Werner Hartenstein
Encyclopedia
Gustav Julius Werner Hartenstein (27 February 1908 – 8 March 1943) 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 leadership. He is credited with the sinking of 20 ships for a total of , further damaging three ships of and damaging one warship of .
Hartenstein joined the Reichsmarine
of the Weimar Republic
in 1928. After a period of training on surface vessels and service on various torpedo boat
s, he transferred to the U-boat
service in 1941. In September 1942, Hartenstein was involved in the Laconia incident
. He and the entire crew of U-156 were killed in action
by depth charges from a US PBY Catalina
aircraft on 8 March 1943.
in the Vogtland
of the Kingdom of Saxony
on 27 February 1908. He was the second child of William Karl Adolf Hartenstein, an export merchant, and Selma Emma Hartenstein, née Schlingensiepen. Hartenstein had an older sister, Thea, and a younger sister, Charlotte. He celebrated his confirmation in 1923 and graduated from the humanistische Staatsgymnasium (humanities-oriented secondary school) in Plauen with his Abitur
(diploma) in 1926. Prior to joining the military service he studied two semesters of jurisprudence
. He matriculated
at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (University of Freiburg
) in Freiburg im Breisgau on 29 April 1927.
Aged 20, Hartenstein began his naval career with the Reichsmarine
on 1 April 1928 as a member "Crew 1928" (the incoming class of 1928). He underwent basic military training in the 2nd department (II. Abteilung) of the standing ship division (Schiffsstammdivision) of the Baltic Sea
in Stralsund
(1 April 1928 – 30 June 1928). Hartenstein was then transferred to the training ship Niobe (1 July 1928 – 15 October 1928) attaining the rank of Seekadett
(Naval Cadet) on 11 October 1928. Following a fourteen month stay onboard cruiser Emden
(16 October 1928 – 3 January 1930) he advanced in rank to Fähnrich zur See (Ensign) on 1 January 1930. Hartenstein then underwent a number of officer training courses at the Naval Academy at Mürwik, including navigational training cruises on the survey vessel Meteor
, before transferring to the light cruiser
Köln
(1 October 1931 – 23 September 1934). His stay on Köln was occasionally interrupted to attend further training courses at Wilhelmshaven
and Kiel
-Wik.
Hartenstein served as I. Wachoffizier (1st watch officer) on torpedo boat Greif from 30 September 1936 to 13 November 1938. Hartenstein was promoted to Kapitänleutnant (captain lieutenant) on 1 June 1937. He participated in numerous patrols in 1937 to 1938 on board Greif in Spanish waters as part of the "Legion Condor" during the Spanish Civil War
. For these services he was awarded the Spanish Cross
in Bronze on 6 June 1936.
before the war, he completed 65 patrols in the North Sea
, Norwegian waters, Bay of Biscay
and in the English Channel
in the first period of the war. Hartenstein took command of torpedo boat Seeadler on 20 November 1938. In October 1939 Hartenstein transferred and switched command of torpedo boat Jaguar with Kapitänleutnant Franz Kohlauf
who took over command of Seeadler. On 30 March 1941, command of Jaguar was given to Kapitänleutnant Friedrich-Karl Paul
and Hartenstein transferred to the U-boat force, and on 4 September 1941 given command of U-156. For his service on torpedo boats, Hartenstein was awarded the German Cross
in Gold on 2 February 1942. Karl Dönitz
personnally pinned the German Cross in Gold on Harteinstein's leather jacket on 17 March 1942. Initially U-156 was assigned to the 4th U-boat Flotilla at Stettin as a training boat. It then transferred to the 2nd U-boat Flotilla at Lorient
, France on 31 December 1941.
in February 1942, attacking an oil refinery
. On 16 February, after observing the area for a few days, U-156 came around to the refineries. There in front of her target were two Lago Company flat bottom steamers, and , both British owned oilers. At 01:31, U-156 surfaced in San Nicolas Harbor
some 1.5 km (0.809935205183585 nmi; 0.93205910497471 mi) offshore and attacked the two British tankers at anchor. Hartenstein fired one torpedo from his bow tubes at Pedernales. The torpedo attack was successful and Pedernales was hit amidship. Loaded with crude oil, the steamer immediately burst into flames, killing eight of her 26 crewmen and wounding her captain Herbert McCall. Oranjestad then began to lift anchor and steam away but she was too late and was hit by a second torpedo fired from U-156. She too burst into flames and an hour later, sunk in about 70 m (229.7 ft) of water. Fifteen of her 22 crewmen were killed.
At 03:13, U-156 attacked the Texaco
owned tanker SS Arkansas which was berthed
at Eagle Beach
next to the Arend/Eagle Refinery. Just one of the torpedoes struck Arkansas and partially sank her but the damage was moderate and caused no casualties. Commander Hartenstein then steamed further around Aruba and directed his men to take to the deck guns and prepare for a naval bombardment of the large oil tank of the Lago Oil & Transport Co. Ltd.
The crew of the 10.5 cm SK L/45 naval gun
forgot to remove the water cap from the barrel, so when Hartenstein ordered them to fire, the gun blew up. Gunnery Officer Dietrich von dem Borne was wounded badly, one foot having been severed. His comrade and trigger man Heinrich Büssinger was badly wounded as well and died several hours after the attack. Hartenstein ordered the 37 mm (1.46 in) flak gun to continue the attack.
on 25 May 1942. This achievement earned Hartenstein a reference in the Wehrmachtbericht
on 6 June 1942. The Wehrmachtbericht was an information bulletin issued by the headquarters of the Wehrmacht. To be singled out individually in the Wehrmachtbericht was an honour and was entered in the Orders and Decorations' section of a soldier's Service Record Book.
U-156 positioned near Fort-de-France
was ordered to observe the traffic to and from Martinique
. Lying roughly 11 nmi (20.4 km; 12.7 mi) off shore, the hydrophones detected a ship. Hartenstein attacked from a submerged position firing two torpedoes. One torpedo struck the bow of the Blakeley after a 25-second run-time. Hartenstein observed that the bow was completely blown away but its engines kept running. The waters around Martinique were extremely shallow and Hartenstein decided not to pursue the destroyer.
, resulting in the "Laconia incident
" and "Laconia order
".
On 12 September 1942 U-156 was patrolling off the coast of West Africa
midway between Liberia
and Ascension Island
roughly 600 nmi (1,111.2 km; 690.5 mi) south of Cape Palmas
. At 11.37 the aft
port
lookout sighted a smoke stack at 230 degrees. Hartenstein followed the target, which was zigzagging at 14 kn (27.4 km/h; 17 mph), until the general direction of the large ocean liner
became evident. U-156 was running at 17 kn (33.3 km/h; 20.7 mph) into a favorable attack position. Hartenstein ordered the attack at 21.07. He lowered speed at 22.00 and ordered a surfaced deflection
shot from torpedo tubes I and III. After three minutes and six seconds the first torpedo detonated followed shortly by the second. He hoped to capture the ship's senior officers. To his surprise, Hartenstein saw over two thousand people struggling in the water. Hartenstein immediately began rescue operations. Laconia sank at 23:23.
At 01.25 on 13 September 1942 Hartenstein radioed the Befehlshaber der U-Boote
(BdU—commander of U-boats) requesting guidance and confirmation on how to proceed. The BdU responded at 03.45 ordering Wolf pack Eisbär
, consisting of U-507 under the command of Harro Schacht
, U-506
under the command of Erich Würdemann
and U-459 under the command of Georg von Wilamowitz-Möllendorf to assist Hartenstein immediately. At 6.00 Hartenstein ordered the following message send on the 25m wavelength:
The message was repeated twice on the international 600m wavelength. The BdU later changed the order slightly and U-506, U-507 and the Italian submarine Capellini were dispatched. In parallel U-156 was assisting and supplying the survivors in the numerous lifeboats
that kept arriving or were picked up. U-506 arrived at 11.32 on 14 September 1942, followed by U-507 in the afternoon of 15 September. Heading to a rendezvous with Vichy French
ships under Red Cross banners, the U-boats were attacked by a U.S. Army
B-24 Liberator
bomber
(343d Bomb Squadron
; Lieutenant James D. Harden) at 12.32 on 16 September 1942. The attack ordered by Captain Robert C. Richardson III
, which killed a number of people in the lifeboats and damaged U-156, forced Hartenstein to abandon the rescue operations. A majority of survivors were later rescued by British merchant ships and two unarmed Vichy French warships, the cruiser Gloire
and the sloop Annamite, out of Dakar
, Africa.
This event later became known as the "Laconia incident" and led BdU Admiral Karl Dönitz to issue the "Laconia order" to his U-boat commanders that stated in part "No attempt of any kind must be made at rescuing members of ships sunk..." At the end of the war, the Laconia Order was unsuccessfully used against Admiral Dönitz in his war crime trial, because Fleet Admiral Nimitz testified that in the war with Japan the United States Navy
had followed the same general policy as was set forth in the German admiral's directive.
U-156 received a radio message on 17 September 1942 indicating that Werner Hartenstein, as 63rd member of the U-boat service and 125th of the Kriegsmarine, was awarded Germany's highest military honor, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
. Hartenstein handed out one bottle of beer for each member of the crew. Celebrating the event, Hartenstein held a speech, honoring the achievements of everyone and that he would wear this decoration in their name.
by depth charges from a US PBY Catalina
aircraft (VP-53/P-1; Lieutenant E. Dryden), east of Barbados
. The Catalina dropped four Mark 44 Torpex water-bombs at 13.15 from an altitude of 75 feet (22.9 m) to 100 feet (30.5 m) which straddled U-156. Two bombs were observed to hit the water 10 feet (3 m) to 15 feet (4.6 m) starboard and just aft of U-156, lifting it and breaking it in two, followed by an explosion. At least eleven survivors were seen swimming in the water. The Americans dropped two rubber rafts and rations and five men were seen to reach one the rafts. The USS Barney
was dispatched from Trinidad
to rescue the survivors. The search was abandoned on 12 March 1943. Korvettenkapitän Ernst Kals
, chief of the 2nd U-boat Flotilla at Lorient
, sent a letter to Werner Hartenstein's parents on the 23 April 1943 indicating that their son is missing in action as of 12 March 1943. The US officials announced the destruction of the U-boat on 10 May 1943.
played commander Werner Hartenstein in the 2011 TV mini-series The Sinking of the Laconia
.
, of .
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...
and commander of . He was also a recipient of 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...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He is credited with the sinking of 20 ships for a total of , further damaging three ships of and damaging one warship of .
Hartenstein 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...
of the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
in 1928. After a period of training on surface vessels and service on various torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
s, he transferred to the 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...
service in 1941. In September 1942, Hartenstein was involved in the Laconia incident
Laconia incident
The Laconia incident was an abortive naval rescue attempt in the Atlantic Ocean during World War II. On 12 September 1942, , carrying some 80 civilians, 268 British Army soldiers, about 1,800 Italian prisoners of war, and 160 Polish soldiers , was struck and sunk by a torpedo from Kriegsmarine...
. He and the entire crew of U-156 were 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...
by depth charges from a US PBY Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
aircraft on 8 March 1943.
Early life and pre-war service
Hartenstein was born in PlauenPlauen
Plauen is a town in the Free State of Saxony, east-central Germany.It is the capital of the Vogtlandkreis. The town is situated near the border of Bavaria and the Czech Republic.Plauen's slogan is Plauen - echt Spitze.-History:...
in the Vogtland
Vogtland
The term Vogtland refers to a region reaching across the German free states of Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia and into the Czech Republic . The name of the region contains a reference to the former leadership by the Vögte of Weida, Gera and Plauen, which translates approximately to advocates or lord...
of the Kingdom of Saxony
Kingdom of Saxony
The Kingdom of Saxony , lasting between 1806 and 1918, was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Napoleonic through post-Napoleonic Germany. From 1871 it was part of the German Empire. It became a Free state in the era of Weimar Republic in 1918 after the end of World War...
on 27 February 1908. He was the second child of William Karl Adolf Hartenstein, an export merchant, and Selma Emma Hartenstein, née Schlingensiepen. Hartenstein had an older sister, Thea, and a younger sister, Charlotte. He celebrated his confirmation in 1923 and graduated from the humanistische Staatsgymnasium (humanities-oriented secondary school) in Plauen with his Abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
(diploma) in 1926. Prior to joining the military service he studied two semesters of jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
. He matriculated
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (University of Freiburg
University of Freiburg
The University of Freiburg , sometimes referred to in English as the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.The university was founded in 1457 by the Habsburg dynasty as the...
) in Freiburg im Breisgau on 29 April 1927.
Aged 20, Hartenstein began his naval career with 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...
on 1 April 1928 as a member "Crew 1928" (the incoming class of 1928). He underwent basic military training in the 2nd department (II. Abteilung) of the standing ship division (Schiffsstammdivision) of the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
in Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
(1 April 1928 – 30 June 1928). Hartenstein was then transferred to the training ship Niobe (1 July 1928 – 15 October 1928) attaining the rank of Seekadett
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
(Naval Cadet) on 11 October 1928. Following a fourteen month stay onboard cruiser Emden
German cruiser Emden
The German light cruiser Emden was the only ship of its class. The third cruiser to bear the name Emden was the first new warship built in Germany after World War I....
(16 October 1928 – 3 January 1930) he advanced in rank to Fähnrich zur See (Ensign) on 1 January 1930. Hartenstein then underwent a number of officer training courses at the Naval Academy at Mürwik, including navigational training cruises on the survey vessel Meteor
Meteor (1915)
The Meteor was a German survey vessel, that became famous for her survey work in the Atlantic Ocean between 1925 and 1927.- Design and Construction :...
, before transferring to the light cruiser
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
Köln
German cruiser Köln
Köln was a German light cruiser prior to and during World War II, one of three K-Class cruisers named after cities starting with the letter K. This ship was named after the city of Köln . The others in her class were the Königsberg and the Karlsruhe...
(1 October 1931 – 23 September 1934). His stay on Köln was occasionally interrupted to attend further training courses at Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
and Kiel
Kiel
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...
-Wik.
Hartenstein served as I. Wachoffizier (1st watch officer) on torpedo boat Greif from 30 September 1936 to 13 November 1938. Hartenstein was promoted to Kapitänleutnant (captain lieutenant) on 1 June 1937. He participated in numerous patrols in 1937 to 1938 on board Greif in Spanish waters as part of the "Legion Condor" during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. For these services he was awarded the Spanish Cross
Spanish Cross
The 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 on 6 June 1936.
World War II
Attached to commanding torpedo boatsGerman torpedoboats of World War II
The German torpedoboats of World War II were armed principally, if not exclusively, with torpedoes and varied widely in size. They should not be confused with the larger destroyers, nor with the smaller, torpedo-armed Schnellboote .-Raubvogel and Raubtier :The six Raubvogel class torpedo boats were...
before the war, he completed 65 patrols in the 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...
, Norwegian waters, Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
and in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
in the first period of the war. Hartenstein took command of torpedo boat Seeadler on 20 November 1938. In October 1939 Hartenstein transferred and switched command of torpedo boat Jaguar with Kapitänleutnant Franz Kohlauf
Franz Kohlauf
Franz Kohlauf was a Fregattenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and 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. He was killed in action when...
who took over command of Seeadler. On 30 March 1941, command of Jaguar was given to Kapitänleutnant Friedrich-Karl Paul
Friedrich-Karl Paul
Friedrich-Karl Herrmann Otto Paul was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and 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...
and Hartenstein transferred to the U-boat force, and on 4 September 1941 given command of U-156. For his service on torpedo boats, Hartenstein was awarded the German Cross
German Cross
The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold on 2 February 1942. 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...
personnally pinned the German Cross in Gold on Harteinstein's leather jacket on 17 March 1942. Initially U-156 was assigned to the 4th U-boat Flotilla at Stettin as a training boat. It then transferred to the 2nd U-boat Flotilla at Lorient
Lorient
Lorient, or L'Orient, is a commune and a seaport in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were trading with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis...
, France on 31 December 1941.
2nd patrol
On his second patrol (19 January 1942 – 17 March 1942) Hartenstein commanded a wolfpack of U-boats (Gruppe Neuland—Group New Land) during the Attack on ArubaAttack on Aruba
The Attack on Aruba was an attack on oil installations and tankers by Axis submarines during World War II. On 16 February 1942, a German U-boat attacked the small island of Aruba in the first shelling of American soil by Axis forces during the war. Other submarines patrolled the area for shipping...
in February 1942, attacking an oil refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
. On 16 February, after observing the area for a few days, U-156 came around to the refineries. There in front of her target were two Lago Company flat bottom steamers, and , both British owned oilers. At 01:31, U-156 surfaced in San Nicolas Harbor
San Nicolas, Aruba
San Nicolaas is southeast of Oranjestad, and is Aruba's second largest city. As of 2008 it has a population of 18,126, most who originate from the British Caribbean. Known as the island's Sunrise Side, San Nicolaas was once a bustling company town, when Lago Oil and Transport operated its oil...
some 1.5 km (0.809935205183585 nmi; 0.93205910497471 mi) offshore and attacked the two British tankers at anchor. Hartenstein fired one torpedo from his bow tubes at Pedernales. The torpedo attack was successful and Pedernales was hit amidship. Loaded with crude oil, the steamer immediately burst into flames, killing eight of her 26 crewmen and wounding her captain Herbert McCall. Oranjestad then began to lift anchor and steam away but she was too late and was hit by a second torpedo fired from U-156. She too burst into flames and an hour later, sunk in about 70 m (229.7 ft) of water. Fifteen of her 22 crewmen were killed.
At 03:13, U-156 attacked the Texaco
Texaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
owned tanker SS Arkansas which was berthed
Berth (moorings)
A berth is a location in a port or harbour used specifically for mooring vessels while not at sea.-Locations in a port:Berth is the term used in ports and harbors to define a specific location where a vessel may be berthed, usually for the purposes of loading and unloading.Most berths will be...
at Eagle Beach
Eagle Beach
Eagle Beach is a beach and neighborhood of Oranjestad, Aruba. The neighborhood is famous for its many low-rise resorts and wide public beach. It has soft white sand and has been rated one of the best beaches in the world.-External links:*...
next to the Arend/Eagle Refinery. Just one of the torpedoes struck Arkansas and partially sank her but the damage was moderate and caused no casualties. Commander Hartenstein then steamed further around Aruba and directed his men to take to the deck guns and prepare for a naval bombardment of the large oil tank of the Lago Oil & Transport Co. Ltd.
Lago Oil & Transport Co. Ltd.
Lago Oil & Transport Co. Ltd. had its beginning in 1924 as a shipping company carrying crude oil from Lake Maracaibo to its transshipment facility on the island of Aruba.-History:...
The crew of the 10.5 cm SK L/45 naval gun
10.5 cm SK L/45 naval gun
The 10.5 cm SK L/45 The 10.5 cm SK L/45 The 10.5 cm SK L/45 (SK - Schnelladekanone (quick-loading cannon) L - Länge (with a 45-caliber barrel) was a German naval gun that was used in World War I and World War II.-Description:...
forgot to remove the water cap from the barrel, so when Hartenstein ordered them to fire, the gun blew up. Gunnery Officer Dietrich von dem Borne was wounded badly, one foot having been severed. His comrade and trigger man Heinrich Büssinger was badly wounded as well and died several hours after the attack. Hartenstein ordered the 37 mm (1.46 in) flak gun to continue the attack.
3rd patrol
On Hartenstein's third patrol (22 April 1942 – 7 July 1942), U-156 sank twelve ships and damaged a further two, including the USS BlakeleyUSS Blakeley (DD-150)
The second USS Blakeley was a Wickes class destroyer in the United States Navy during the World War II. She was named for Captain Johnston Blakeley.-History:...
on 25 May 1942. This achievement earned Hartenstein a reference in the Wehrmachtbericht
Wehrmachtbericht
The 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 6 June 1942. The Wehrmachtbericht was an information bulletin issued by the headquarters of the Wehrmacht. To be singled out individually in the Wehrmachtbericht was an honour and was entered in the Orders and Decorations' section of a soldier's Service Record Book.
U-156 positioned near Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France is the capital of France's Caribbean overseas department of Martinique. It is also one of the major cities in the Caribbean. Exports include sugar, rum, tinned fruit, and cacao.-Geography:...
was ordered to observe the traffic to and from Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
. Lying roughly 11 nmi (20.4 km; 12.7 mi) off shore, the hydrophones detected a ship. Hartenstein attacked from a submerged position firing two torpedoes. One torpedo struck the bow of the Blakeley after a 25-second run-time. Hartenstein observed that the bow was completely blown away but its engines kept running. The waters around Martinique were extremely shallow and Hartenstein decided not to pursue the destroyer.
4th patrol and Laconia incident
On U-156's fourth patrol (20 August 1942 – 16 November 1942), Hartenstein organised the rescue of the survivors of RMS LaconiaRMS Laconia (1921)
The second RMS Laconia was a Cunard ocean liner built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson as a successor to the Laconia of 1911 to 1917...
, resulting in the "Laconia incident
Laconia incident
The Laconia incident was an abortive naval rescue attempt in the Atlantic Ocean during World War II. On 12 September 1942, , carrying some 80 civilians, 268 British Army soldiers, about 1,800 Italian prisoners of war, and 160 Polish soldiers , was struck and sunk by a torpedo from Kriegsmarine...
" and "Laconia order
Laconia Order
The Laconia Order was issued by German Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz during World War II as a result of the Laconia incident....
".
On 12 September 1942 U-156 was patrolling off the coast of West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
midway between Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
and Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
roughly 600 nmi (1,111.2 km; 690.5 mi) south of Cape Palmas
Cape Palmas
Cape Palmas is a headland on the extreme southeast end of the coast of Liberia, West Africa, at the extreme southwest corner of the northern half of the continent. The Cape itself consists of a small, rocky peninsula connected to the mainland by a sandy isthmus. Immediately to the west of the...
. At 11.37 the aft
Aft
Aft, in naval terminology, is an adjective or adverb meaning, towards the stern of the ship, when the frame of reference is within the ship. Example: "Able Seaman Smith; lay aft!". Or; "What's happening aft?"...
port
Port and starboard
Port and starboard are nautical terms which refer to the left and right sides, respectively, of a ship or aircraft as perceived by a person on board facing the bow . At night, the port side of a vessel is indicated with a red navigation light and the starboard side with a green one.The starboard...
lookout sighted a smoke stack at 230 degrees. Hartenstein followed the target, which was zigzagging at 14 kn (27.4 km/h; 17 mph), until the general direction of the large ocean liner
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
became evident. U-156 was running at 17 kn (33.3 km/h; 20.7 mph) into a favorable attack position. Hartenstein ordered the attack at 21.07. He lowered speed at 22.00 and ordered a surfaced deflection
Deflection (military)
Deflection is a technique used for effectively firing a ranged weapon at a moving target, that describes "leading the target"; that is, shooting ahead of a moving target so that the target and projectile will collide...
shot from torpedo tubes I and III. After three minutes and six seconds the first torpedo detonated followed shortly by the second. He hoped to capture the ship's senior officers. To his surprise, Hartenstein saw over two thousand people struggling in the water. Hartenstein immediately began rescue operations. Laconia sank at 23:23.
At 01.25 on 13 September 1942 Hartenstein radioed the Befehlshaber der U-Boote
Befehlshaber der U-Boote
Befehlshaber der U-Boote was the title of the supreme commander of the Kriegsmarines U-boat Arm during World War II. The term also referred to the Command HQ of the U-boat arm itself....
(BdU—commander of U-boats) requesting guidance and confirmation on how to proceed. The BdU responded at 03.45 ordering 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...
, consisting of U-507 under the command of Harro Schacht
Harro Schacht
Harro Schacht was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, U-506
German submarine U-506
German submarine U-506 was a Type IXC U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 11 July 1940 at the Deutsche Werft yard at Hamburg, launched on 20 June 1941, and commissioned on 15 September 1941 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Erich Würdemann...
under the command of Erich Würdemann
Erich Würdemann
Erich Würdemann 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.-Career:Würdemann joined the Kriegsmarine in April 1933...
and U-459 under the command of Georg von Wilamowitz-Möllendorf to assist Hartenstein immediately. At 6.00 Hartenstein ordered the following message send on the 25m wavelength:
"If any ship will assist the ship-wrecked Laconia crew, I will not attack providing I am not being attacked by ship or air forces. I picked up 193 men. 4°53 South/11°26 West – German submarine"
The message was repeated twice on the international 600m wavelength. The BdU later changed the order slightly and U-506, U-507 and the Italian submarine Capellini were dispatched. In parallel U-156 was assisting and supplying the survivors in the numerous lifeboats
Lifeboat (shipboard)
A lifeboat is a small, rigid or inflatable watercraft carried for emergency evacuation in the event of a disaster aboard ship. In the military, a lifeboat may be referred to as a whaleboat, dinghy, or gig. The ship's tenders of cruise ships often double as lifeboats. Recreational sailors sometimes...
that kept arriving or were picked up. U-506 arrived at 11.32 on 14 September 1942, followed by U-507 in the afternoon of 15 September. Heading to a rendezvous with Vichy French
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
ships under Red Cross banners, the U-boats were attacked by a U.S. Army
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
(343d Bomb Squadron
343d Bomb Squadron
The 343d Bomb Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 307th Operations Group. It is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.-History:...
; Lieutenant James D. Harden) at 12.32 on 16 September 1942. The attack ordered by Captain Robert C. Richardson III
Robert C. Richardson III
Robert Charlwood Richardson III was an officer, first of the United States Army Air Corps, then with the United States Air Force, eventually attaining the rank of Brigadier General. A leader in the early days of the U.S. Air Force, he was a renowned expert in tactical nuclear warfare, NATO, and...
, which killed a number of people in the lifeboats and damaged U-156, forced Hartenstein to abandon the rescue operations. A majority of survivors were later rescued by British merchant ships and two unarmed Vichy French warships, the cruiser Gloire
French cruiser Gloire
The Gloire was a French light cruiser of the La Galissonnière class.After completing trials, Gloire arrived in Brest on 18 November 1937, then left for French Indochina on 1 December, returning to Brest on 16 April 1938. Gloire joined the 4th Cruiser Division in January 1939, with which she visited...
and the sloop Annamite, out of Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, Africa.
This event later became known as the "Laconia incident" and led BdU Admiral Karl Dönitz to issue the "Laconia order" to his U-boat commanders that stated in part "No attempt of any kind must be made at rescuing members of ships sunk..." At the end of the war, the Laconia Order was unsuccessfully used against Admiral Dönitz in his war crime trial, because Fleet Admiral Nimitz testified that in the war with Japan the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
had followed the same general policy as was set forth in the German admiral's directive.
U-156 received a radio message on 17 September 1942 indicating that Werner Hartenstein, as 63rd member of the U-boat service and 125th of the Kriegsmarine, was awarded Germany's highest military honor, 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...
. Hartenstein handed out one bottle of beer for each member of the crew. Celebrating the event, Hartenstein held a speech, honoring the achievements of everyone and that he would wear this decoration in their name.
5th patrol and death
During her fifth patrol, on 8 March 1943, Hartenstein and the entire crew of U-156 were killed in actionKilled 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...
by depth charges from a US PBY Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
aircraft (VP-53/P-1; Lieutenant E. Dryden), east of Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. The Catalina dropped four Mark 44 Torpex water-bombs at 13.15 from an altitude of 75 feet (22.9 m) to 100 feet (30.5 m) which straddled U-156. Two bombs were observed to hit the water 10 feet (3 m) to 15 feet (4.6 m) starboard and just aft of U-156, lifting it and breaking it in two, followed by an explosion. At least eleven survivors were seen swimming in the water. The Americans dropped two rubber rafts and rations and five men were seen to reach one the rafts. The USS Barney
USS Barney (DD-149)
USS Barney was a Wickes class destroyer in the United States Navy during the World War II, later redesignated AG-113. She was the second ship named for Commodore Joshua Barney....
was dispatched from Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
to rescue the survivors. The search was abandoned on 12 March 1943. Korvettenkapitän Ernst Kals
Ernst Kals
Ernst Kals was a Kapitän zur See with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He commanded the Type IXC U-boat on five patrols, and sank twenty ships, for a total of 145,656 tons of Allied shipping, becoming the sixteenth highest scoring U-Boat ace of World War II...
, chief of the 2nd U-boat Flotilla at Lorient
Lorient
Lorient, or L'Orient, is a commune and a seaport in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were trading with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis...
, sent a letter to Werner Hartenstein's parents on the 23 April 1943 indicating that their son is missing in action as of 12 March 1943. The US officials announced the destruction of the U-boat on 10 May 1943.
In popular culture
German actor Ken DukenKen Duken
Ken Duken is a German actor.Ken Duken is the third child of film and stage actress Christina Loeb; his father is a doctor. Duken never attended a drama school but took courses in drama, including under James Reynold...
played commander Werner Hartenstein in the 2011 TV mini-series The Sinking of the Laconia
The Sinking of the Laconia
The Sinking of the Laconia is a two-part TV film, first aired on 6 and 7 January 2011 on BBC Two, about the Laconia incident; the sinking of the former British ocean liner RMS Laconia during World War II by a German U-boat, which then, together with three other U-boats and an Italian submarine,...
.
Ships attacked
As a U-boat commander of Werner Hartenstein is credited with the sinking of 20 ships (including the motor boat Letitia Porter on board of Koenjit) for a total of , further damaging three ships of and damaging one warship, the USS BlakeleyUSS Blakeley (DD-150)
The second USS Blakeley was a Wickes class destroyer in the United States Navy during the World War II. She was named for Captain Johnston Blakeley.-History:...
, of .
| Date | Time | Name of Ship | Flag | Tonnage | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 February 1942 | 08.01 | Pedernales SS Pedernales SS Pedernales was a lake tanker of the World War II and post war eras. She was built in 1938 in Monfalcone, Italy, and sailed under the British flag. Pedernales was severely damaged in a torpedo attack on 16 February 1942 while anchored at Aruba. The damaged ship was cut into three sections... |
 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
4,317 | damaged at 12°25′N 69°55′W |
| 16 February 1942 | 08.03 | Oranjestad | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
2,396 | sunk at 12°25′N 69°55′W |
| 16 February 1942 | 09.43 | Arkansas |  United States |
6,452 | damaged at 12°30′N 70°00′W |
| 20 February 1942 | 11.31 | Delplata | United States |
5,127 | sunk at 14°55′N 62°10′W |
| 25 February 1942 | 02.19 | La Carrière | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
5,685 | sunk at 16°53′N 67°05′W |
| 27 February 1942 | 10.35 | Macgregor | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
2,498 | sunk at 19°50′N 69°40′W |
| 28 February 1942 | 11.17 | Oregon | United States |
7,017 | sunk at 20°44′N 67°52′W |
| 13 May 1942 | 03.58 | Koenjit |  Netherlands |
4,551 | sunk at 15°30′N 52°40′W |
| 13 May 1942 | 03.58 | Letitia Porter | Netherlands |
15 | sunk at 15°30′N 52°40′W |
| 13 May 1942 | 22.05 | City of Melbourne | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
6,630 | sunk at 15°00′N 54°40′W |
| 15 May 1942 | 02.54 | Siljestad |  Norway |
4,301 | sunk at 15°20′N 52°40′W |
| 15 May 1942 | 20.59 | Kupa |  Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
4,382 | sunk at 14°50′N 52°20′W |
| 17 May 1942 | 21.04 | Barrdale | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
5,072 | sunk at 15°15′N 52°27′W |
| 18 May 1942 | 10.18 | Quaker City | United States |
4,961 | sunk at 15°47′N 53°12′W |
| 18 May 1942 | 18.52 | San Eliseo | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
8,042 | damaged at 15°30′N 54°16′W |
| 21 May 1942 | 18.29 | Presidente Trujillo |  Dominican Republic |
1,668 | sunk at 14°38′N 61°11′W |
| 25 May 1942 | 15.52 | USS Blakeley USS Blakeley (DD-150) The second USS Blakeley was a Wickes class destroyer in the United States Navy during the World War II. She was named for Captain Johnston Blakeley.-History:... |
1,190 | damaged at 14°36′N 61°11′W | |
| 29 May 1942 | 01.03 | Norman Prince | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
1,913 | sunk at 14°40′N 62°15′W |
| 1 June 1942 | 23.51 | Alegrete |  Brazil |
5,970 | sunk at 13°40′N 61°30′W |
| 3 June 1942 | 09.26 | Lillian | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
80 | sunk at 12°25′N 59°30′W |
| 24 June 1942 | 08.10 | Willimantic | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
4,857 | sunk at 25°55′N 51°58′W |
| 27 August 1942 | 01.00 | Clan Macwhirter SS Clan Macwhirter (1918) The SS Clan Macwhirter was a British cargo steamer. She was torpedoed and sunk in the Second World War whilst carrying supplies from India to Britain.-Pre-war career:... |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
5,941 | sunk at 35°45′N 18°45′W |
| 12 September 1942 | 22.07 | Laconia RMS Laconia (1921) The second RMS Laconia was a Cunard ocean liner built by Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson as a successor to the Laconia of 1911 to 1917... |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
19,695 | sunk at 05°05′S 11°38′W |
| 19 September 1942 | 15.46 | Quebec City | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
4,745 | sunk at 02°12′S 17°36′W |
Awards
- 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 (6 June 1939) - The Return of Memel Commemorative 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) - 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 (16 November 1939)
- 1st Class (27 April 1940)
- The Return of Sudetenland Commemorative Medal of 1 October 1938Sudetenland MedalThe The Sudetenland Commemorative Medal was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded in the interwar period.-Description:...
(6 November 1940) - Destroyer War BadgeDestroyer War BadgeDestroyer War Badge is a German military decoration instituted on June 4, 1940 by admiral Erich Raeder and awarded to officers and crew for the service on Kriegsmarine destroyers...
(24 December 1940) - German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold on 2 February 1942 as Kapitänleutnant on torpedo boat Jaguar/6. Torbedoboots-Flottille - 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) (17 March 1942) - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight'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...
on 17 September 1942 as Korvettenkapitän and commander of U-156 - 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 6 June 1942
Promotions
| 11 October 1928: | Seekadett (Midshipman) |
| 1 April 1929: | Matrosengefreiter (Seaman 2nd class) |
| 1 January 1930: | Fähnrich zur See (Ensign) |
| 1 April 1932: | Oberfähnrich zur See (Senior Ensign) |
| 1 October 1932: | Leutnant zur See (Second Lieutenant at sea) |
| 1 September 1934: | Oberleutnant zur See (First Lieutenant at sea) |
| 1 June 1937: | Kapitänleutnant (Captain Lieutenant) |
| 1 June 1942: | Korvettenkapitän (Corvette Captain) |
Wehrmachtbericht reference
| Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 6 June 1942 | The boat of Corvette Captain Hartenstein has particularly distinguished itself in the success of German submarines in American waters. |