Horst Hofmann

Horst Hofmann
File:Horst Hofmann.jpg
Born	(1919-01-18)18 January 1919 Cranzahl, Erzgebirge
Died	Lübeck
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1937–45
Rank	Obersteuermann
Unit	U-48, U-134, U-672
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of the Atlantic
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Horst Hofmann (18 January 1919 in Cranzahl, Erzgebirge – 14 June 1978 in Lübeck) was a watch officer and coxswain on a Kriegsmarine U-boat 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.

Hofmann sailed on nine war patrols on U-48 under the commands of Herbert Schultze, Hans Rudolf Rösing and Heinrich Bleichrodt, on seven war patrols on U-134 under the command of Rudolf Schendel, and four war patrols on U-672 under the command of Ulf Lawaetz. He and the entire crew of U-672 were taken prisoner of war when U-672 was sunk on 18 July 1944 following an attack from the frigate HMS Balfour. This action took place in the English Channel north of Guernsey at position .

Awards

• U-boat War Badge (1939)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (25 February 1940)
  • 1st Class (30 August 1940)
• German Cross in Gold on 1 April 1943 as Oberbootsmannsmaat on U-134/3. Unterseebootsflottille
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 May 1944 as Obersteuermann and coxwain and watch officer on U-672

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). 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. "Horst Hofmann". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
• "Horst Hofmann". Lexikon der Wehrmacht (in German). Retrieved 16 March 2014.CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)