Karl-Heinz Wiebe

Karl-Heinz Wiebe (10 April 1916 – 1 December 2012) was a German chief engineer on a U-boat in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career
Wiebe was born on 10 April 1916 in Kiel, at the time in the Province of Schleswig-Holstein, a province of the Kingdom of Prussia. He joined the Reichsmarine on 3 April 1935 as an engineering cadet and underwent basic military training in the 4th company, 2nd department (4. Kompanie/II. Abteilung) of the standing ship division (Schiffsstammdivision) of the Baltic Sea in Stralsund. He was transferred to a U-boat training course for chief engineers (Leitender Ingenieur abbreviated LI) on 10 October 1939. Following this training on 9 December 1939 he was made chief engineer on GS U-9 (1935). Shortly later Wolfgang Lüth took command of U-9 on 30 December 1939. Together they sailed on six war patrols, sinking eight ships, including the French submarine Doris for which Wiebe was awarded both classes of the Iron Cross.

Awards

 * Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (5 April 1939)
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (18 February 1940)
 * 1st Class (30 May 1940)
 * U-boat War Badge (1939) (21 March 1940)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 22 May 1944 as Kapitänleutnant (Ing.) and chief engineer on U-178