Götz Freiherr von Mirbach

Götz Freiherr von Mirbach
Born	(1915-09-12)12 September 1915 Berlin-Charlottenburg
Died	Hamburg
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1935–45
Rank	Korvettenkapitän
Commands held	9. Schnellbootflottille
Battles/wars	Spanish Civil War World War II Battle of Lyme Bay
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Erich Werner Siegfried Götz Freiherr von Mirbach (12 September 1915 – 6 August 1968) was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He is also a recipient of the coveted 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.

Von Mirbach was assigned to the 1. Schnellbootflottille attacking enemy shipping in the English Channel, sinking a British destroyer and three armed merchant vessels among others. His younger cousin, Oberleutnant Emmerich von Mirbach, served as the Engineering Officer on U-595. Götz Freiherr von Mirbach was later promoted to Korvettenkapitän and served as commander of the 9. Schnellbootflottille.

Von Mirbach participated in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. He was a member of the German 6 metre class sailing crew which finished in tenth place.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (30 April 1940)
  • 1st Class (28 May 1940)
• Service Award (Dienstauszeichnung) 4th Class (5 April 1939)
• German Cross in Gold on 10 November 1942 as Kapitänleutnant on S-48 in the 4. Schnellbootflottille
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 14 August 1940 as Oberleutnant zur See and commander of Schnellboot S-21 in the 1. Schnellbootflottille
  • 500th Oak Leaves on 14 June 1944 as Kapitänleutnant and chief of the 9. Schnellbootflottille
• Fast Attack Craft War Badge with Diamonds (14 June 1944)
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 28 April 1944

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
28 April 1944	Deutsche Schnellbootgruppen unter Führung von Korvettenkapitän Klug und Kapitänleutnant von Mirbach versenkten in den Morgenstunden des 28. April an der englischen Südküste aus einem von Zerstörern und zahlreichen Kleinkampfschiffen gesicherten Geleitzug drei Schiffe mit zusammen 9100 BRT und torpedierten ein weiteres von 200 BRT, mit dessen Sinken zu rechnen ist. Im Verlauf der harten Gefechte wurde ferner ein Zerstörer torpediert, dessen Untergang infolge der einsetzenden Abwehr nicht beobachtet werden konnte, jedoch mit Sicherheit anzunehmen ist. Die eigenen Verbände kehrten ohne Beschädigungen und Personalausfälle in ihre Stützpunkte zurück.	German fast attack crafts under the leadership of Korvettenkapitän Klug and Kapitänleutnant von Mirbach sank three ships for a total of 9100 GRT, another one of 200 GRT was torpedoed, its sinking is assumed, from a convoy, defended by destroyers and numerous smaller combat vessels, in the early morning hours of 28 April at the English southern coast. During the course of the hard fought battles a destroyer was torpedoed, its sinking could not be observed due to the defensive that had commenced, but is assumed with certainty. Our units returned to their stations without damage nor loss of personnel.

Footnotes

• ^a Regarding personal names: Freiherr is a former title (translated as Baron). In Germany since 1919, it forms part of family names. The feminine forms are Freifrau and Freiin.

External links

• Götz Freiherr von Mirbach @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht