Submarine War Badge (1939)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
U-boat war badge (1939) in the foundation version
U-boat war badge (1939) with diamonds
U-boat war badge (1939), custom-made for Karl Dönitz ( replica )

The U-Boat War Badge (1939) was donated on October 13, 1939 by the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Grand Admiral Erich Raeder . It could be awarded to all crew members of the submarines if they could prove at least two enemy trips in the submarine war .

Design, manufacture and appearance

The artistic design of the submarine war badge (1939) came from Paul Casberg , a painter and graphic artist who was well known at the time. Previously, several suggestions for the design of the badge from the troops had been rejected by the high command of the Wehrmacht . The approved pattern was largely based on the U-boat war badge (1918) , but was adapted to the political changes. On November 1, 1939, the C. Schwerin and Son company from Berlin began production. The first badges were delivered to the Presidential Chancellery of the Ordenskanzlei on November 10, 1939. In the course of the war, the submarine war badge was also produced by the Souval company from Vienna . It is no longer possible to determine when the first embroidered versions of the submarine war badge appeared. The fabric version, woven from rayon and cotton , was roughly the same size as the original. Their advantage over the metal version was that the cloth badge could be worn better in the confines of a submarine and, ultimately, that it was possible to avoid unwanted "rattling" during sneaking trips.

The cross-oval badge made of tombac bronze (later fine zinc ) is gold-plated and shows a stylized submarine in the middle, which is surrounded by a laurel wreath. At the upper edge of the wreath, in the center, is the national emblem of the Navy, an eagle with outspread wings, which holds an upside-down swastika in its claws . Its size was about 48 × 39 mm.

The submarine war badge in gold with diamonds for the commander of the submarines, Karl Dönitz, had, in contrast to the other diamond badges, in addition to the diamond-studded swastika, twelve diamonds, which were evenly distributed around the laurel wreath. Overall, this badge was also a bit larger, which affected both the wreath itself and the swastika. After his arrest on May 23, 1945, all orders and decorations were removed from Dönitz . After its return, however, the diamond-studded swastika was missing from the submarine war badge, which was probably removed by an unknown US citizen using a precision saw. Nothing is known about the current whereabouts of the badge. It should still be in the estate and private property of the Dönitz family.

Carrying method

The U-boat war badge was put on the skirt, blue and white jacket, blue and white fair jacket, jacket, overcoat and blue and white shirt on the left chest, like the U-boat war badge of the World War and worn out of service. It could also be worn with all party and state uniforms. A reduced form (16 mm needle) of the award on the left lapel of the skirt was allowed to go with bourgeois clothing. A corresponding miniature pendant to the tailcoat chain was allowed on special occasions. According to the law on titles, medals and decorations of July 26, 1957, wearing the submarine war badge (1939) in the Federal Republic of Germany is only permitted without a National Socialist emblem.

Foundation decree and award regulations

The wording of the foundation issued on October 13, 1939 in the Reichsgesetzblatt stated that it had been decided to introduce the U-boat war badge for all U-boat crews in the Navy. This was awarded in the name of the commander of the submarines (BdU Karl Dönitz ) to all officers, NCOs and crews of the submarines operating in front of the enemy. The minimum requirement for acquisition was two or more patrols and general probation in service. These conditions could be deviated from in the case of wounds. The examination was incumbent on the individual case and was decided by Dönitz itself. The corresponding in-depth awarding provisions of October 13, 1939 stated that in addition to worthiness and good conduct, the entrusted person had not served any arrest sentence within the last six months. The special awarding conditions again mention the minimum participation in two patrols as well as the award of the badge in the event of a special award during the patrol in the operational area or other outstanding individual acts.

Award numbers

Award certificate

Exact and reliable numbers of awards can hardly be given for this badge either. The relevant literature assumes 9,536 awards of the submarine war badge, 29 awards of the submarine war badge with diamonds and one award of the submarine war badge as a special badge. Above all, the numbering of "only" 9,536 awards of the U-boat war badge is to be viewed critically, since almost 40,000 marines performed their service on the submarines of the Kriegsmarine from 1939 to 1945, the majority of whom in turn met the minimum requirements had met by two patrols.

U-boat war badge with diamonds

After being awarded the Oak Leaves for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross , it was common practice in the Navy to bestow the corresponding battle badge with diamonds that had previously been awarded. The special badge of the submarine war badge in gold with diamonds created in this way was therefore only awarded in special cases, but also on an honorary basis by the Commander in Chief of the Navy. It was never officially donated, nor was it actually “awarded”. So far, 29 awards and one custom-made product for Karl Dönitz can be proven. These goods:

Full name Last rank Award date Submarine service
Heinrich Bleichrodt Corvette Captain October 1942 U 48
U 67
U 109
Albrecht Brandi Frigate captain July 1944 U 380
U 617
U 967
Otto von Bülow Corvette Captain May 1943 U 3
U 404
U 967
Carl Emmermann Corvette Captain October 1, 1943 U 172
Engelbert Endrass Lieutenant captain July 18, 1941 U 46
Friedrich Guggenberger Lieutenant captain 1943 U 28
U 81
U 847
U 513
Robert Gysae Corvette Captain 1943/1944 U 98
U 177
Reinhard Hardegen Corvette Captain May 7, 1942 U 123
U 147
Werner Hartmann Sea captain 1943/1944 U 26
U 37
U 198
Werner Henke Corvette Captain 1943/1944 U 124
U 515
Otto Kretschmer Frigate captain 1941 U 47
U 99
U 110
Hans-Günther Lange Lieutenant captain April 29, 1945 Award of the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross, the brilliant grade of the submarine war badge no longer presented before the end of the war U 711
Georg Lassen Corvette Captain October 22, 1944 U 29
U 166
Heinrich love Frigate captain 1941 U 38
Wolfgang Lüth Sea captain January 26, 1943 U 9
U 13
U 43
U 138
U 181
Karl-Friedrich Merten Sea captain January 30, 1943 U 68
Johann Mohr Corvette Captain January 13, 1943 U 124
Rolf Mützelburg Lieutenant captain posthumous (award questionable) U 203
Günther Prien Corvette Captain 1941 U 47
Joachim Schepke Lieutenant captain 1941 U 3
U 100
Adalbert Snow Corvette Captain 1942 U 6
U 60
U 121
U 201
U 2511
Klaus Scholtz Sea captain 1942/1943 U 108
Herbert Schultze Corvette Captain July 15, 1941 U 2
U 48
Viktor Sagittarius Sea captain 1941 U 103
Reinhard Suhren Frigate captain March 1942 U 564
Rolf Thomsen Lieutenant captain April 29, 1945 Award of the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross, the brilliant grade of the submarine war badge no longer presented before the end of the war U 1202
Erich Topp Frigate captain April 11, 1942 U 46
U 522
Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock Frigate captain 1942 U 96
Karl Doenitz Commander of the submarines Honorary as commander of the submarines

literature

  • Klaus D. Patzwall : The awards of the Kriegsmarine 1939–1945. Taking into account the merchant marine (= awards of the German Reich. Vol. 5, ZDB -ID 2293736-5 ). Militair-Verlag Patzwall, Norderstedt 1987.
  • Kurt-G. Klietmann : Awards of the German Empire. 1936-1945. A documentation of civil and military badges of merit and honor. 11th edition. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 3-87943-689-4 .