Siegfried Koitschka

Siegfried Koitschka
File:File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101II-MW-3676-28, St. Nazaire, Uboot U 552.jpg Koitschka, as 1st watch officer, next to Erich Topp (white cap)
Born	(1917-08-06)6 August 1917
Died	17 May 2002(2002-05-17) (aged 84)
Place of birth	Siebitz, district of Bautzen
Place of death	Lohra
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1937–1945
Rank	Kapitänleutnant
Unit	SSS Gorch Fock cruiser Emden cruiser Admiral Hipper U-552
Commands held	U-7 U-616
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of the Atlantic (1939-1945)
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other work	Veterinary in Lohra, district Marburg-Biedenkopf

Dr. med. vet. Siegfried Koitschka (6 August 1917 – 17 May 2002) was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He is credited with the sinking of the USS Buck (DD-420).

Before taking command of his first U-boat, Koitschka served as watch officer on U-552 under the command of Erich Topp. Koitschka and his entire crew were taken prisoner of war following the scuttling of U-616 on 17 May 1944. U-616 sank in position 36°46′N 00°52′E after three days of sustained depth charging from the US destroyers USS Nields, USS Gleaves, USS Ellyson, USS Macomb, USS Hambleton, USS Rodman and USS Emmons, and by depth charges from a British Vickers Wellington aircraft from No. 36 Squadron.

Summary of career

Ships attacked

Date	Name of Ship	Nationality	Tonnage	Fate
9 October 1943	USS Buck	USA	1,570	Sunk
11 October 1943	HMS LCT-553	United Kingdom	611	Sunk
14 May 1944	Fort Fidler	United Kingdom	7,127	Damaged
14 May 1944	G.S. Walden	United Kingdom	10,627	Damaged

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (8 May 1941)
  • 1st Class (7 October 1941)
• U-boat War Badge (1939) (8 May 1941)
• German Cross in Gold on 19 November 1943 as Oberleutnant zur See on U-616/29. Unterseeboots-Flottille
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 January 1944 as Oberleutnant zur See and commander of U-616

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Busch, Hans-Joachim; Röll (2003) (in German). Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939-1945 - Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [The U-Boat War 1939-1945 - The Knight's Cross Bearers of the U-Boat Force from September 1939 to May 1945]. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 978-3-8132-0515-2. 
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches]. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
• Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knight's Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service. Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-88740-748-2. 
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001) (in German). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2]. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. 
• Range, Clemens (1974). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Navy]. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-87943-355-1. 
• Scherzer, Veit (2007) (in German). 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives]. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
• Williamson, Gordon & Bujeiro, Ramiro (2005). Knight's Cross and Oak Leaves Recipients 1941-45. Osprey Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84176-642-9.

External links

• "Siegfried Koitschka". uboat.net. http://uboat.net/men/koitschka.htm. Retrieved 26 October 2013. 
• "Siegfried Koitschka" (in German). Lexikon der Wehrmacht. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/K/KoitschkaS.htm. Retrieved 26 October 2013.