Karl Thurmann
Encyclopedia
Karl Thurmann 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.
in April 1928, serving aboard the light cruisers and , and also spending 18 months in a coastal artillery
unit. In April 1940 he transferred to the U-boat force.
After training, and sailing on a patrol as Kommandantenschüler (Commander-in-Training") aboard under Otto Schuhart
, Thurmann commissioned the Type VIIC
U-boat on 23 December 1940. Thurmann took U-553 out on nine patrols in 1941 and 1942, mostly in the North Atlantic, but also on the US east coast and in the Caribbean, and sank 13 merchant ships totalling 64,612 tons, and damaged two more (15,273 tons).
On 16 January 1943 Thurmann left La Pallice, France, on his tenth patrol. On 20 January he sent the radio message: Seerohr unklar ("Periscope not clear"). U-553 was never heard from again and her fate remains a mystery.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
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 in 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 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.
Career
Thurmann joined the ReichsmarineReichsmarine
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...
in April 1928, serving aboard the light cruisers and , and also spending 18 months in a coastal artillery
Coastal artillery
Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications....
unit. In April 1940 he transferred to the U-boat force.
After training, and sailing on a patrol as Kommandantenschüler (Commander-in-Training") aboard under Otto Schuhart
Otto Schuhart
Otto Schuhart was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. 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...
, Thurmann commissioned the Type VIIC
German Type VII submarine
Type VII U-boats were the most common type of German World War II U-boat. The Type VII was based on earlier German submarine designs going back to the World War I Type UB III, designed through the Dutch dummy company Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw den Haag which was set up by Germany after...
U-boat on 23 December 1940. Thurmann took U-553 out on nine patrols in 1941 and 1942, mostly in the North Atlantic, but also on the US east coast and in the Caribbean, and sank 13 merchant ships totalling 64,612 tons, and damaged two more (15,273 tons).
On 16 January 1943 Thurmann left La Pallice, France, on his tenth patrol. On 20 January he sent the radio message: Seerohr unklar ("Periscope not clear"). U-553 was never heard from again and her fate remains a mystery.
Awards
- Dienstauszeichnung 4th Class (2 October 1936)
- 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 (21 July 1941)
- 1st Class (23 October 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) (23 October 1941) - 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...
(24 August 1942) - 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 22 May 1942
Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht
| Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, 22 May 1942 | Bei den Erfolgen in amerikanischen Gewässern haben sich Boote unter Führung der Kapitänleutnante Thurmann, Würdemann und Folkers besonders ausgezeichnet. | Boats under the commands of the Kapitänleutnants Thurmann, 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... und Folkers Ulrich Folkers Ulrich Folkers was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross... distinguished themselves in the success in the American Waters. |