Walther Schwieger
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant
Walther Schwieger (7 April 1885, Berlin
- 5 September 1917, North Sea
) was a German
U-boat
commander
during the First World War, noted for his role in the sinking of the Lusitania.
In the year 1903 he joined the Kaiserliche Marine
and from 1911 onwards he served with the U-bootwaffe. In 1912 he took over the command of the . After the outbreak of World War I
in 1914 he was promoted to Kapitänleutnant and given command of the .
On 7 May 1915, Schwieger was responsible for U-20's torpedoing of the passenger liner leading to the deaths of 1,198 people, an event that played a role in the United States' later entry into World War I
. He also torpedoed on 4 September and on 8 May 1916.
Schwieger was killed in action
when his U-boat, , was chased by , hit a British mine, and sank on 5 September 1917, north of Terschelling
at 53,57N - 04,55E.
At the time of his death, Schwieger had sunk 49 ships with with three submarines on 34 missions. He was the sixth most successful submarine commander of World War I
. His body remains entombed in U-88.
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Walther Schwieger (7 April 1885, 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...
- 5 September 1917, North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
) 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 the First World War, noted for his role in the sinking of the Lusitania.
In the year 1903 he joined the Kaiserliche Marine
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
and from 1911 onwards he served with the U-bootwaffe. In 1912 he took over the command of the . After the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1914 he was promoted to Kapitänleutnant and given command of the .
On 7 May 1915, Schwieger was responsible for U-20's torpedoing of the passenger liner leading to the deaths of 1,198 people, an event that played a role in the United States' later entry into World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He also torpedoed on 4 September and on 8 May 1916.
Schwieger was killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
when his U-boat, , was chased by , hit a British mine, and sank on 5 September 1917, north of Terschelling
Terschelling
Terschelling is a municipality and an island in the northern Netherlands, one of the West Frisian Islands.Waddenislanders are known for their resourcefulness in using anything and everything that washes ashore. With few trees to use for timber, most of the farms and barns are built with masts...
at 53,57N - 04,55E.
At the time of his death, Schwieger had sunk 49 ships with with three submarines on 34 missions. He was the sixth most successful submarine commander of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. His body remains entombed in U-88.