Werner Hartmann

Kapitän zur See (Crew 21)

Successes
26 ships sunk, total tonnage 115,337 GRT

Born	11 Dec 1902		Silstedt, Harz
Died	26 Apr 1963	(60)	Ussel / Waldeck, Germany

Werner Hartmann wearing his Knights Cross

Ranks

1 Apr 1923		Fähnrich zur See
1 Oct 1925		Leutnant zur See
1 Jul 1927		Oberleutnant zur See
1 Oct 1933		Kapitänleutnant
1 Jul 1937		Korvettenkapitän
1 Apr 1941		Fregattenkapitän
1 Apr 1943		Kapitän zur See

Decorations

8 Nov 1939		Iron Cross 2nd Class
8 Nov 1939		Iron Cross 1st Class
7 Dec 1939		U-boat War Badge 1939
9 May 1940		Knights Cross
5 Nov 1944		Knights Cross with Oak Leaves

U-boat Commands

U-boat	From	To
U-26	11 May 1936	30 Sep 1938	No war patrols
U-37	25 Sep 1939	6 May 1940	3 patrols (86 days)
U-198	3 Nov 1942	15 Jan 1944	1 patrol (200 days)

Werner Hartmann spent the first years of his career as commander of the torpedo boats Seeadler and Albatros. In 1935 he transferred to the U-boat arm and remained there through the end of World War II. With his first U-boat, U-26, he patrolled in Spanish waters during the Spanish Civil War in 1937-38. I WO on board was the later famous Oberleutnant z. S. Günther Prien.

During the first months of the war Hartmann was Commander both of U-37 and of the 2nd Flotilla. In October 1939 an attempt was made to direct a wolfpack from another U-boat at sea. This leader was Korvkpt. Hartmann. But this strategy proved inefficient, and BdU decided henceforth to direct the boats from land.

After only three patrols Hartmann received the Knights Cross. Then for six months he was I. Asto in the BdU-staff. In November 1940 he became the commander of the 2nd ULD and a year later took command of the 27th Flotilla in Gotenhafen.

In November 1942 he took over one of the large type IXD2 boats and completed with U-198 the third longest (200 days) patrol ever undertaken.

In 1944 he became FdU Mittelmeer (FdU Mediterranean) and in this function received the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves.

Left: Werner Hartmann (left) just back from his incredible patrol.

After the war he spent several years in the Bundesmarine (German postwar Navy). He retired as Kapitän zur See.

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.

Patrol info for Werner Hartmann

	U-boat	Departure		Arrival
1.	U-37	5 Oct 1939	Wilhelmshaven	8 Nov 1939	Wilhelmshaven	Patrol 1,	35 days
2.	U-37	28 Jan 1940	Wilhelmshaven	27 Feb 1940	Wilhelmshaven	Patrol 2,	31 days
3.	U-37	30 Mar 1940	Wilhelmshaven	18 Apr 1940	Wilhelmshaven	Patrol 3,	20 days
4.	U-198	9 Mar 1943	Kiel	24 Sep 1943	Bordeaux	Patrol 4,	200 days
4 patrols, 286 days at sea

Ships hit by Werner Hartmann

Date	U-boat	Name of ship	Tons		Convoy
8 Oct 1939	U-37	Vistula	1,018	sw
12 Oct 1939	U-37	Aris	4,810	gr
15 Oct 1939	U-37	Vermont	5,186	fr
17 Oct 1939	U-37	Yorkshire	10,183	br	HG-3
24 Oct 1939	U-37	Menin Ridge	2,474	br
24 Oct 1939	U-37	Ledbury	3,528	br
24 Oct 1939	U-37	Tafna	4,413	br
30 Oct 1939	U-37	Thrasyvoulos	3,693	gr

4 Feb 1940	U-37	Hop	1,365	nw
4 Feb 1940	U-37	Leo Dawson	4,330	br
10 Feb 1940	U-37	Silja	1,259	nw
11 Feb 1940	U-37	Togimo	290	br
15 Feb 1940	U-37	Aase	1,206	da
17 Feb 1940	U-37	Pyrrhus	7,418	br	OG-18
18 Feb 1940	U-37	Ellin	4,917	gr
18 Feb 1940	U-37	P.L.M. 15	3,754	fr	65-KS
10 Apr 1940	U-37	Sveaborg	9,076	sw
10 Apr 1940	U-37	Tosca	5,128	nw
12 Apr 1940	U-37	Stancliffe	4,511	br

17 May 1943	U-198	Northmoor	4,392	br	LMD-17
29 May 1943	U-198	Hopetarn	5,231	br
5 Jun 1943	U-198	Dumra	2,304	br
6 Jun 1943	U-198	William King	7,176	am
6 Jul 1943	U-198	Hydraios	4,476	gr
7 Jul 1943	U-198	Leana	4,742	br
1 Aug 1943	U-198	Mangkalihat	8,457	nl	BC-2
			115,337
26 ships sunk (115,337 tons). Legend We have a picture of this vessel.