Erich Werner Siegfried Götz Freiherr von Mirbach (12 September 1912 – 6 August 1968) was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine

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 It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine.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...

. He is also a recipient of the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

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 and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Von Mirbach was assigned to the 1. Schnellbootflottille attacking enemy shipping 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...

, sinking a British destroyer and three armed merchant vessels among others. His younger cousin, Oberleutnant

Oberleutnant

Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...

Emmerich von Mirbach, served as the Engineering Officer on U-595. Götz Freiherr von Mirbach was later promoted to Korvettenkapitän and served as commander of the 9. Schnellbootflottille.

Awards

• Iron Cross
  Iron Cross
  The 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 (30 April 1940)
  • 1st Class (28 May 1940)
• 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 (10 November 1942)
• Service Award (Dienstauszeichnung) 4th Class (5 April 1939)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  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...
  
  
  • Knight's Cross on 14 August 1940 as Oberleutnant zur See and commander of Schnellboot S-21 in the 1. Schnellbootflottille
  • 500th Oak Leaves on 14 June 1944 as Kapitänleutnant and chief of the 9. Schnellbootflottille
• Fast Attack Craft War Badge
  Fast Attack Craft War Badge
  The E-Boat War Badge is a German military decoration awarded to Kriegsmarine members for service on fast attack craft or torpedo boats worn on the lower part of the left breast pocket of the naval service tunic, underneath the 1st class Iron Cross if awarded, or equivalent grade award...
  
   with Diamonds (14 June 1944)
• Mentioned 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 28 April 1944

Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
28 April 1944	Deutsche Schnellbootgruppen unter Führung von Korvettenkapitän Klug und Kapitänleutnant von Mirbach versenkten in den Morgenstunden des 28. April an der englischen Südküste aus einem von Zerstörern und zahlreichen Kleinkampfschiffen gesicherten Geleitzug drei Schiffe mit zusammen 9100 BRT und torpedierten ein weiteres von 200 BRT, mit dessen Sinken zu rechnen ist. Im Verlauf der harten Gefechte wurde ferner ein Zerstörer torpediert, dessen Untergang infolge der einsetzenden Abwehr nicht beobachtet werden konnte, jedoch mit Sicherheit anzunehmen ist. Die eigenen Verbände kehrten ohne Beschädigungen und Personalausfälle in ihre Stützpunkte zurück.	German fast attack crafts under the leadership of Korvettenkapitän Klug Bernd Klug Bernd Klug was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and later a Flottillenadmiral with the Bundesmarine. He is also a recipient of the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves... and Kapitänleutnant von Mirbach sank three ships for a total of 9100 GRT, another one of 200 GRT was torpedoed, its sinking is assumed, from a convoy, defended by destroyers and numerous smaller combat vessels, in the early morning hours of 28 April at the English southern coast. During the course of the hard fought battles a destroyer was torpedoed, its sinking could not be observed due to the defensive that had commenced, but is assumed with certainty. Our units returned to their stations without damage nor loss of personnel.