Helmut Patzig

Oberleutnant zur See (Crew 4/10)

Successes
24 ships sunk with a total of 87,326 GRT
1 ship damaged with a total of 5,189 GRT

Born:	26 Oct 1890	Danzig
Died:	11 Mar 1984	Wiesbaden

Helmut Patzig in Kriegsmarine uniform

Ranks

1 Apr 1910		Seekadett
15 Apr 1911		Fähnrich zur See
27 Sep 1913		Leutnant zur See
22 Mar 1916		Oberleutnant zur See
22 Nov 1919		Out of naval service
21 Jan 1920		Kapitänleutnant (Charakter)

Decorations

11 May 1916		Iron Cross 2nd class
6 Mar 1917		Iron Cross 1st class
11 Jul 1918		Royal House Order of Hohenzollern

U-boat Commands

U 86	26 Jan 1918	-	11 Nov 1918
U 90	1 Aug 1918	-	31 Aug 1918

Notes

Helmut Brümmer-Patzig entered the Germany Navy as member of class 1910. He served on the pre-dreadnaught battleship Pommern until Nov 1915 when he switched to the U-boat force. He was a Watch Officer on U A (Scherb) and U 55 (Werner) from Nov 1915 to Sep 1917. Brümmer-Patzig commanded the WWI U-boat U 86 from Jan 1918 to Aug 1918 when he took command of U 90 until the Armistice on 11 Nov.

Helmut Brümmer-Patzig was successful as a WWI U-boat commander and sank 24 ships (89,318 GRT) and damaged one (5,189 GRT). See his WWII page.

Sinking of the hospital ship Llandovery Castle
One of the worst atrocities of the Naval war was is reported to have happened on 27 June, 1918, when SM U-86 (Oblt.z.S. Helmut Patzig), against international law and standing orders of the Imperial German Navy, sank the hospital ship LLandovery Castle. On top of that, he ordered his U-boat to ram the life boats and shot at the survivors. Of a crew of 258 of the LLandovery Castle only 24 survived. For this war crime, Patzig and his watch officers were tried after the war before a German court at Leipzig and were condemned to four years imprisonment. Patzig could not be found to be tried and his officers "escaped" on the way to labor camp.

After WWI

When the Second World War broke out he offered his service again, serving past his retirement age. Brümmer-Patzig served on the BdU staff from Feb to Jun 1940, then in several staff positions until he took command of the former Dutch boat UD 4 on 28 Jan 1941. he commanded that boat, no patrols, until 15 Oct 1941 when he again served in staff positions until retirement on 3 May 1945.

Sources

Busch, R & Röll, H-J. (1998). German U-boat commanders of World War II.

Ships hit by Helmut Patzig

Date	U-boat	Name of ship	Type of ship	Tons

14 Feb 1918	U 86	Bessie Stephens	Sailing vessel	119	br
17 Feb 1918	U 86	Pinewood	Steamer	2,219	br
19 Feb 1918	U 86	Wheatflower	Steamer	188	br
20 Feb 1918	U 86	Djerv	Steamer	1,527	br
23 Feb 1918	U 86	Ulabrand	Steamer	2,011	nw
30 Apr 1918	U 86	Kafue	Steamer	6,044	br
30 Apr 1918	U 86	Kempock	Steamer	255	br
2 May 1918	U 86	Medora	Steamer	5,135	br
5 May 1918	U 86	Tommi	Sailing vessel	138	br
6 May 1918	U 86	Leeds City	Steamer	4,298	br
11 May 1918	U 86	San Andres	Steamer	1,656	nw
12 May 1918	U 86	Inniscarra	Passenger steamer	1,412	br
16 May 1918	U 86	Tartary	Steamer	4,181	br
22 May 1918	U 86	Meran	Sailing vessel	656	nw
21 Jun 1918	U 86	Eglantine	Sailing vessel	339	nw
26 Jun 1918	U 86	Atlantian	Passenger steamer	9,399	br
27 Jun 1918	U 86	Llandovery Castle	Hospital ship	11,423	br
1 Jul 1918	U 86	Covington	Troopship	16,339	am
1 Jul 1918	U 86	Origen	Steamer	3,545	br
15 Aug 1918	U 90	Montanan	Steamer	6,659	am
15 Aug 1918	U 90	J. M. J.	Fishing vessel (sail)	54	fr
16 Aug 1918	U 90	West Bridge (d.)	Steamer	5,189	am
17 Aug 1918	U 90	Escrick	Steamer	4,151	br
17 Aug 1918	U 90	Joseph Cudahy	Tanker	3,302	am
24 Aug 1918	U 90	Graciosa	Sailing vessel	2,276	pt
				92,515
24 ships sunk (87,326 tons) and 1 ship damaged (5,189 tons). Legend (d.) means the ship was damaged. We have a picture of this vessel.