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Model of U-2511, a type XXI boat

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Berühmte Schiffe des Zweiten Weltkrieges
Ellis, Chris

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Allied Warships

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Ranks 3 Apr 1907 Seekadett 21 Apr 1908 Fähnrich zur See 28 Sep 1910 Leutnant zur See 27 Sep 1913 Oberleutnant zur See 16 Nov 1917 Kapitänleutnant 1 Oct 1933 Korvettenkapitän 15 May 1935 Fregattenkapitän 1 Oct 1937 Kapitän zur See 1 Dec 1942 Konteradmiral Decorations Iron Cross 2nd class Iron Cross 1st class

Notes

Werner Fürbringer entered the Navy as a marine in Seekadett April 3 1907 by attending the basic course on the training ship SMS Charlotte until March 31 1908. He attended the Naval Academy from April 1, 1908 September 30, 1909, being promoted Fähnrich zur See (21/04/1908). The light cruiser SMS Roon participated in the Asian mission from 1909 to November 1910 being promoted to Leutnant zur See (28/09/1910), when back home was assigned to the armoured cruiser SMS Scharnhost until November 1912. At his request and then got to participate in the course Submarine lasting three months, after which it was shipped as wacht officer on the boat school SM U-1 from January to August 1913.

Promoted to Oberleutnant zur See (27.09.1913) was transferred with the same position on the new submarine oceanic SM U-20 under the U-Boote III Flotilla under the command of Kptlt. Otto Dröscher and Walther Schwiger beginning his war career.

In February 1915 he obtained his first command on the submarine SM UB-2 serving in Flanders Flotilla. Throughout the war he continued to be seconded to this group commanding various units including submarines also two mine-laying, earning accolades with a total of 106,914 tons, sank 102 merchant ships. He was promoted Kapitänleutnant November 16, 1917, and while he was in command of his latest submarine SM UB 110 was attacked with depth charges, 19 July 1918 off the coast of Scarborough and damaged, was forced to re-emerge and finally sunk by HMS Garry. 13 of the crew members were killed and he was captured along with the survivors. Returning from the prison was placed at the disposal of the Naval Command in Kiel until March 1920, when he retired from active service. From 1 January 1927 to 30 September 1933 he was appointed civilian employee at the Naval Command. Promoted Korvettenkapitän October 1, 1933, was taken into service as an instructor and consultant to the Submarine School until 1938 he is also in the last months of 1937 also served as commander of the department and promoted to Kapitän zur See.

Placed at the disposal of the Supreme Command of the Navy, he was awarded in 1938 the position of Chief of the Statistical Office of the Navy and later in 1939 like Chief of Exports of Armaments. At the beginning of the II world war, he was appointed commander of Submarine Defense Department of the Supreme Command of the Navy, which he held until October 31 1942, promoted Konteradmiral when he was appointed Inspector of Armaments of the Eastern Territories. On June 30, 1943 obtained the leave. He died at 94 years in the hometown of Brunswick on 8 Feb. 1982.

His older brother, Gerhardt Fürbringer, was also a U-boat Commander. He was captured when his U-40 was sunk on 23 June 1915.

Thoughts on submarine warfare prior to 1939
In the period immediately prior to the Second World War, Fübringer seems to have written a memorandum (cited in Padfield’s War Beneath the Sea, 1995 ed. p.48) arguing against a U-boat war against England until a way could be found to render U-boats immune to ASDIC, arguing that to commit the valuable U-boat crews [to such a war] would be irresponsible. Moreover, he argued that naval air power would be necessary to destroy convoy escorts and that in the future the roles of the navy and air forces would be so interconnected that these elements must be welded into unity by the outbreak of the war if heavy failures are not to result.