Years of service 1934–45 Name Gerhard Bielig | Rank Kapitanleutnant (Ing.) | |
Born 28 April 1916
Berlin ( 1916-04-28 ) Allegiance Weimar Republic
Nazi Germany Service/branch Reichsmarine
Kriegsmarine Unit cruiser Emden
cruiser Konigsberg
U-20, U-103 and U-177 Battles/wars World War II
Battle of the Atlantic Died September 29, 2004, Neuss, Germany Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Battles and wars Battle of the Atlantic, World War II | ||
Gerhard Bielig (28 April 1916 – 29 September 2004) was a German U-boat engineer (Ing.) 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.
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Military career
Gerhard Bielig joined the Reichsmarine as a Seekadett on 26 September 1934. He was promoted to Fahnrich (Ing.) on 1 July 1935 and to Oberfahnrich (Ing.) on 1 January 1937. Bielig was transferred to the U-boat service in October 1937. Now a Leutnant (Ing.), he was posted to U-20 as chief engineer (German language: Leitender Ingenieur - LI). Bielig participated on eight patrols onboard of U-20. Oberleutnant (Ing.) Bielig left U-20 in March 1940 and was assigned to U-103 as chief engineer in July 1940. He went on five patrols with this U-boat. He left the boat as Kapitanleutnant (Ing.) in December 1941 only to be transferred to U-177 in March 1942. U-177 at the time was under command of Robert Gysae. Here he was bestowed with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 10 February 1943 after he saved the U-boat from severe depth charging. After two combat patrols he left U-177 in October 1943 again and became an instructor at the 2. Unterseeboots-Lehr-Division.
On 16 November 1944 he married Marianne Bastian. The marriage produced two sons, Detlef born 1948 and Frank born 1949.