Georg Lassen
Georg Lassen (12 May 1915 – 18 January 2012)[1] was a German U-boat commander during World War II. He was a Watch Officer on U-29 at the outbreak of the war and later the skipper of the U-160 and recipient of the Knight’s Cross.
Georg Lassen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 12 May 1915 Berlin-Steglitz, German Empire |
| Died | 18 January 2012 (aged 96)[1] Mallorca, Spain |
| Allegiance | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Nazi Germany |
| Service/ | Kriegsmarine |
| Rank | Korvettenkapitän |
| Commands held | U-29 U-160 1. U-Boot-Lehrdivision |
| Battles/wars | Battle of the Atlantic |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Whist aboard the U-29 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Otto Schuhart the crew sunk a total of 12 ships, including the British aircraft carrier HMS Courageous. Lassen became commander of U-29 on 3 January 1941 when Otto Schuhart was reassigned as a training instructor. The U-29 was under Lassen's command until from 3 January 1941 to 14 September 1941 during which the submarine was a training boat attached to the 24th (Training) Flotilla.
After his stint aboard the U-29, he was assigned command of U-160. On his first patrol with the crew of U-160 they sank and damaged a total of 6 vessels during the time between March and April 1942. A year later aboard U-160 during a patrol in South African waters Lassen and his crew sank and/or damaged 6 ships in under 5 hours. Lassen received the Oak Leaves for his Iron Cross for his success during the South African patrol.
In June 1943, Lassen was reassigned as a tactics instructor with the 1. U-Boot Lehrdivision, the same training division his former commander Otto Schuhart was reassigned to earlier.[1]
Lassen became a businessman after the war and later worked as a managing director for a large company. In a traffic accident he lost an arm. His wife died after 55 years of marriage. In old age he moved to a retirement home in Mallorca, where he died on 18 January 2012 at the age of 96.
Awards
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (5 April 1939)[2]
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (26 September 1939) & 1st Class (18 July 1940)[3]
- Memel Medal (26 October 1939)[3]
- U-boat War Badge (1939) (18 July 1940)[3]
- U-boat Front Clasp (22 October 1944)[3]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 10 August 1942 as Oberleutnant zur See and commander of U-160[4]
- Oak Leaves on 7 March 1943 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-160[4]
References
Citations
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "Georg Lassen". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 February 2007.
- Busch & Röll 2003, p. 234.
- Busch & Röll 2003, p. 235.
- Scherzer 2007, p. 495.
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.
- 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.