U-201

 

Type VIIC
Built by Germaniawerft,
Commissioned: January 1941.
25 ships sunk for a total of 111.073 tons
Commanded by Kptlt. Adalbert Schnee
Born December 31, 1913
Died 4 November, 1982

U-201 at seaSnowman emblem

The U-201 left Brest on June 27, 1942 on her seventh patrol. Even before she had joined the wolf pack, U-201 had scored her first success on the 14,000 ton liner Avila Star. U-201 sank a further five vessels before she returned to Brest on August 8, 1942. This was the last voyage for her commander until September 1944, when he commanded U-2511, the first and only operational "Elektro-boot".

Fate:
On February 17 , 1943 in in the North Atlantic (50.50N, 40.50W), the U-201 was sunk by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Viscount. There were no survivors from the crew of 49.

Kptlt. Adalbert Schnee

The Commander's name, 'Schnee', means 'Snow' in German. Consequently, a snowman was the natural emblem to be painted on the conning tower of U-201. When he received the Knights Cross, this was added to the emblem also (top right).