Wolfgang Lüth (October 15th, 1913 - May 13rd, 1945) was the second best German submariner of the Second world war. He was also youngest German ever promoted the captain, and youngest to see ordered the naval academy Mürvik. Lute was one of the two only German naval officers, both submariners, to be decorated with the Cross of Knight with sheets with oak, swords and diamonds, the other being Albrecht Brandi.

Biography

Lute was born with Riga, in Lithuania. After having studied the right during one year and half, it engaged in the navy of German war in April 1933, obtaining the rank of Seekadett on September 23rd. It initially was used on board as surface vessels, participant in a 9 months formation around the world aboard the light cruiser Karlsruhe in 1934, then was used one year for edge of the light cruiser Königsberg.

In February 1937, it was transferred in the weapon of the submarines. In July, it was promoted second observant officer of U-27, on board of which it carried out patrols in Spanish water during the civil war. In October, it was appointed first observant officer of U-38, on board of which it was during the release of the war on September 1st, 1939.

Second world war

December 30th, 1939, it obtained the command of U-43, a submarine of large standard cruising IX. On its board, it carried out five patrols, running 12 ships is 68.077 barrels. January 1st, 1941, it was promoted Kapitänleutnant . May 9th, 1942, it obtained the command of U-181, a submarine of the type IXD-2. Its first patrol left Kiel in September 1942. The objective was the Indian Ocean and water of South Africa. In October, it reaches it through of the Cape and patrolled one month, running 12 ships is 58.831 barrels, before going back to Bordeaux in January 1943. November 16th, 1942, the sheets of oak were affixed on its Cross of Knight. In March 1943, Lüth left for its second patrol off South Africa. This patrol lasted 205 days, one exceptional duration for the time, during which it ran 10 ships is 45.331 barrels. It obtained the swords and diamonds for its Iron Cross at the time of this patrol. It was also promoted Korvettenkapitän on April 1st, 1943. After five years of service operational as a submariner, Lute taken command of the 22e Unterseebootsflotille in January 1944, a unit of formation for the commanders of submarines. In July 1944, it obtained the command of the first department of the School of Navy (Marineschule) Mürwick with Flensburg-Mürwick. It was promoted Fregattenkapitän on August 1st, 1944 then became ordering totality of Marineschule in September, and was promoted Kapitän zur Zee .

Died

In the night of May 13rd, 1945, Lüth was killed by a German sentinel of the naval academy of Flensburg-Mürwick, whereas it omitted to answer a summation of the sentinel. Some suggested that it had voluntarily omitted to answer the summation, to make a kind of suicide; others think that the sentinel would not have heard its answer. Lute was buried on May 15th, 1945, thus receiving the last funeral of state of the Third Reich. The second and last Führer of the German empire, the Rear-admiral Karl Dönitz, pronounced the funeral praise.

Work

Lute received the Iron Cross of 1st class, the badge of the submarines of war and the Cross of Knight with sheets of oak, swords and diamonds, of which it was one of the two only naval officers holders.

During its career, it ran 46 tradind ships is: 225204 barrels, a warship of 552 tons and damaged two ships is: 17343 barrels.

Titles

• Spanish Croix bronzes of it
• Insigne face submariner
• Insigne of the submariners of war with diamonds
• Croix of Iron of 1st and 2nd class
• Croix of Knight of the Cross of Iron with sheets of oak, swords and diamonds
• Croix of Knight (October 24th, 1940)
• Feuilles of oak (November 13rd, 1942)
• Epées (April 15th, 1943)
• Diamants (August 9th, 1943)

See too

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