Kurt Dobratz

Kurt Dobratz
Born 9 April 1904
Stettin
Died 21 December 1996 (1996-12-22) (aged 92)
Bremen
Allegiance  Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany
Service/branch  Reichsmarine 1923–35
 Luftwaffe 1935–43
 Kriegsmarine 1943–45
Years of service 1923–45
Rank Kapitän zur See
Unit Braunschweig
SSS Niobe
Berlin
Hamburg
Leipzig
Schleswig-Holstein
Hannover
Commands held U-1232
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Dr. jur. Kurt Dobratz[Note 1] (9 April 1904 – 21 December 1996) was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

From 1 July 1939 until 15 May 1940 Major Dobratz was Gruppenkommandeur of the II.(Kampf)/Lehrgeschwader 1 (LG 1—2nd Bomber Group of the 1st Demonstration Wing) and at the same time commander of the Fliegerhorst (airfield) Schwerin.[1][2] Serving on the staff of the Befehlshaber der U-Boote he succeeded Admiral Hans Georg von Friedeburg as the last Kommandierender Admiral der U-Boote (Commanding Admiral of the U-boats) during the final days of World War II.

Summary of career

Ships attacked

As commander of U-1232 Kurt Dobratz is credited with the sinking of three ships for a total of 17,355 gross register tons (GRT), further damaging a ship of 2,373 GRT and damaging one ship of 7,176 GRT so severely that it had to be considered a total loss.

DateShipNationalityTonnageFate[3]
4 January 1945 Nipiwan Park  Canada 2,373 Damaged
4 January 1945 Polarland  Norway 1,591 Sunk
14 January 1945 Athelviking  United Kingdom 8,779 Sunk
14 January 1945 British Freedom  United Kingdom 6,985 Sunk
14 January 1945 Martin Van Buren  United States 7,176 Total loss

Awards

Notes

  1. ↑ In German a Doctor of Law is abbreviated as Dr. iur. (Doctor iuris) or Dr. jur. (Doctor juris).

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Schumann 2007, p. 64.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Busch & Röll 2003, p. 501.
  3. ↑ http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u1232.html
  4. ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 275.

Bibliography

  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (2003). Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939–1945 — Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [The U-Boat War 1939–1945 — The Knight's Cross Bearers of the U-Boat Force from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 978-3-8132-0515-2. 
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
  • Schumann, Ralf (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 des LG 1 (in German). Zweibrücken, Germany: VDM Heinz Nickel. ISBN 978-3-86619-013-9.
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