Herbert Schultze

Who was Herbert Schultze?

Captain Herbert Schultze, was a German U-boat commander of the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He commanded U-48 for eight patrols during the early part of the war, sinking 169,709 gross register tons and earning him eighth place on the Aces of the Deep list. Due to several incidents of openly broadcasting his sinkings to alert the Allies of the plight of the crews, he became quite a celebrity even on the allied side. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. It was Germany's highest military decoration at the time of its presentation to Herbert Schultze.