Reinhold Saltzwedel

{{Infobox military person

|name=Reinhold Saltzwedel

|birth_date= 23 November 1889

|death_date={{Death date and age|1917|12|2|1889|11|23|df=yes}}

|birth_place=Rosenberg, Upper Silesia

|death_place=English Channel, off the Isle of Wight, England

|image=Reinhold Saltzwedel.jpg

|caption=Reinhold Saltzwedel

|nickname=

|allegiance={{flag|German Empire}}

|serviceyears=

|rank=30px Oberleutnant zur See

|branch={{navy|German Empire}}

|commands={{SMU|UB-10||2}}, 13 January – 18 June 1916
{{SMU|UC-10||2}}, 14–26 June 1916
{{SMU|UC-11||2}}, 12–20 August 1916
{{SMU|UC-21||2}}, 15 September 1916 – 9 June 1917
{{SMU|UC-71||2}}, 10 June – 13 September 1917
{{SMU|UB-81||2}}, 18 September – 2 December 1917

|unit=

|battles=U-boat Campaign (World War I)

|awards=Pour le Mérite

|relations=

|laterwork=

}}

Oberleutnant zur See Reinhold Saltzwedel (23 November 1889 – 2 December 1917) was a successful and highly decorated German U-boat commander in the Kaiserliche Marine during World War I. He sank a total of 111 merchant vessels for {{GRT|172,824|disp=long}}. On 1 September 1936, his name was given to the 2nd U-boat Flotilla of the Kriegsmarine in Wilhelmshaven to honour him.

Early life

Reinhold Saltzwedel was born on 23 November 1889 in Rosenberg, Upper Silesia.{{cite Uboat.net

|name=Oberleutnant zur See Reinhold Saltzwedel

|type=1comm

|accessdate=21 February 2012

}} His father was a parson.

World War I

Saltzwedel was a Leutnant zur See when World War I broke out and Adjutant on the {{SMS|Kaiser|1911|6}}. On 19 September 1914, he was promoted to Oberleutnant zur See. In May 1915 he went to the U-boat school. Shortly afterwards, he served as commander of several U-boats. On 20 August 1917, he was awarded the Pour le Mérite for his achievements.

On 18 September 1917, he became the commanding officer of {{SMU|UB-81||2}}, aboard which he died on 2 December after UB-81 ran into a mine. Twenty-nine men lost their lives.