Reinhold Saltzwedel

Reinhold Karl Albert Johannes Saltzwedel (23 November 1889 – 2 December 1917) was a successful and highly decorated German U-boat commander in the Kaiserliche Marine during World War I. He sank a total of 111 merchant vessels for 172,824 gross register tons (GRT). On 1 September 1936, his name was given to the 2nd U-boat Flotilla of the Kriegsmarine in Wilhelmshaven to honour him.

Reinhold Saltzwedel
Reinhold Saltzwedel
Born	23 November 1889 Rosen, Kreis Kreuzburg, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Died	2 December 1917(1917-12-02) (aged 28) English Channel, off the Isle of Wight, England
Allegiance	German Empire
Branch	Imperial German Navy
Rank	Oberleutnant zur See
Commands	UB-10, 13 January – 18 June 1916 UC-10, 14–26 June 1916 UC-11, 12–20 August 1916 UC-21, 15 September 1916 – 9 June 1917 UC-71, 10 June – 13 September 1917 UB-81, 18 September – 2 December 1917
Battles / wars	U-boat Campaign (World War I)
Awards	Iron Cross Pour le Mérite

Life

Early life

Reinhold Saltzwedel was born on 23 November 1889 in Rosen, Upper Silesia.^[1][2] His parents were pastor D. theol. Johannes Saltzwedel and his wife Marie, née Piper. In 1896, the family relocated to Stettin where the parents originally came from. Here, Reinhold attended school and achieved his Abitur in March 1908.

World War I

Saltzwedel was a Leutnant zur See when World War I broke out and Adjutant on the SMS Kaiser. On 19 September 1914, he was promoted to Oberleutnant zur See.^[2] In May 1915 he went to the U-boat school. Shortly afterwards, he served as commander of several U-boats.

On 29 March 1917, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords, on 20 August 1917, he was awarded the Pour le Mérite for his achievements.

On 18 September 1917, he became the commanding officer of UB-81, aboard which he died on 2 December after SM UB-81 ran into a mine.^[2] Twenty-nine men lost their lives.

Ace of the seas

Saltzwedel sank during his 22 patrols 111 ships with a total of 172,824 GRT and damaged another 10 ships with a total of 17,131 GRT (together 189,955 GRT). He damaged the French Q-ship "Normandy" and sank the British Q-ship HMS "Dunraven".