Götz Freiherr von Mirbach

Götz Freiherr von Mirbach (12 September 1915 – 6 August 1968) was a naval captain with 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.

Götz Freiherr von Mirbach
Born	12 September 1915
Died	6 August 1968 (aged 52)
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Kriegsmarine
Rank	Korvettenkapitän
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Mirbach was assigned to the 1. Schnellbootflottille attacking enemy shipping in the English Channel, sinking a British destroyer and three armed merchant vessels among others.

He was later promoted to Korvettenkapitän and served as commander of the 9. Schnellbootflottille; taking part in the attack on Exercise Tiger on 28-29 April 1944.[1]

Von Mirbach participated in the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. He was a member of the German 6 metre class sailing crew which finished in tenth place.[2]

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (30 April 1940) & 1st Class (28 May 1940)[3]
• Service Award (Dienstauszeichnung) 4th Class (5 April 1939)[3]
• German Cross in Gold on 10 November 1942 as Kapitänleutnant on S-48 in the 4. Schnellbootflottille[4]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 14 August 1940 as Oberleutnant zur See and commander of Schnellboot S-21 in the 1. Schnellbootflottille[5]
  • Oak Leaves on 14 June 1944 as Kapitänleutnant and chief of the 9. Schnellbootflottille[6]
• Fast Attack Craft War Badge with Diamonds (14 June 1944)

References

Citations

1. Margaritis, Peter (2019). Countdown to D-Day: The German Perspective. Oxford, UK & PA, USA: Casemate. pp. 359, 360. ISBN 978-1-61200-769-4.
2. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Götz Freiherr von Mirbach". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
3. Dörr 1996, p. 62.
4. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 312.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 312.
6. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 84.

Bibliography

• Dörr, Manfred (1996). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine—Band 2: L–Z [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Surface Forces of the Navy—Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2497-6.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [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] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). 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 [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] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.