Gerhard Bielig

Gerhard Bielig
Born (1916-04-28)28 April 1916
Berlin
Died 29 September 2004(2004-09-29) (aged 88)
Neuss
Allegiance  Weimar Republic
 Nazi Germany
Service/branch  Reichsmarine
 Kriegsmarine
Years of service 1934–45
Rank Kapitänleutnant (Ing.)
Unit cruiser Emden
cruiser Königsberg
U-20, U-103 and U-177
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Gerhard Bielig (28 April 1916 – 29 September 2004) was a German U-boat engineer (Ing.) in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Military career

Gerhard Bielig joined the Reichsmarine as a Seekadett on 26 September 1934.[Note 1] He was promoted to Fähnrich (Ing.) on 1 July 1935 and to Oberfähnrich (Ing.) on 1 January 1937. Bielig was transferred to the U-boat service in October 1937. Now a Leutnant (Ing.), he was posted to U-20 as chief engineer (German language: Leitender Ingenieur - LI). Bielig participated on eight patrols onboard of U-20. Oberleutnant (Ing.) Bielig left U-20 in March 1940 and was assigned to U-103 as chief engineer in July 1940. He went on five patrols with this U-boat. He left the boat as Kapitänleutnant (Ing.) in December 1941 only to be transferred to U-177 in March 1942. U-177 at the time was under command of Robert Gysae. Here he was bestowed with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 10 February 1943 after he saved the U-boat from severe depth charging. After two combat patrols he left U-177 in October 1943 again and became an instructor at the 2. Unterseeboots-Lehr-Division.

On 16 November 1944 he married Marianne Bastian. The marriage produced two sons, Detlef born 1948 and Frank born 1949.[1]

Summary of career

Awards

Promotions

1 April 1937: Leutnant (Ing.) (Second Lieutenant)[2]
1 April 1939: Oberleutnant (Ing.) (First Lieutenant)[2]

Notes

  1. ↑ The German Reichsmarine which was renamed the Kriegsmarine on 1 June 1935.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "Gerhard Bielig". Kriegsmarine Crew 34 (in German). Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Busch & Röll 2003, p. 318.
  3. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 42.
  4. ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 221.
  5. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 132.

Bibliography

  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (2003). Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939–1945 — Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [The U-Boat War 1939–1945 — The Knight's Cross Bearers of the U-Boat Force from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 978-3-8132-0515-2. 
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. 
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 

External links

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