career. Nevertheless, when the war ended he stood seventh in the table of U-Boat commanders in terms of tonnage sunk. After the war he made a new career (somewhat ironically) in shipbuilding, retiring in 1974.
Long after the sinking of the SS City of Cairo he was invited to a post-war reunion of survivors where one observed: "We couldn't have been sunk by a nicer man".
He died on 2 May 1993 in Waldshut
.
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....
Karl-Friedrich Merten (15 August 1905 – 2 May 1993) 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
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
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 is credited with the sinking of 27 ships for a total of of allied shipping. For this achievement he was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). 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.
Military career
Born in PosenPoznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, he joined the Reichsmarine
Reichsmarine
The Reichsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Weimar Republic and first two years of Nazi Germany. It was the naval branch of the Reichswehr, existing from 1918 to 1935...
in 1926. After training he spent many years on surface ships. He joined the U-Boat service on May 1, 1940. From October 1940 until January 1941 he joined as a trainee Captain with the experienced Heinrich Liebe
Heinrich Liebe
Commander Heinrich Liebe was a highly decorated German naval officer who served as a U-boat commander during World War II until transferred to Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine . He sank 34 ships for a total of , placing him fourth on the Aces of the Deep list...
.
On 11 February 1941, Merten commissioned and lead 5 successful patrols. He operated all over the world, patrolling in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
and the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. U-68 was in the U-boat wolf pack Eisbär
Wolf pack Eisbär
Eisbär was a wolf pack of German U-boats that operated from 23 to 29 August 1942 in World War II. This pack was assembled to operate in the South Atlantic off Cape Town which was considered to be virgin waters. Some of the most experienced U-boat commanders available such as Harald Gelhaus, Werner...
(Polar Bear Group), consisting of four submarines, U-68 (Merten), (Werner Hartenstein
Werner Hartenstein
Gustav Julius Werner Hartenstein was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and commander of . 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...
), (Carl Emmermann
Carl Emmermann
Lieutenant Commander Carl Emmermann was a German U-boat commander during World War II. In his time as commander, he succeeded in sinking 27 ships for a total tonnage of .Emmermann began his naval career in 1934...
), (Hans-Georg Friedrich Poske
Fritz Poske
Hans-Georg Friedrich "Fritz" Poske was a German U-boat commander in World War II and 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...
) a fifth U-boat, (Helmut Witte
Helmut Witte
Helmut Witte was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. As commander of the Type IXC U-boat , he sank twenty-three ships on four patrols, for a total of 119,554 tons of Allied shipping, to become the 20th highest scoring U-Boat ace of World War II. He was also a recipient of...
) joined the group later, which in the course of a few weeks during September/October 1942, sank more than of shipping off 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...
.
On 22 September 1941 Merten torpedoed his first ship the British Steamer sailing in convoy SL-87 and on the 6 November 1942 he sunk his last ship the British Steamer . His total was 29 ships sunk at a tonnage of 170,151.
After this patrol Merten was appointed to the U-boat flotilla in Pillau, and this and other training appointments curtailed his operational career. Nevertheless, when the war ended he stood seventh in the table of U-Boat commanders in terms of tonnage sunk. After the war he made a new career (somewhat ironically) in shipbuilding, retiring in 1974.
Long after the sinking of the SS City of Cairo he was invited to a post-war reunion of survivors where one observed: "We couldn't have been sunk by a nicer man".
He died on 2 May 1993 in Waldshut
Waldshut
Waldshut is a district in the south of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighbouring districts are Lörrach, Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald and Schwarzwald-Baar; followed in the south by the Swiss cantons of Schaffhausen, Zürich and Aargau.-History:The district dates to the Oberamt Waldshut, which was...
.
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) - Olympia-Ehrenzeichen 2nd Class (21 December 1936)
- Dienstauszeichnung 3rd Class (2 October 1936)
- Spanish CrossSpanish CrossThe Spanish Cross was an award of Germany given to Germans who participated in the Spanish Civil War, fighting for Franco.- History :With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Germany sent the Condor Legion to give military aid to Francisco Franco's nationalist forces.On April 14, 1939, Germany...
in Bronze (20 April 1938) - Sudetenland MedalSudetenland MedalThe The Sudetenland Commemorative Medal was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded in the interwar period.-Description:...
(20 December 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 (2 October 1939)
- 1st Class (31 December 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) (2 August 1941)- with Diamonds (30 January 1943)
- High Seas Fleet BadgeHigh Seas Fleet BadgeHigh Seas Fleet Badge is a German military decoration awarded for service to the crews of the High Seas Fleet, mainly of the battleships and cruisers, but also those ships that supported them operationally for which there was no other award...
(9 October 1942) - Knight's CrossKnight's CrossKnight's Cross refers to a distinguishing grade or level of various orders that denotes bravery and leadership on the battlefield....
with Oak Leaves- Knight's Cross on 13 June 1942 as Korvettenkapitän and commander of U-68
- 147th Oak Leaves on 16 November 1942 as Korvettenkapitän and commander of U-68
- War Merit CrossWar Merit CrossThe War Merit Cross was a decoration of Nazi Germany during the Second World War, which could be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel...
1st Class with Swords- 2nd Class (30 January 1944)
- 1st Class (29 October 1944)
- 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 8 April 1942
Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht
| Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, 8 April 1942 | Bei den Erfolgen deutscher Unterseeboote im Atlantik zeichnete sich das Boot des Korvettenkapitäns Merten besonders aus. | A boat under the leadership of Korvettenkapitän Merten distinguished itself in the success of the German submarines in the Atlantic ocean. |
Rank Promotions
- Fähnrich zur SeeFähnrichFähnrich is a German and Austrian military rank in armed forces which translates as "Ensign" in English. The rank also exists in a few other European military organizations, often with historical ties to the German system. Examples are Sweden, Norway and Finland . The French Army has a similar...
-1 April 1928 - Oberfähnrich zur SeeFähnrichFähnrich is a German and Austrian military rank in armed forces which translates as "Ensign" in English. The rank also exists in a few other European military organizations, often with historical ties to the German system. Examples are Sweden, Norway and Finland . The French Army has a similar...
-1 June 1930 - Leutnant zur See-1 October 1930
- Oberleutnant zur See-1 April 1933
- Kapitanleutnant-1 April 1936
- Korvettenkapitan-1 April 1941
- Fregattenkapitan-1 January 1944
- Kapitan zur See-15 April 1945