Bio of Kapitänleutnant (Ing.) Erich Zürn (1906-1965)

Erich Zürn

Date of Birth: 23.07.1906 - Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg (German Empire)
Date of Death: 09.08.1965 - Großholzleute, Isny im Allgäu, Baden-Württemberg (West Germany)

Promotions:
06.01.1927 Oberheizer
01.02.1929 Heizergefreiter
14.09.1929 Maschinengefreiter
01.05.1930 Maschinenmaat
01.05.1932 Obermaschinenmaat
01.10.1932 Maschinist
01.04.1934 Obermaschinist
01.10.1938 Stabsobermaschinist
24.03.1939 Fähnrich (Ingenieur)
15.09.1939 Oberfähnrich (Ingenieur)
01.11.1939 Leutnant (Ingenieur)
01.11.1940 Oberleutnant zur See (Ingenieur)
01.02.1942 Kapitänleutnant (Ingenieur)

Career:
06.01.1925 Entered the Reichsmarine
00.08.1935 - 00.02.1936 Obermaschinist U 3
00.03.1936 - 00.09.1938 1.Wach-Maschinist U 26 (1937 patrol in Spain waters)
00.04.1939 - 00.10.1939 Served in Admiral Hipper
00.12.1939 - 00.07.1941 Leiter-Ingenieur U 48 (9 patrols, 243 days at sea)
00.07.1941 - 00.09.1941 1.Ingenieur-Offizier 5.U-Boot-Flottille
08.09.1941 - 00.05.1942 Flottilleningenieur 23. U-Boot-Flottille
00.06.1942 - 00.01.1944 Flottilleningenieur 29. U-Boot-Flottille
00.02.1944 - 00.05.1945 Flottilleningenieur 5. U-Boot-Flottille

Awards and Decorations:
00.00.193_ DRL Sportabzeichen in Silber
02.10.1936 Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht IV.Klasse (4 jahre)
06.01.1937 Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht III.Klasse (12 jahre)
06.06.1939 Spanienkreuz in Bronze
25.02.1940 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
20.04.1940 U-Boot-Kriegsabzeichen
03.07.1940 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
23.04.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberleutnant (Ing.) and Leiter-Ingenieur U-48. The following wartime excerpt describes why Zürn received the Ritterkreuz: “Oberleutnant (Ing.) Zürn has participated in many war patrols as the Chief Engineer of U-Boats. In total he has assisted in the sinking of 273.435 GRT of shipping. He had an invaluable share in these great successes due to his prudent conduct of equipment maintenance as well as his calm and decisiveness in dangerous situations.”

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Oberleutnant (Ing.) and later Kapitänleutnant (Ing.) Zürn contributed to the success of U-48 under the command of Herbert Schultze, Hans-Rudolf Rösing and Heinrich Bleichrodt. He served as chief engineer (Leitender Ingenieur abbreviated LI) on nine patrols on one of the most successful U-boats of World War II. As flotilla engineer in the 29th U-boat Flotilla (1 June 1942 – 31 January 1944) in La Spezia and Toulon and later in the 5th U-boat Flotilla, Zürn introduced a number of improvements which helped the flotilla operate at peak efficiency.

Bearded Erich Zürn.

Oberleutnant zur See (Ing.) Erich Zürn as Leiter-Ingenieur of U-48 in St.Nazaire, France. The picture was taken on 14 May 1941 by Kriegsberichter Kurt Schlemmer from Marine Propaganda-Abteilung West.

Oberleutnant zur See (Ing.) Erich Zürn as Leiter-Ingenieur of U-48 in St.Nazaire, France. The picture was taken on 14 May 1941 by Kriegsberichter Kurt Schlemmer from Marine Propaganda-Abteilung West. The car is a Citroën Traction cabriolet bearing the snorting bull symbol of 7. Unterseebootsflottille.

 

Kapitänleutnant (Ing.) Erich Zürn, Flottilleningenieur of the 29. Unterseebootsflottille, while visiting U-596. Behind him is Kapitänleutnant Gunter Jahn. The picture was taken in 1942 or 1943.

Source :
https://www.alexautographs.com/auction-lot/erich-zurn_DD6E263D57
http://www.deutsches-marinearchiv.de/Archiv/1935-1945/Personen/Ritterkreuz/t-z/zuern.htm
https://imagesdefense.gouv.fr/fr/catalogsearch/result/?q=zurn&avec_visuel=1
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Erich_Z%C3%BCrn
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/64902/Z%C3%BCrn-Erich.htm
https://uboat.net/men/zuern.htm