German submarine U-2 (1935)

	U-2 in Kiel, in 1935
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-2
Ordered	2 February 1935
Builder	Deutsche Werke, Kiel
Cost	1,500,000 Reichsmark
Yard number	237
Laid down	11 February 1935
Launched	1 June 1935
Commissioned	25 June 1935
Stricken	9 April 1944
Fate	Sunk after a collision west of Pillau, 8 April 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	IIA
Type	Coastal submarine
Displacement	list error: <br /> list (help); 254 t (250 long tons) ↑; 303 t (298 long tons) ↓
Length	40.9 m (134 ft 2 in)
Beam	4.08 m (13 ft 5 in)
Draft	3.83 m (12 ft 7 in)
Propulsion	list error: <br /> list (help); 2 × propeller shafts; 2 × MWM four-stroke diesel engines, 700 shp (520 kW); 2 × Siemens-Schuckert electric motor, 360 shp (270 kW)
Speed	list error: <br /> list (help); 13 knots (24 km/h) ↑; 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h) ↓
Range	list error: <br /> list (help); 1,050 nautical miles (1,940 km; 1,210 mi) @ 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) ↑; 35 nmi (65 km; 40 mi) @ 4 knots ↓
Test depth	80 m (260 ft)
Complement	3 officers, 22 men
Armament	list error: <br /> list (help); 3 × 53.3 cm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes; 5 × torpedoes; 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	list error: <br /> list (help); Kriegsmarine; U-Boat Training Flotilla; 21st U-boat Flotilla
Identification codes:	M 27 610
Commanders:	list error: <br /> list (help); Oblt. Hermann Michahelles; (25 July 1935–30 September 1936); Kptlt. Heinrich Liebe; (1 October 1936–31 January 1938); Oblt. Herbert Schultze; (31 January–16 March 1938); Kptlt. Helmut Rosenbaum; (17 March 1939–5 August 1940); Oblt. Hans Heidtmann; (7 July–5 August 1940) (deputy); Kptlt. Georg von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff; (6 August–October 1941); Karl Kölzer; (October 1941–15 May 1942); Oblt. Werner Schwaff; (16 May–19 November 1942); Oblt. Helmut Herglotz; (20 November–12 December 1943); Oblt. Wolfgang Schwarzkopf; (13 December 1943–8 April 1944)
Operations:	list error: <br /> list (help); Two:; 1st patrol:; 15–29 March 1940; 2nd patrol:; 4–8 April 1940
Victories:	No ships sunk or damaged

German submarine U-2 was a Type IIA U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine. Her keel was laid down 11 February 1935 by Deutsche Werke of Kiel as 'Werk' 237; she was launched on 1 July and commissioned on 25 July 1935 with Oberleutnant zur See (Oblt.) Hermann Michahelles in command.

Service history

She had several commanders over her long career. Michahelles was relieved on 30 September 1936, by Kapitänleutnant (Kptlt.) Heinrich Liebe. Liebe turned command over on 31 January 1938 to Oblt. Herbert Schultze. On 16 March 1939, Kptlt. Helmut Rosenbaum assumed command and on 7 July 1940, Oblt. Hans Heidtmann joined Rosenbaum as deputy commander. On 6 August 1940, Georg von Wilamowitz-Moellendorf relieved Rosenbaum and Heidtmann and commanded until October 1941 when Karl Kölzer took over. On 16 May 1942, Oblt. Werner Schwaff relieved Kölzer, and on 20 November 1942, was relieved by Oblt. Helmut Herglotz. On 12 December 1943, Oblt. Wolfgang Schwarzkopf took over and commanded the boat until she was lost.

She was used as a school boat and trainer for her entire career except for two completely uneventful combat patrols in early 1940.

Fate

U-2 suffered no casualties to any of her numerous crews until 8 April 1944 when she collided with the German steam trawler Helmi Söhle^{[Note 1]} west of Pillau (today's Baltiysk, Russia) and sank. Seventeen of her crew died; 18 survived. The wreck was raised the next day and stricken.

Notes

^ Gröner names the vessel involved in the collision as Hinrich Freese, which according to other sources had already sunk on 16 November 1940[1].

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r Gröner 1985, p. 67.
^ Rössler 1979, p. 99.
^ ^a ^b ^c Gröner 1985, p. 69.

Bibliography

Gröner, Erich (1985). U-Boote, Hilfskreuzer, Minenschiffe, Netzleger, Sperrbrecher. Vol. III. Koblenz: Bernhard&Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-4802-4. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
Rössler, Eberhard (1979). U-Bootbau bis Ende des 1. Weltkrieges, Konstruktionen für das Ausland und die Jahre 1935 - 1945. Vol. I. Munich: Bernhard&Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-5213-7. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

v t e German Type II submarines
Type IIA	U-1 U-2 U-3 U-4 U-5 U-6
Type IIB	U-7 U-8 U-9 U-10 U-11 U-12 U-13 U-14 U-15 U-16 U-17 U-18 U-19 U-20 U-21 U-22 U-23 U-24 U-120 U-121
Type IIC	U-56 U-57 U-58 U-59 U-60 U-61 U-62 U-63
Type IID	U-137 U-138 U-139 U-140 U-141 U-142 U-143 U-144 U-145 U-146 U-147 U-148 U-149 U-150 U-151 U-152
Preceded by: Type I Followed by: Type VII List of U-boats of Germany