Gerhard Schaar

Gerhard Schaar
File:Gerhard Schaar.jpg
Born	(1919-03-05)5 March 1919 Berlin
Died	Maseru, Lesotho
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1937–45
Rank	Kapitänleutnant
Unit	SSS Albert Leo Schlageter cruiser Emden destroyer Z12 Erich Giese U-704
Commands held	U-957, U-2551
Battles/wars	World War II Battles of Narvik Battle of the Atlantic
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other work	German Ambassador to Lesotho

Gerhard Schaar (5 March 1919 – 24 January 1983) was a German U-boat commander 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.

Summary of career

Ships attacked

Gerhard Schaar as commander of U-957 sank two merchant ships totalling 7,564 gross register tons (GRT) plus sinking two warships of 604 metric tons (594 long tons; 666 short tons).

Date	Ship	Nationality	Tonnage	Fate
26 January 1944	Fort Bellingham	United Kingdom	7,153	Sunk
	USS PTC-38	United States Navy	54	Sunk
26 August 1944	Nord	Soviet Navy	411	Sunk
23 September 1944	Brilliant	Soviet Navy	550	Sunk

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (15 May 1940)
  • 1st Class (15 May 1940)
• Destroyer War Badge (19 October 1940)
• Narvik Shield (20 October 1940)
• German Cross in Gold on 14 February 1944 as Oberleutnant zur See on U-957/11. Unterseeboots-Flottille
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 1 October 1944 as Oberleutnant zur See and commander of U-957

References

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 (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 978-3-8132-0515-2. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knight's Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-88740-748-2.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• Range, Clemens (1974). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-87943-355-1.
• 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "Gerhard Schaar". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
• "Gerhard Schaar". Lexikon der Wehrmacht (in German). Retrieved 30 September 2013.CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)