Carl Emmermann
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Commander
Carl Emmermann (6 March 1915 – 25 March 1990) 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. For some years he was training officer on the Naval Academy Mürwik
, where future officers got their training.
In 1939 Emmermann joined the U-boat force and in November 1940 became the first Watch officer on U-A under the command of Hans Eckermann. On her first patrol U-A only damaged the British
steamer .
In November 1941 Emmermann took over his own boat, U-172. He completed five patrols with this boat, in the Caribbean Sea
, with the wolf pack Eisbär
in South Africa
n waters, and in the North and South Atlantic.
His greatest success was the sinking of the British liner-troopship . His fifth patrol with U-172 was dramatic, in that the boat brought back half the crew of which had been so heavily damaged during two air attacks that she had to be scuttled. After that patrol Emmermann became the commander of the 6th U-boat Flotilla in November 1943.
In August 1944 Emmermann became the chief of the Erprobungsgruppe Typ XXIII. There in late 1944 he wrote the battle instructions for the new Type XXIII
U-boat.
In March 1945 he was commander of for one month, and in the last month of the war he commanded the 31st U-boat Flotilla in Hamburg
. Along with some other U-boat men he took part in infantry duty around Hamburg as commander of Marine-Battalion Emmermann.
Emmermann survived the war and later returned to Germany, studied engineering and prospered in business.
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Carl Emmermann (6 March 1915 – 25 March 1990) 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...
. In his time as commander, he succeeded in sinking 27 ships for a total tonnage of .
Emmermann began his naval career in 1934. For some years he was training officer on the Naval Academy Mürwik
Naval Academy Mürwik
The Naval Academy at Mürwik is the main training establishment for all German Navy officers.It is located at Mürwik which is a part of Germany's most northern city, Flensburg. Built on a small hill directly by the coast, it overlooks the Flensburg Fjord...
, where future officers got their training.
In 1939 Emmermann joined the U-boat force and in November 1940 became the first Watch officer on U-A under the command of Hans Eckermann. On her first patrol U-A only damaged the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
steamer .
In November 1941 Emmermann took over his own boat, U-172. He completed five patrols with this boat, in 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....
, with the 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...
in 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...
n waters, and in the North and South Atlantic.
His greatest success was the sinking of the British liner-troopship . His fifth patrol with U-172 was dramatic, in that the boat brought back half the crew of which had been so heavily damaged during two air attacks that she had to be scuttled. After that patrol Emmermann became the commander of the 6th U-boat Flotilla in November 1943.
In August 1944 Emmermann became the chief of the Erprobungsgruppe Typ XXIII. There in late 1944 he wrote the battle instructions for the new Type XXIII
German Type XXIII submarine
German Type XXIII submarines were the first so-called elektroboats to become operational. They were small coastal submarines designed to operate in the shallow waters of the North Sea, Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea, where larger Type XXI Elektro boats were at risk in World War II. They were so...
U-boat.
In March 1945 he was commander of for one month, and in the last month of the war he commanded the 31st U-boat Flotilla in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. Along with some other U-boat men he took part in infantry duty around Hamburg as commander of Marine-Battalion Emmermann.
Emmermann survived the war and later returned to Germany, studied engineering and prospered in business.
Awards
- Dienstauszeichnung 4th Class (5 April 1938)
- 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 (19 March 1941)
- 1st Class (2 August 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 (1 October 1943)
- 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...
2nd Class with Swords (1 September 1944) - U-boat Front ClaspU-boat Front ClaspThe U-boat Front Clasp or U-boat Combat Clasp, as it is better known, was a German badge that was awarded to holders of the U-boat War Badge to recognize continued combat service and valor during World War II.-History:...
(1 October 1944) - Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak LeavesKnight'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...
- Knights Cross on 27 November 1942 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-172
- 256th Oak Leaves on 4 July 1943 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-172