Korvettenkapitän (Crew 34)
Successes
21 ships sunk, total tonnage 90,189 GRT
2 auxiliary warships sunk, total tonnage 5,700 GRT
3 ships damaged, total tonnage 28,820 GRT
Born: 31 December 1913 in Berlin
Died: 4 November 1982 (68) in Hamburg, Germany
Ranks
8 Apr 1934 Offiziersanwärter
26 Sep 1934 Seekadett
1 Jul 1935 Fähnrich zur See
1 Jan 1937 Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Apr 1937 Leutnant zur See
1 Apr 1939 Oberleutnant zur See
1 Mar 1942 Kapitänleutnant
1 Dec 1944 Korvettenkapitän
Decorations
21 Oct 1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class
27 Nov 1939 U-boat War Badge 1939
15 Aug 1940 Iron Cross 1st Class
30 Aug 1941 Knights Cross
15 Jul 1942 Knights Cross with Oak Leaves
U-boat Commands
U-6 31 Jan 1940 to 10 Jul 1940 1 patrol (16 days)
U-60 19 Jul 1940 to 5 Nov 1940 3 patrols (54 days)
U-121 6 Nov 1940 to 27 Nov 1940 No war patrols
U-201 25 Jan 1941 to 24 Aug 1942 7 patrols (242 days)
U-2511 29 Sep 1944 to 9 May 1945 1 patrol (4 days)
Adalbert Schnee joined the Reichsmarine in April 1934. After some months on the light cruiser Leipzig, he began his U-boat career in May 1937.
He spent two pre-war years on board U-23 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Otto Kretschmer. He completed five patrols on her before going on to win great success with his own boat, U-201. He was awarded the Knights Cross after three patrols in U-201, then on the seventh he sank ships totalling 41,036 tons, which earned him the Oak Leaves to his Knights Cross.
In October 1942 he joined the BdU staff. In his position as the "Geleitzugs-Asto" (A I op), he planned and organised operations against Allied convoys.
In September 1944 he took over the command of the new 'Elektro-boot' U-2511, the first type XXI Elektro U-boat to see active service, commencing her first patrol on 16 March*. It is claimed that on her second patrol on the last day of the war, in the hours immediately after the cease-fire order of 4 May 1945, Korvettenkapitän Schnee had an excellent opportunity to sink the British cruiser HMS Norfolk, and in fact simulated an actual attack, evaded the destroyer screen, closed to point-blank range, and then simply left the area. (In recent years doubt has been cast on this version of events, however).
After the surrender he served for six months in a minesweeper unit. In October 1945 he was called into court to testify in defence of Heinz-Wilhelm Eck and some of his officers, who were being tried for their actions in the Peleus Affair. On the stand, Schnee was placed in a difficult position by the prosecutor, and faced with the choice of either incriminating himself or condemning Eck's decision. Backed into a corner, Schnee, who was to have been the star witness for the defense, was forced to admit he would not have done what Eck did.
Schnee later completed a commercial training course and worked for some years as a commercial representative. Then he retired from this profession to become the director of a sailing school on the island of Elba in the Mediterranean.
Adalbert Schnee was for many years chairman of the Verband der U-Boots-Fahrer (Association of U-Boat Crew).
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adalbert_Schnee
http://miniaturasjm.com/mi-biblioteca/uboats-at-war-in-100-objects-19391945/
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/35675/Schnee-Otto-Adalbert.htm
https://uboat.net/men/schnee.htm
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