Name Reinhold Saltzwedel | ||
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Commands held UB-10, January 13 – June 18, 1916UC-10, June 14–26, 1916UC-11, August 12–20, 1916UC-21, September 15, 1916 – Jun 9 1917UC-71, June 10 – September 13, 1917UB-81, September 18 – Dec 2 1917 Awards Iron Cross, Pour le Merite | ||
Oberleutnant zur See Reinhold Saltzwedel (23 November 1889 – 2 December 1917) was a successful and highly decorated German U-boat commander in the Kaiserliche Marine during World War I.
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Saltzwedel sank a total of 111 merchant vessels for 172,824 gross register tons (GRT). On 1 September 1936, his name was given to 2nd U-boat Flotilla of the Kriegsmarine in Wilhelmshaven to honour him.
Early life
Reinhold Saltzwedel was born on 23 November 1889 in Rosenberg, Upper Silesia. His father was a parson.
World War I
Saltzwedel was a Leutnant zur See when World War I broke out and Adjutant on the SMS Kaiser. On 19 September 1914, he was promoted to Oberleutnant zur See. In May 1915 he went to the U-boat school. Shortly afterwards joined the active units and served as commander of several U-boats. On 20 August 1917 he was awarded the Pour le Mérite for his achievements.
On 18 September 1917, he became the commanding officer of UB-81, in which he died on 2 December after UB-81 ran into a mine. 29 men lost their lives.