Karl-Heinrich Harlfinger

Kapitänleutnant (Crew 35)

No ships sunk or damaged.

Born	2 Aug 1915		Jena
Died	21 Mar 1944	(28)	La Baule, France

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Ranks

25 Sep 1935		Seekadett
1 Jul 1936		Fähnrich zur See
1 Feb 1939		Leutnant zur See
1 Oct 1940		Oberleutnant zur See
1 Oct 1943		Kapitänleutnant

U-boat Commands

U-boat	From	To
U-269	19 Aug 1942	29 Apr 1943	1 patrol (32 days)
U-269	5 Sep 1943	21 Mar 1944 (+)	1 patrol (42 days)

Karl-Heinrich Harlfinger committed suicide on 21 March 1944 (Busch & Röll, 1999). He was a member of Crew 1935 but his commissioning as a Leutnant zur See was delayed, resulting in his promotions through the officer ranks being with Crew 1936.

Harlfinger shot himself in Hotel Majestic in La Baule, France. He was actually a life-affirming man who contracted a sexually transmitted disease. Commander of the 6th Flotilla - Carl Emmermann - decided to pass on punishment for the matter. Harlfinger feared military punishment and service dismissal and stigma and decided to end his life.

Special thanks to Mr. Fernando Almeida for details on date of death.

Patrol info for Karl-Heinrich Harlfinger

	U-boat	Departure		Arrival
1.	U-269	16 Mar 1943	Kiel	21 Mar 1943	Bergen		6 days
2.	U-269	23 Mar 1943	Bergen	23 Apr 1943	Narvik	Patrol 1,	32 days
3.	U-269	24 Apr 1943	Narvik	27 Apr 1943	Bergen		4 days
4.	U-269	5 Sep 1943	Skjomenfjord	8 Sep 1943	Bergen		4 days
5.	U-269	4 Nov 1943	Bergen	15 Dec 1943	St. Nazaire	Patrol 2,	42 days
2 patrols, 74 days at sea