Years of service 1923–45 Name Kurt Dobratz | Commands held U-1232 Rank Captain at sea | |
Allegiance Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Nazi Germany Service/branch Reichsmarine 1923–35
Luftwaffe 1935–43
Kriegsmarine 1943–45 Battles/wars World War II
Invasion of Poland
Invasion of Norway
Battle of France
Battle of the Atlantic Died December 21, 1996, Bremen, Germany Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Battles and wars Invasion of Poland, Operation Weserubung, Battle of France, Battle of the Atlantic, World War II Unit SMS Braunschweig, SMS Berlin, Hamburg, Hanover | ||
Dr. jur. Kurt Dobratz (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.
Contents
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. 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.
Ships attacked
As a U-boat 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.