Robert Gysae

{{Short description|German U-boat commander}} {{Infobox military person |name=Robert Gysae |birth_date={{birth date|1911|1|14|df=y}} |death_date={{death date and age|1989|4|26|1911|1|14|df=y}} |birth_place=[[Berlin]]-[[Charlottenburg]], [[German Empire]] |death_place=[[Wilhelmshaven]], [[West Germany]] |image=Robert Gysae.jpg |caption= |nickname= |allegiance={{flag|Weimar Republic}} {{flag|Nazi Germany}} {{flag|West Germany}} |branch={{navy|Weimar Republic}} {{navy|Nazi Germany}} {{navy|GER}} |service_years=1931–45 1956–70 |rank=''[[Korvettenkapitän]]'' (''Kriegsmarine''), ''[[Flottillenadmiral]]'' (''Bundesmarine'') |commands={{GS|U-98|1940|2}} {{GS|U-177||2}} |unit= |battles=[[Battle of the Atlantic]] |awards=[[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves]] |other_work= }}

'''Robert Karl Friedrich Gysae''' (14 January 1911 – 26 April 1989) was a German U-boat commander in the ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' during [[World War II]]. He was a recipient of the [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves]] of [[Nazi Germany]]. Gysae commanded {{GS|U-98|1940|2}} and {{GS|U-177||2}}, being credited with sinking twenty-five ships on eight patrols, for a total of {{GRT|146,815|disp=long}} of Allied shipping.

==Career== Gysae joined the ''Reichsmarine'' in 1931 and served on [[Schnellboot|torpedo boats]] before transferring to the ''U-Bootwaffe'' ("U-boat force") in April 1940. In October 1940 he was appointed commander of the [[German Type VII submarine|Type VIIC U-boat]] ''U-98'', unusually without serving any time as either 1.WO (''1. Wachoffizier'', "1st Watch Officer") or ''Kommandantenschüler'' ("Commander-in-Training") on any other U-boats. After six patrols in the north Atlantic in command of ''U-98'', in March 1942 he transferred to the [[German Type IX submarine|Type IXD2 U-boat]] ''U-177'' for another two patrols, this time operating off [[Union of South Africa|South Africa]] and [[Mozambique (Portugal)|Portuguese East Africa]]. He sank a total of 25 ships, including the [[armed merchant cruiser]] {{HMS|Salopian|F94|6}}.

On 28 November 1942 off the coast of [[Natal Province]], Gysae sank the 6,796 ton British troop ship {{RMS|Nova Scotia|1926|6}} with three [[torpedo]]es. She was carrying 780 Italians; a mixture of prisoners of war and civilian internees. Gysae rescued two survivors to identify the ship, who turned out to be Italian merchant sailors. Mindful of the [[Laconia Order]] issued two months previously, Gysae radioed the [[Befehlshaber der U-Boote|BdU]], who ordered him to continue his patrol. The BdU notified the Portuguese authorities, who sent the frigate [[NRP Afonso de Albuquerque (1934)|NRP ''Afonso de Albuquerque'']] from [[Maputo|Lourenço Marques]] to help. Of 1,052 people from the ''Nova Scotia'' only 194 survived: 192 rescued by the frigate and two others in subsequent days. 858 were killed, including 650 Italians.<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2476.html |title=Nova Scotia (Troop transport) - Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net |access-date=5 March 2010 }}</ref>

[[File:Begrafenis Adenauer, kist wordt kerk uitgedragen, Bestanddeelnr 920-2642.jpg|thumb|right|''Flottillenadmiral'' Gysae (wearing a white cap, 2nd person on the left of the coffin) at [[Konrad Adenauer]]'s funeral.{{sfn|Kilian|2011|p=325}}]] In January 1944 he became commander of ''[[25th U-boat Flotilla]]'', a training flotilla based at [[Gdynia|Gotenhafen]]. In April 1945, during the last month of the war, Gysae commanded the ''Marinepanzerjagd-Regiment 1'', a naval anti-tank regiment. After the war he served in the [[German Mine Sweeping Administration]] (''Deutscher Minenräumdienst'') for more than two years. In 1956 he joined the ''[[Bundesmarine]]'', serving for four years as [[naval attaché]] in the United States, and then three years as commander of ''Marinedivision Nordsee'' with the rank of ''[[Flottillenadmiral]]'' before retiring in 1970. He died in 1989 aged 78.<ref name="uboat.net">{{Cite web |url= http://www.uboat.net/men/gysae.htm |title=''Korvettenkapitän'' Robert Gysae |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net |access-date=18 April 2010 }}</ref>

==Summary of career== During his career Gysae sunk 24 commercial ships for {{GRT|136,266}}, one auxiliary warship of {{GRT|10,549}}, and damaged one ship for {{GRT|2,588}}.{{sfn|Dixon|2019|p=38}}

===Awards=== * [[Wehrmacht Long Service Award]] 4th Class (2 October 1936){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=182}} * [[Sudetenland Medal|The Return of Sudetenland Commemorative Medal of 1 October 1938]] (20 December 1939){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=183}} * [[Spanish Cross]] in Bronze with Swords{{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=184}} * [[Iron Cross]] (1939) ** 2nd Class (31 May 1940){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=183}} ** 1st Class (15 April 1941){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=183}} * Knight's Cross of the [[Order of the Crown of Italy]] (11 March 1941){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=183}} * [[U-boat War Badge]] (1939) (31 May 1941); with Diamonds{{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=184}} * ''[[Croce di Guerra]]'' with Swords (Italy, 25 May 1943){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=183}} * [[Wound Badge]] (1939) in Black (25 June 1943){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=183}} * [[War Merit Cross]], 2nd Class with Swords (1 September 1944){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=183}} * [[U-boat Front Clasp]] in Bronze (1 October 1944){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=183}} * [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves]] ** Knight's Cross (31 December 1941) as commander of ''U-98''{{sfn|Scherzer|2007|p=356}} ** 250th Oak Leaves (31 May 1943) as commander of ''U-177''{{sfn|Scherzer|2007|p=356}} * [[Legion of Merit]] ([[United States of America]]){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=184}} * Officer's Cross, [[Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]]{{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=184}}

===Promotions=== {| style="background: transparent;" ! Kriegsmarine |- | 1 April 1932: || ''Seekadett'' (Midshipman){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=182}} |- | 1 January 1933: || ''Fähnrich zur See'' (Officer Cadet){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=182}} |- | 1 January 1935: || ''Oberfähnrich zur See'' (Senior Ensign){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=182}} |- | 1 April 1935: || ''Leutnant zur See'' (Second Lieutenant){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=182}} |- | 1 January 1937: || ''Oberleutnant zur See'' (First Lieutenant){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=182}} |- | 1 October 1939: || ''Kapitänleutnant'' (Captain Lieutenant){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=183}} |- | 1 July 1943: || ''Korvettenkapitän'' (Corvette Captain){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=183}} |- ! Bundesmarine |- | 7 December 1956 || ''Fregattenkapitän'' (Frigate Captain){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=183}} |- | 20 September 1960 || ''Kapitän zur See'' (Captain at Sea){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=184}} |- | 13 April 1967 || ''Flottillenadmiral'' (Flotilla Admiral){{sfn|Busch|Röll|2003|p=184}} |}

==References==

===Citations=== {{Reflist|25em}}

===Bibliography=== {{Refbegin}} * {{Cite book |last1=Busch |first1=Rainer |last2=Röll |first2=Hans-Joachim |year=2003 |title=Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939–1945 — Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 |trans-title=The U-Boat War 1939–1945 — The Knight's Cross Bearers of the U-Boat Force from September 1939 to May 1945 |language=de |location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany |publisher=Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn |isbn=978-3-8132-0515-2 }} * {{Cite book |last=Dixon |first=Jeremy |year=2019 |title=The U-Boat Commanders — Knight's Cross Holders 1939–1945 |location=Yorkshire, UK |publisher=[[Pen and Sword Books]] |isbn=978-1-52671-873-0 }} * {{Cite book |last=Fellgiebel |first=Walther-Peer |author-link=:de:Walther-Peer Fellgiebel |year=2000 |orig-date=1986 |title=Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile |trans-title=The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches |language=de |location=Friedberg, Germany |publisher=Podzun-Pallas |isbn=978-3-7909-0284-6 }} * {{Cite book |last=Jürgen |first=Rohwer |author-link=Jürgen Rohwer |year=1999 |title=Axis submarine successes of World War Two: German, Italian, and Japanese submarine successes, 1939-1945 |location= |publisher=Greenhill Books |isbn=978-1557500298 }} * {{Cite book |last=Kilian |first=Dieter E. |year=2011 |title=Politik und Militär in Deutschland: Die Bundespräsidenten und Bundeskanzler und ihre Beziehung zu Soldatentum und Bundeswehr |trans-title=Politics and the Military in Germany: The Federal Presidents and Chancellors and their Relationship to Soldiers and the Bundeswehr |language=de |isbn=978-3-937885-36-0 |publisher=BoD – Books on Demand }} * {{Cite book |last=Scherzer |first=Veit |year=2007 |title=Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives |trans-title=The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives |language=de |location=Jena, Germany |publisher=Scherzers Militaer-Verlag |isbn=978-3-938845-17-2 }} {{Refend}}

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box |before=Fregattenkapitän [[Karl Neitzel]] |after=Korvettenkapitän [[Georg-Wilhelm Schulz]] |title= Commander of the [[25th U-boat Flotilla]] |years=5 January 1944 – 21 April 1945 }} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gysae, Robert}} [[Category:1911 births]] [[Category:1989 deaths]] [[Category:People from Charlottenburg]] [[Category:Reichsmarine personnel]] [[Category:Bundesmarine admirals]] [[Category:U-boat commanders (Kriegsmarine)]] [[Category:Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves]] [[Category:German military personnel of the Spanish Civil War]] [[Category:Foreign recipients of the Legion of Merit]] [[Category:Officers Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]] [[Category:Recipients of the War Cross for Military Valor]] [[Category:Flotilla admirals of the German Navy]] [[Category:Military personnel from Berlin]]