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Born	28 Sep 1905		Wilhelmshaven
Died	16 Dec 2004	(99)	Kiel, Germany

Hans Rudolf Rösing

Ranks 1 Apr 1925 Seekadett 1 Apr 1926 Fähnrich zur See 1 May 1928 Oberfähnrich zur See 1 Oct 1928 Leutnant zur See 1 Apr 1930 Oberleutnant zur See 1 Apr 1935 Kapitänleutnant 1 Jul 1939 Korvettenkapitän 1 Feb 1943 Fregattenkapitän 1 Mar 1943 Kapitän zur See Decorations 13 Feb 1940 Iron Cross 2nd Class 3 Jul 1940 Iron Cross 1st Class 29 Aug 1940 Knights Cross

Hans Rudolf Rösing

Hans Rudolf Rösing began his naval career in March 1924. He served on the light cruisers Nymphe and Königsberg in the late 1920s.

In 1930 and 1931 Oblt. Rösing was one of a handful of Reichsmarine officers who secretly served as crewmembers on foreign-built submarines. This was the only means for the future U-boat force to gain experience at sea.

After two years as commander on S-15 and S-3, and two years in the U-Boot-Abwehr-Schule (to become the U-boat school), in September 1935 he commissioned the newly built U-11. He commanded the U-boat for two years. During early 1937 he made a patrol with U-35 to Ponta Delgada in the Azores.

Beginning in October 1937 he spent one year in the Torpedoerprobungskommando (TEK), where new torpedoes were tested. In December 1938 he became the commander of the 5th U-Flotilla (Flotilla Emsmann). After a week in the BdU staff he became the commander of the 7th Flotilla in January 1940.

In May 1940 Rösing took over command of U-48 from Kptlt. Herbert Schultze. On the next two patrols, mostly in the North Atlantic, he sank 12 ships with a total of 60,701 tons and after his second patrol received the Knights Cross.

From September 1940 to February 1941 he served as the liaison U-boat officer to the Italian submarines in Bordeaux (Betasom). From March to August 1941 he was the commander of the 3rd Flotilla, before serving for some months in the BdU staff.

Konteradmiral Hans Rudolf Rösing

In July 1942 he became the FdU West, where he was responsible for all U-boats stationed in France (except the Mediterranean). In Fall 1944 he moved to Norway, where he continued to serve in this position.

After the surrender he spent more than a year in Allied captivity.

In 1956 he joined the Bundesmarine, in 1957 becoming commander of the Marine-Abschnittskommando Nordsee (Navy section command North Sea). In 1962 he was named Befehlshaber im Wehrbereich I (Chief of Military District I).

Hans Rudolf Rösing retired in 1965 as Konteradmiral. In 1966 he was decorated for his postwar achievements with the Bundesverdienstkreuz (Federal Merit Cross).

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).
Rohwer, J. (1998). Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two.

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