Karl-Hermann Schneidewind

Korvettenkapitän


Successes
1 ship sunk, total tonnage 1,564 GRT

Born  7 Mar 1907 Hann-Münden
Died  12 Oct 1965(58)


Ranks

1 Mar 1942 Korvettenkapitän

Decorations

  Iron Cross 2nd Class
  Iron Cross 1st Class
19 Apr 1945 German Cross in Gold

U-boat Commands

U-boatFromTo
U-1064 29 Jul 1944 9 May 1945   1 patrol (62 days) 

Karl-Hermann Schneidewind joined the Reichsmarine in 1927. He served in the Luftwaffe during 1942 and 1943, being promoted to Major. In Sep 1943 he transferred back to the Kriegsmarine with the rank of Korvettenkapitän, and underwent U-boat training from Sept 1943 to March 1944. This was followed by U-Boat Commander Training with the 3rd ULD and the 24th (Training) Flotilla until June 1944, when he began U-boat construction familiarization (Baubelehrung) in preparation for his first command (Busch & Röll, 1999).

He commissioned the type VIIC/41 U-boat U-1064 at Kiel on 19 July 1944, and after 5-6 months of working-up exercises in the Baltic (Busch & Röll, 1999), the boat and its crew were ready for active service in Jan 1945. KvrKpt. Schneidewind took the boat from Kiel to Norway, leaving Bergen for the first, and only, patrol on 7 Feb 1945 (Busch & Röll, 1997).

On 21 Feb 1945 U-1064 attacked convoy UR 155, claiming three ships sunk (17,000 tons total), but in fact only the Icelandic steamer Dettifoss (1,564 tons) was sunk (Rohwer, 1998).


Icelandic steamer Dettifoss sunk by U-1064 on 21 Feb 1945. Photo courtesy of Danish Maritime Museum, Elsinore

Unlike many U-boats at this time, U-1064 returned safely to port at Trondheim, Norway on 9 April, having spent 62 days at sea. A month later she was surrendered there (Waller & Niestlé, 2010).

Sources

Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II.
Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1997). Der U-Bootkrieg 1939-1945 (Band 2).
Niestlé, A. (1998). German U-boat losses during World War II.
Rohwer, J. (1998). Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two.

Patrol info for Karl-Hermann Schneidewind

 U-boat Departure Arrival  
1. U-1064 16 Jan 1945  Kiel  17 Jan 1945  Kalundborg   2 days
2. U-1064 22 Jan 1945  Kalundborg  23 Jan 1945  Horten   2 days
3. U-1064 29 Jan 1945  Horten  2 Feb 1945  Bergen   5 days
4. U-1064 7 Feb 1945  Bergen  9 Apr 1945  Trondheim  Patrol 1,62 days

Ships hit by Karl-Hermann Schneidewind

Date U-boat Name of ship Tons Nat. Convoy
21 Feb 1945U-1064 Dettifoss1,564isUR-155
 1,564

1 ship sunk (1,564 tons).

Legend
We have a picture of this vessel.

Media links


German U-boat Commanders of World War II

Busch, Rainer and Röll, Hans-Joachim

Listing of all U-boat commanders


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