Wolfgang August Eugen Lüth
Date of Birth: 15.10.1913 - Riga, Latvia (Russian Empire)
Date of Death: 14.05.1945 - Marineschule Flensburg-Mürwik, Schleswig-Holstein (Germany)
Crew 33 (01.04.1933)
Promotions:
01.04.1933 Offiziersanwärter
23.09.1933 Seekadett
01.07.1934 Fähnrich zur See
01.04.1936 Oberfähnrich zur See
01.10.1936 Leutnant zur See
18.05.1938 Oberleutnant zur See (mit Wirkung vom 01.06.1938 und RDA vom 01.06.1938 (-31-)
01.01.1941 Kapitänleutnant
19.03.1941 Kapitänleutnant (mit Wirkung vom 01.01.1941 und RDA vom 01.01.1940 (-11 a-)
01.04.1943 Korvettenkapitän
28.03.1944 Korvettenkapitän (mit RDA vom 01.04.1942 festgesetzt (-12-)
15.09.1944 Fregattenkapitän (mit Wirkung vom 01.08.1944 und RDA vom 01.08.1944)
15.09.1944 Kapitän zur See (mit Wirkung vom 01.09.1944 und RDA vom 01.09.1944 (-7-)
Career:
01.04.1933 Entered the Kriegsmarine as Offiziersanwärter.
01.04.1933 - 29.06.1933 Basic training at the II. Schiffsstammabteilung der Ostsee in Stralsund
30.06.1933 - 23.09.1933 Ordinary training on the sailing training ship GORCH FOCK
24.09.1933 - 27.06.1934 Onboard training on the light cruiser KARLSRUHE
28.06.1934 - 18.04.1935 Main course for ensigns with subsequent officer main examination at the Marineschule Flensburg-Mürwik
24.10.1934 - 30.10.1934 Navigation instruction trip on the tender NORDSEE
07.02.1935 - 13.02.1935 Navigation instruction trip on the tender NORDSEE
19.04.1935 - 12.05.1935 Barrier course for ensigns at the Sperrschule Kiel-Wik
13.05.1935 - 14.06.1935 Infantry course for ensigns at the II. Schiffsstammabteilung der Ostsee in Stralsund
15.06.1935 - 30.06.1935 Anti-aircraft training course for ensigns at the Küstenartillerieschule Wilhelmshaven
01.07.1935 - 06.07.1935 Anti-submarine defense course at the U-Abwehrschule Kiel-Wik
07.07.1935 - 29.07.1935 Intelligence course for ensigns at the Nachrichtenschule Flensburg-Mürwik
30.07.1935.18]] 09.1935 Torpedo course for ensigns at the Torpedoschule Flensburg-Mürwik
19.09.1935 - 07.12.1935 Artillery course for ensigns at the Schiffsartillerieschule Kiel-Wik
08.12.1935 - 31.01.1937 Onboard training on the light cruiser KÖNIGSBERG
25.02.1936 - 21.03.1936 Anti-aircraft training course for ensigns at the Küstenartillerieschule Wilhelmshaven
01.02.1937 - 29.08.1937 Submarine course at the U-Schule Neustadt
30.08.1937 - 04.10.1937 At the disposal of the U-Flottille SALTZWEDEL in Wilhelmshaven
05.10.1937 - 14.12.1937 Torpedo course for submarine torpedo officers at the Torpedoschule in Flensburg-Mürwik
15.12.1937 - 27.03.1938 At the disposal of the 7. Schiffsstammabteilung, 1. Schiffsstammregiment and Marinestation der Ostsee
28.03.1938 - 07.06.1938 Officer trainee at the U-Schule in Neustadt
08.06.1938 - 11.06.1938 Torpedo B course at the Torpedoschule Flensburg-Mürwik
12.06.1938 - 12.06.1938 Officer trainee at the U-Schule in Neustadt
13.06.1938 - 02.07.1938 Additional submarine torpedo officer course at the Torpedoschule, Flensburg-Mürwik
03.07.1938 - 23.10.1938 II. Wachoffizier in U 27
24.10.1938 - 15.10.1939 I. Wachoffizier in U 38
16.10.1939 - 14.11.1939 At the disposal of the U-Schule in Neustadt
15.11.1939 - 15.12.1939 At the disposal of the U-Flottille WEDDINGEN in Kiel
16.12.1939 - 28.12.1939 Kommandant in Charge U 13
30.12.1939 - 10.06.1940 Kommandant U 9
11.06.1940 - 26.06.1940 Construction instructions for U 138 at U-Boote Ostsee in Kiel
27.06.1940 - 20.10.1940 Kommandant U 138
21.10.1940 - 11.04.1942 Kommandant U 43
12.04.1942 - 08.05.1942 Construction instruction for U 181 at the 6. Kriegsschiffbaulehrabteilung in Bremen
09.05.1942 - 31.10.1943 Kommandant U 181
01.11.1943 - 14.01.1944 Kommandant in Charge of 12. U-Flottille in Bordeaux
15.01.1944 - 16.07.1944 Chef 22. U-Flottille in Gotenhafen
17.07.1944 - 17.09.1944 Kommandeur I.Abteilung / Marineschule Flensburg-Mürwik
18.09.1944 - 13.05.1945 Kommandeur Marineschule Flensburg-Mürwik
13.05.1945 Accidentally shot by a guard on the grounds of the Marineschule Flensburg-Mürwik
Awards and Decorations:
31.03.1937 Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht IV.Klasse (4 jahre)
06.06.1939 Spanienkreuz in Bronze ohne Schwerter
16.09.1939 Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 01.10.1938 (Sudetenland Medaille)
25.01.1940 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
18.02.1940 U-Bootskriegsabzeichen 1939
15.05.1940 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
23.09.1940 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht
24.10.1940 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberleutnant zur See and Kommandant U 138. Awarded for his successful patrols while commanding U-9 and U-138. With U-9 he sunk 7 ships with 16669 GRT, as well as the French submarine “Doris” on the 09.05.1940. With U-138 he sunk 5 ships with 39971 GRT and damaged a tanker with 6993 GRT.
01.11.1941 Croce di Guerra al Valore Militare (Italienisches Kriegskreuz mit Schwertern)
14.01.1942 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht
13.11.1942 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #142, as Kapitänleutnant and Kommandant U 181. Awarded for his successes while commanding U-43. Over the course of 5 patrols he sank 12 ships with 68077 GRT and damaged another ship with 10350 GRT.
26.01.1943 U-Bootskriegsabzeichen 1939 mit Brillanten
15.04.1943 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #29, as Kapitänleutnant and Kommandant U 181. Awarded for his two patrols with U-181, the second of which was the 2nd longest U-Boat patrol of the war (lasting 205 days at sea). During these two patrols he sank 22 ships with 103712 GRT.
15.04.1943 Ehrendolch der Kriegsmarine mit Brillanten
09.08.1943 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwerter und Brillanten #7, as Korvettenkapitän and Kommandant U 181. Awarded on the same grounds as the Schwertern.
24.10.1943 Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste im Volkstumskampf
24.10.1943 Gauehrenabzeichen des Reichsgaues Wartheland
12.10.1944 U-Bootsfrontspange in Bronze
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Wolfgang Lüth was a Baltic German born in Riga, then part of the Russian Empire. He went to the Naturwissenschaftliches Gymnasium there and after he had received his Abitur (certificate), he studied law for three semesters at the Herder-Institut. With his parents' approval he left Latvia to join the German Reichsmarine (renamed Kriegsmarine in 1935) on 1 April 1933 as an officer candidate. After he underwent basic military training, he was transferred to the training ship Gorch Fock attaining the rank of Seekadett (naval cadet) on 23 September 1933. He initially served with the surface fleet, going on a nine-month training tour around the world in the cruiser Karlsruhe from 24 September 1933 to 27 June 1934. He advanced in rank to Fähnrich zur See (midshipman) on 1 July 1934 and served for a year aboard the light cruiser Königsberg (22 March 1936 – 31 January 1937), attaining the rank of Oberfähnrich zur See (senior midshipman) on 1 April 1936 and Leutnant zur See (ensign) on 1 October 1936.
In February 1937 he transferred to the U-boat Arm and was promoted to Oberleutnant zur See (lieutenant) on 1 June 1938. In July he was appointed 2nd Watch Officer of U-27 (3 July 1938 – 23 October 1938). He sailed on a patrol in Spanish waters during the civil war in that country on the U-boat tender Erwin Wassner (13 April 1939 – 18 May 1939). In October he was appointed the 1st Watch Officer of U-38 under the command of Kapitänleutnant (Lieutenant) Heinrich Liebe, who during the course of World War II would earn the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. When war broke out, Lüth was on patrol with U-38 which had left Wilhelmshaven on 19 August 1939 and patrolled the Western Approaches until returning to base on 18 September 1939.
On 30 December 1939 Lüth took command of U-9, a Type IIB U-boat. He went on six patrols with this boat, achieving steady success. In January 1940, U-9 sank the Swedish merchantman Flandria, following the premature ignition of a smoke float. This surface attack was carried out while U-9's bridge was filled with onlooking crew members. Other sinkings included the surfaced French submarine Doris during the night of 8–9 May 1940 and seven merchant ships with a total of 16,669 gross register tons (GRT). An attack on ORP Błyskawica on 20 April 1940, however, was unsuccessful as the torpedoes malfunctioned and detonated in the wake of the destroyer.
On 27 June 1940 Lüth took command of U-138, a Type IID submarine, with which he sank four ships on his first patrol, totalling 34,644 GRT. In October, U-138 returned from his second patrol, during which it fired a torpedo at (but missed) the Norwegian merchant steamer SS Dagrun (4,562 GRT), sank the British merchant steamer SS Bonheur (5,327 GRT) and damaged the British motor tanker British Glory (6,993 GRT). Initially, the German authorities believed that British Glory had been sunk and Lüth was nominated for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which he was awarded on 24 October 1940. In the radio announcement, Lüth was credited with sinking 12 ships and one submarine of 87,236 tons, when in reality sunken tonnage added up to only 51,316 GRT by the end of September, rising to 56,643 GRT on 15 October 1940.
For his achievements, Lüth was given command of a new boat, and on 21 October 1940 Lüth took command of U-43, a long range Type IX U-boat. After twice aborting the first patrol due to mechanical failures, he carried out five patrols with this boat, totaling 204 days at sea, sinking 12 ships adding up to 64,852 GRT. On 1 January 1941 he was promoted to Kapitänleutnant. Lüth, because of his experience–like many other top commanders–was tasked with training future U-boat commanders, including Erich Würdemann. These trainees often came along on single war-patrols, which would be their last exercise before they received their own command.
U-43 was due to depart Lorient on a war patrol to an area off Freetown, west Africa, but early on 4 February 1941, she sank while tied to Ysere, an old sailing ship which was used as a floating pier. Valves and vents had been tampered-with the previous day, but no one had noticed the slow, but steady ingress of water into the bilges. To make matters worse and contrary to a Befehlshaber der U-Boote (BdU—U-boat command headquarters) directive, a hatch had been left open, allowing water to pour into the aft torpedo room. Two petty officers were found to be most at fault; but Lüth, as captain, was ultimately responsible. However, according to author Jordan Vause, no record of punishment seems to have survived and Lüth's career does not appear to have been affected. U-43 was refloated and Lüth took it back out into the North Atlantic in May 1941.
In January 1942, upon the completion of another patrol, Lüth was ordered to bring U-43 back to Germany for an overhaul. On 9 May 1942 Lüth was given command of a long-range Type IXD-2 U-boat, U-181. He left on his first patrol in September 1942, departing from Kiel for the Indian Ocean and waters off South Africa. In October he reached the sea lanes outside Cape Town and spent a month patrolling the area. On 13 November 1942, while still at sea, Lüth received a signal stating that he had been awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.
Two days later, U-181 was heavily damaged by the British destroyer Inconstant in an engagement that lasted nine hours before Lüth was able to escape. After repairing his vessel, Lüth led it to Lourenco Marques and for the next fortnight U-181 undertook a series of surface attacks which resulted in eight ships being sunk, most primarily with U-181's deck gun. In January 1943, after sinking 12 ships for 58,381 GRT, U-181 returned to Bordeaux in France, in January 1943. On 31 January 1943, Lüth and other Kriegsmarine officers traveled to the Wolf's Lair, Hitler's headquarters at Rastenburg, present-day Kętrzyn in Poland, for the Oak Leaves presentation. Following the presentation, Hitler met with Dönitz and Vizeadmiral Theodor Krancke in private. During this meeting, Hitler appointed Dönitz as Oberbefehlshaber der Marine (Commander-in-Chief) of the Kriegsmarine following Raeder's resignation on 30 January 1943. On the return flight to Berlin, Dönitz informed Lüth and the other officers present of this change in command.
In March 1943 Lüth set out for a second patrol off South Africa and in the Indian Ocean, in particular the waters around Mauritius. This patrol lasted 205 days (23 March 1943 – 14 October 1943) making it the second longest of the war. (The longest combat patrol of World War II was 225 days in length, which was achieved by Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat as commander of the U-196.) Lüth sank 10 ships totaling 45,331 GRT on this patrol, which turned out to be his last. While at sea he was promoted to Korvettenkapitän on 1 April 1943. Later that month, he received news that he had been awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.
After carrying out a patrol between Lourenco Marques and Durban, during which U-181 sank three more ships. U-181 rendezvoused with the supply ship Charlotte Schliemann east of Mauritius to refuel on 21 June. Also present were U-177, under the command of Robert Gysae, U-178 (Wilhelm Dommes), U-196 (Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat), U-197 (Robert Bartels) and U-198 (Werner Hartmann). The commanders exchanged experiences and discussed the problem of torpedo failures. In July, Lüth led his boat west towards Madagascar, before being ordered back to Mauritius. On 15 July 1943, Lüth sunk the British collier Empire Lake and noted in his logbook: "Five men have been left floating on a piece of wreckage. Due to the high sea and 180-mile distance from land they will probably not be saved."
On 9 August 1943, while still on patrol, Lüth was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. In addition, Lüth nominated two crew members of U-181 for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross after this patrol. The chief engineer Kapitänleutnant Carl-August Landfermann and 2nd Watch Officer Johannes Limbach both received the Knight's Cross for their achievements.
After five years of operational U-boat service, including 15 war-patrols and over 600 days at sea, Lüth took command of 22nd U-boat Flotilla stationed at Gotenhafen in January 1944. This was a training unit for U-boat commanders. In July 1944 he took command of the 1st Department of the Naval Academy Mürwik in Flensburg. He was promoted to Fregattenkapitän (commander) on 1 August 1944 and became the commander of the entire academy in September. He was promoted to Kapitän zur See (captain) on 1 September 1944.
The British forces occupied Flensburg on 5 May 1945; initially, nothing changed in the daily routine at the Mürwik Naval Academy. Returning drunk in the night of 13/14 May 1945, Lüth failed to respond to the sentry's challenge and was shot in the head by 18-year-old seaman Mathias Gottlob, a German guard. The officer in charge immediately reported the incident, contacting Grand Admiral and Reichspräsident Karl Dönitz. Dönitz's adjutant, who had accepted the call, initially thought that it was a bad joke. He then called Lüth's brother, Joachim, as the two siblings had been staying together. It was he who informed Lüth's wife and their four children that Lüth had died.
Dönitz contacted the British commander of the city of Flensburg, asking him for permission to conduct a formal state funeral, which was approved by royal assent. The funeral was held on 16 May 1945 with Dönitz, Adolf Hitler's designated successor serving as Reichspräsident, delivering the eulogy. In advance, Dönitz had ordered a board of inquiry and court martial to clarify the circumstances of the shooting. During the court martial, Gottlob stated that, in accordance with his orders, he had asked for the password three times without receiving a response from the person, whom he could not visually identify in the darkness. Without aiming he had fired his rifle from the hip. The chain of events was confirmed by the watch leader. The court ruled that Gottlob was not guilty and cleared him of any fault.
Lüth was the subject of a hagiographic account by the German author Franz Kurowski, published in 1988 under the pen name Karl Alman, commemorating "the most successful U-boat commandant of the Second World War" (according to the subtitle). According to Canadian historian Michael Hadley, Kurowski, by his own admission, used his birth name for "more serious work", and typically used pseudonyms for works of fiction. In his 1995 book Count Not the Dead: The Popular Image of the German Submarine, Hadley panned Kurowski's works as "hackwork" and "pulp-trade yarn" focused on hero making.
The war has not yet begun - August 1939, I. Wachoffizier (1st watch officer) of the submarine U-38 Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang Lüth.
Wolfgang Lüth with the Ritterkreuz.
Wolfgang Lüth (left) with his comrade.
Kapitänleutnant Wolfgang Lüth (Kommandant U-181) in a photo taken on 30 January 1943. On 31 January 1943, Lüth and other Kriegsmarine officers traveled to the Wolf's Lair, Hitler's headquarters at Rastenburg, present-day Kętrzyn in Poland, for the Eichenlaub presentation. Following the presentation, Hitler met with Dönitz and Vizeadmiral Theodor Krancke in private. During this meeting, Hitler appointed Dönitz as Oberbefehlshaber der Marine (Commander-in-Chief) of the Kriegsmarine following Raeder's resignation on 30 January 1943. On the return flight to Berlin, Dönitz informed Lüth and the other officers present of this change in command.
Korvettenkapitän Wolfgang Lüth (Kommandant U 181) with the Eichenlaub.
Korvettenkapitän Wolfgang Lüth (Kommandant U-181) checking the torpedoes while on patrol with his boat in the Indian Ocean, 6 May 1943. This patrol was outstanding because it was the second longest patrol of the war, lasting 205 days (March - October 1943), second only to Eitel Friedrich Kentrat's incredible 225 days on U-196. To maintain morale during this patrol Lüth pioneered various ideas, such as publishing a ship's newspaper, holding contests of various types, and other activities designed to keep the crew mentally and physically fit
Welcoming ceremony in Bordeaux for U-boat ace Wolfgang Lüth who had just returned from his 205 days patrol (23 March 1943 - 14 October 1943). In March 1943 Lüth left Bordeaux for patrol mission in African waters and the Indian Ocean. This patrol, under difficult conditions, was also very successful, with ten ships sunk totalling 45,331 tons. During this patrol Lüth became the first Kriegsmarine member to receive the Brillanten for his Ritterkreuz! This patrol was also outstanding because it was the second longest patrol of the war, second only to Eitel Friedrich Kentrat's incredible 225 days on U-196. From left to right: Kapitän zur See Hans Rudolf Rösing (Führer U-Boote West), Korvettenkapitän Klaus Scholtz (Flottillenchef 12. U-Flottille) and Korvettenkapitän Wolfgang Lüth (Kommandant U 181). Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.
Wolfgang Lüth with the Brillanten, 1943.
Wolfgang Lüth with the Brillanten, 1943.
Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Oberleutnant (Ing.) der Reserve Carl-August Landfermann (back to the camera, Leitender Ingenieur U-181). The medal was awarded on 27 October 1943 for his successes serving with the U-Boat ace and Brillantenträger Wolfgang Lüth (right). Landfermann and his men were able to repair damage to the U-Boat (either brought about by the ocean itself or depth charge attacks) that would usually only be possible at a shipyard. Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.
Korvettenkapitän und Brillantenträger Wolfgang Lüth saluting the Kriegsmarine's guard of honor in Flensburg before taking the post as Kommandant in Charge of 12. U-Flottille in Bordeaux, France. Lüth became Flottillenchef of 12. Unterseebootsflottille from 1 November 1943 to 14 January 1944, replacing another U-boat ace Klaus Scholtz.
Korvettenkapitän Wolfgang Lüth (middle, Chef 22. Unterseebootsflottille) in Zoppot, near Danzig, 13 July 1944. At left is SA-Stabschef Wilhelm Scheppmann, while at right is unknown Kriegsmarine officer.
Korvettenkapitän und Brillantenträger Wolfgang Lüth (left, Kommandeur Marineschule Flensburg-Mürwik) presented the Ritterkreuz des Kriegsverdienstkreuzes mit Schwertern for Wehrwirtschaftsführer Otto Merker (Generaldirektor bei Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz AG), during the award ceremony which was held in Berlin on 30 September 1944. Merker formally received the medal on 25 August 1944 for the “war decision-making achievement”, having reduced the construction time for type U-Boot-Klasse XXI submarines from the original 11.5 months to 2 months! The picture was taken by Bildberichter Ruge from Presse-Illustrationen Heinrich Hoffmann.
The state funeral (Staatsbegräbnis) of U-boat ace and Brillantenträger Wolfgang Lüth, which were held in Flensburg on 16 May 1945. He was tragically shot to death by his own sentry two days before. The six officers of the honor guard walk beside the casket. Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.
Source :
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek photo archive
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-wolfgang-lueth-37028830.html?imageid=4ADCE0F3-C0C5-480A-9E58-EEE67F2CA168&p=291611&pn=1&searchId=2a05945f1da87f6e278938b0cd71af7d&searchtype=0
https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/detail/b91e5ee4-0259-11e7-904b-d89d6717b464/media/41fff03e-56e9-0254-3c24-5e36f5798a48?mode=detail&view=horizontal&q=l%C3%BCth&rows=1&page=1
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5147731/Fascinating-photos-capture-Nazi-submarine-captain.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_L%C3%BCth
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=53534&hilit=wolfgang+l%C3%BCth
https://www.gettyimages.com/search/2/image?family=editorial&phrase=wolfgang%20l%C3%BCth
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/214/L%C3%BCth-Wolfgang-August-Eugen.htm
https://uboat.net/men/luth.htm
http://www.ubootarchiv.de/ubootwiki/index.php/Wolfgang_L%C3%BCth
https://warspot.ru/4334-tayna-smerti-volfganga-lyuta
https://www.wolfganghistorica.com/product/carl-august-landfermann-u-181-3/
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