Georg Lassen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Georg Lassen
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| Born | 12 May 1915 Berlin-Steglitz, German Empire |
| Died | 18 January 2012 (aged 96) Mallorca, Spain |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service/ |
Kriegsmarine |
| Rank | Korvettenkapitän |
| Commands held | U-29 U-160 1. U-Boot-Lehrdivision |
| Battles/wars | Battle of the Atlantic |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Georg Lassen (12 May 1915 – 18 January 2012) was a German U-boat commander during World War II. He was a Watch Officer on U-29 at the outbreak of the war and later the skipper of the U-160 and recipient of the Knight’s Cross.
Whist aboard the U-29 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Otto Schuhart the crew sunk a total of 12 ships, including the British aircraft carrier HMS Courageous. Lassen became commander of U-29 on 3 January 1941 when Otto Schuhart was reassigned as a training instructor. The U-29 was under Lassen's command until from 3 January 1941 to 14 September 1941 during which the submarine was a training boat attached to the 24th (Training) Flotilla.
After his stint aboard the U-29, he was assigned command of U-160. On his first patrol with the crew of U-160 they sank and damaged a total of 6 vessels during the time between March and April 1942. A year later aboard U-160 during a patrol in South African waters Lassen and his crew sank and/or damaged 6 ships in under 5 hours. Lassen received the Oak Leaves for his Iron Cross for his success during the South African patrol.
In June 1943, Lassen was reassigned as a tactics instructor with the 1. U-Boot Lehrdivision, the same training division his former commander Otto Schuhart was reassigned to earlier.
Lassen became a businessman after the war and later worked as a managing director for a large company. In a traffic accident he lost an arm. His wife died after 55 years of marriage. In old age he moved to a retirement home in Mallorca, where he died on 18 January 2012 at the age of 96.
Awards
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (5 April 1939)
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (26 September 1939) & 1st Class (18 July 1940)
- Memel Medal (26 October 1939)
- U-boat War Badge (1939) (18 July 1940)
- U-boat Front Clasp (22 October 1944)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 10 August 1942 as Oberleutnant zur See and commander of U-160
- Oak Leaves on 7 March 1943 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-160
