Engelbert Endrass (german: Engelbert Endraß) (2 March 1911 – 21 December 1941) was a German

U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare ro ...

commander in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. He commanded the and the , being credited with sinking 22 ships on ten patrols, for a total of of Allied shipping, to purportedly become the 23rd highest claiming U-boat commander of World War II. He was a recipient of the

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight' ...

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

. It was Germany's highest military decoration at the time of its presentation to Endrass.

Early life and career

Endrass began his naval career in April 1935. After some months on the cruiser and service on escort ships, he was assigned in October 1937 to the

force. He joined in December 1938 as ''

Leutnant zur See ''Leutnant zur See'' (''Lt zS'' or ''LZS'') is the lowest officer rank in the German Navy. It is grouped as OF1 in NATO, equivalent to an Ensign in the United States Navy, and an Acting Sub-Lieutenant in the British Royal Navy. The rank was int ...

''.

World War II

Engelbert Endrass was Watch Officer when his commanding officer,

Günther Prien Günther Prien (16 January 1908 – presumed 8 March 1941) was a German U-boat commander during World War II. He was the first U-boat commander to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the first member of the ''Kriegsmarine'' to r ...

penetrated the defences at Scapa Flow attack and sank the battleship in October 1939. The snorting bull emblem on ''U-47''s conning tower was painted by Endrass before they returned. Endrass painted this symbol on all subsequent boats on which he served. The reason, given by Endrass for this, was the sight of Prien's demeanour as U-47 entered Scapa Flow, "his frowning face and hunched shoulders reminded him of a bull in a ring." Endrass remained on ''U-47'' until May 1940, when he left and took over command of from the relatively unsuccessful Herbert Sohler, who had only sunk two ships in five patrols. Endrass had immediate success. He sank the British

auxiliary cruiser An armed merchantman is a merchant ship equipped with guns, usually for defensive purposes, either by design or after the fact. In the days of sail, piracy and privateers, many merchantmen would be routinely armed, especially those engaging in ...

on his first patrol. The patrol yielded over 4,000 tons. Endrass' success continued on his second patrol with ''U-46'', sinking five more ships, including another British auxiliary cruiser, although the main periscope was damaged. The ship carried 23,225 steel drums and 2,700 wooden barrels and 440 tons of timber. Endrass was forced to use three torpedoes, for the drums fitted to British ships in this period was done so deliberately to provide extra

ballast Ballast is material that is used to provide stability to a vehicle or structure. Ballast, other than cargo, may be placed in a vehicle, often a ship or the gondola of a balloon or airship, to provide stability. A compartment within a boat, ship ...

. It made sinking them more difficult and more expensive in munitions expenditure. Her loss prompted

Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches was the commander of a major operational command of the Royal Navy during World War II. The admiral commanding, and his forces, sometimes informally known as 'Western Approaches Command,' were responsib ...

Martin Dunbar-Nasmith Admiral Sir Martin Eric Dunbar-Nasmith, (1 April 1883 – 29 June 1965) was a Royal Navy officer and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth force ...

to order all

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...

–bound ships to remain in convoy until past the

Mull of Kintyre The Mull of Kintyre is the southwesternmost tip of the Kintyre Peninsula (formerly ''Cantyre'') in southwest Scotland. From here, the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland is visible on a calm and clear day, and a historic lighthouse, the second ...

. 277 survivors were rescued by HMS ''Harvester'' and HMS ''Primrose''. Endrass and six other U-boats intercepted

Convoy SC 7 SC 7 was the code name for a large Allied World War II convoy of 35 merchant ships and six escorts, which sailed eastbound from Sydney, Nova Scotia, for Liverpool and other United Kingdom ports on 5 October 1940. While crossing the Atlantic, ...

and sank many ships. ''U-46'' sank three during the three-day battle. The commander followed this up with an attack on

Convoy HX 79 HX 79 was an Allied North Atlantic convoy of the HX series which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It suffered major losses from a U-boat attack, and, with the attack on convoy SC 7 the previous day, represents the wors ...

, sinking two ships. Five patrols later he received the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross. The presentation was made on 30 June 1941 by Adolf Hitler at the ''Führer'' Headquarters ''

Wolfsschanze The ''Wolf's Lair'' (german: Wolfsschanze; pl, Wilczy Szaniec) served as Adolf Hitler's first Eastern Front military headquarters in World War II. The headquarters was located in the Masurian woods, near the small village of Görlitz in Ost ...

'' (Wolf's Lair) in Rastenburg (now Kętrzyn in Poland). In September 1941 Endrass left ''U-46'', which would become a training vessel, and a month later took over . On his second patrol, he was killed on 21 December 1941 while operating against Convoy HG 76, when ''U-567'' was sunk with all hands by depth charges from the British sloop and corvette , northeast of the

Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

Awards

Wehrmacht Long Service Award The Wehrmacht Long Service Award () was a military service decoration of Nazi Germany issued for satisfactory completion of a number of years in military service. History On 16 March, 1936, Adolf Hitler ordered the institution of a service awar ...

4th Class (5 April 1939) *

Spanish Cross The Spanish Cross (german: Spanien-Kreuz) was an award of Nazi Germany given to German troops who participated in the Spanish Civil War, fighting for nationalist general, later Spanish caudillo, Francisco Franco. History With the outbreak o ...

(6 June 1939) *

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...

(1939) ** 2nd Class (25 September 1939) ** 1st Class (17 October 1939) *

U-boat War Badge The U-boat War Badge (german: U-Boot-Kriegsabzeichen) was a German war badge that was awarded to U-boat crew members during World War I and World War II. History The ''U-boat War Badge'' was originally instituted during the First World War on Feb ...

(1939) (19 December 1939); with Diamonds (18 July 1941) *Italian

Croce di Guerra The War Cross for Military Valor ( it, Croce di Guerra al Valor Militare) is an Italian order for military valor. Established in 1922, the cross may be awarded only in time of war. Appearance The medal is a Greek cross made of copper. Inscri ...

with Swords (1 November 1941) *

**Knight's Cross on 5 September 1940 as ''

Oberleutnant zur See ''Oberleutnant zur See'' (''OLt zS'' or ''OLZS'' in the German Navy, ''Oblt.z.S.'' in the '' Kriegsmarine'') is traditionally the highest rank of Lieutenant in the German Navy. It is grouped as OF-1 in NATO. The rank was introduced in the Imp ...

'' and commander of ''U-46'' **14th Oak Leaves on 10 June 1941 as ''

Kapitänleutnant ''Kapitänleutnant'', short: KptLt/in lists: KL, ( en, captain lieutenant) is an officer grade of the captains' military hierarchy group () of the German Bundeswehr. The rank is rated OF-2 in NATO, and equivalent to Hauptmann in the Heer an ...

'' and commander of ''U-46''

References

Citations

Bibliography

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External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Endrass, Engelbert 1911 births 1940s missing person cases 1941 deaths German military personnel killed in World War II German military personnel of the Spanish Civil War People from Bamberg People from the Kingdom of Bavaria People who died at sea Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Reichsmarine personnel U-boat commanders (Kriegsmarine) Captains who went down with the ship Military personnel from Bavaria