Documents

Original WWII death card (Sterbebild) commemorating Richard Donhauser, a crew member of the German submarine U-222.

Service & Fate:
Donhauser served aboard U-222, a Type VIIC U-boat of the Kriegsmarine. On 2 September 1942, during training operations in the Baltic Sea west of Pillau, U-222 collided with U-626 and sank at position 54.25N, 19.30E. Of the crew, 42 men perished and only 3 survived.

Item Details:

• Original wartime Sterbebild memorial card.

• Honors a submariner lost in a rare training accident rather than combat.

• Condition: Good, with light age wear.

Historical Context – U-222:

• Type: Type VIIC U-boat, backbone of the German U-boat fleet.

• Role: Training and preparation for operational deployment.

• Loss: Unlike many U-boats sunk in the North Atlantic by Allied forces, U-222’s loss came through a collision during exercises, highlighting the inherent dangers of submarine service even far from enemy action.

Collector’s Note:
This death card for Richard Donhauser represents the sacrifices of U-boat crews not only in combat but also in training. With only 3 survivors out of 45 men, the loss of U-222 stands as a stark reminder of the constant risks faced by the Kriegsmarine’s submarine arm. A poignant and historically significant piece for collectors of U-boat and Kriegsmarine memorabilia.

Original WWII death card (Sterbebild) for Josef Schillinger, a crew member of the German submarine U-520.

Service & Fate:
Schillinger served aboard U-520, a Type IXC U-boat of the Kriegsmarine. On 30 October 1942, the submarine was sunk in the North Atlantic east of Newfoundland, at position 47.47N, 49.50W, by depth charges from a Canadian Digby aircraft (No. 10 Squadron RCAF/Z). The entire crew of 53 men perished — all hands lost.

Item Details:

• Original wartime Sterbebild memorial card.

• Commemorates a sailor lost with his boat during the Battle of the Atlantic.

• Condition: As seen, with period patina and age wear.

Historical Context – U-520:

• Type: Type IXC U-boat, designed for long-range patrols in distant waters.

• Patrols: Operated in the Atlantic during 1942, a period of high U-boat activity against Allied shipping.

• Loss: The sinking by Canadian forces highlights the growing effectiveness of Allied anti-submarine warfare in the Northwest Atlantic by late 1942.

• Casualties: All 53 crew members lost, making this Sterbebild a poignant remembrance of the human cost of submarine warfare.

Collector’s Note:
Death cards from U-boat crew members are especially collectible when connected to boats that suffered the fate of total loss at sea. This Sterbebild for Josef Schillinger of U-520 preserves the personal memory of one of the 53 sailors who perished, making it a rare and historically significant piece for collectors of Kriegsmarine and Battle of the Atlantic memorabilia.

Original WWII death card (Sterbebild) for Karl Huf, a crew member of the German submarine U-384.

Service & Fate:
Karl Huf served aboard U-384, a Type VIIC U-boat of the Kriegsmarine. On 19 March 1943, at 1745 hrs, the submarine was sunk in the North Atlantic west of Ireland, at position 54.18N, 26.15W. The sinking was caused by depth charges dropped by a British Fortress aircraft (206 Sqn RAF/B). All 47 crew members were lost — no survivors.

Item Details:

• Original wartime Sterbebild commemorating Karl Huf.

• A poignant relic tied to the Battle of the Atlantic.

• Condition: As seen, with natural age-related wear.

Historical Context – U-384:

• Type: Type VIIC, the workhorse of the German U-Bootwaffe.

• Patrols: Conducted only two patrols.

• Loss: Destroyed during the height of the 1943 “air gap” battles, when Allied aircraft extended their coverage deep into the Atlantic.

• Legacy: The destruction of U-384 illustrates the increasing vulnerability of German U-boats during the critical turning point of the Battle of the Atlantic.

Collector’s Note:
This death card serves as both a personal memorial and a tangible link to the brutal campaign waged beneath the Atlantic waves. Pieces connected to U-boat crews lost with all hands are particularly valued, reflecting the tragic sacrifices of the U-Bootwaffe.

Original WWII death card (Sterbebild) for Heinrich Lutz, a crew member of German submarine U-194.

Service & Fate:
Heinrich Lutz served aboard U-194, a Type IXC/40 long-range U-boat of the Kriegsmarine. On 24 June 1943, during its maiden patrol, U-194 was sunk in the North Atlantic south-west of Iceland at position 59.00N, 26.18W. The submarine was destroyed by a newly introduced Fido homing torpedo launched from a U.S. Navy Catalina aircraft (VP-84 USN/G). All 54 crew members perished — there were no survivors.

Item Details:

• Original wartime Sterbebild (death card) of Heinrich Lutz.

• A solemn memorial from one of the U-boat arm’s darkest periods.

• Condition: As seen, with expected age wear.

Historical Context – U-194:

• Type: Type IXC/40, a larger and longer-ranged variant of the Type IX U-boat.

• Commissioned: 1942 under Korvettenkapitän Hermann Hess.

• Patrols: Only one, beginning in June 1943.

• Significance: U-194 was among the first U-boats destroyed by the revolutionary Fido (Mk 24 “Mine”) acoustic homing torpedo, marking a turning point in Allied anti-submarine warfare.

• Legacy: Its loss exemplified the increasing danger faced by U-boat crews in 1943, the “black year” of the U-boat arm.

Collector’s Note:
This death card represents not just a single fallen sailor, but also a key moment in U-boat history — the devastating effectiveness of Allied technological advances against the once-feared “grey wolves” of the Atlantic. With U-194 lost on her very first patrol, such pieces are scarce and highly desirable for collectors of Kriegsmarine and U-Bootwaffe history.

Original WWII death card (Sterbebild) for Ferdinand Popijal, a crew member of German submarine U-215.

Service & Fate:
Ferdinand Popijal served aboard U-215, a Type VIID minelaying U-boat of the Kriegsmarine. On 3 July 1942, during its first patrol, U-215 was sunk in the North Atlantic east of Boston at position 41.48N, 66.38W. The submarine was destroyed by depth charges from the British anti-submarine trawler HMS Le Tiger, while attempting to lay mines off Halifax. All 48 crew members perished — no survivors.

Item Details:

• Original wartime Sterbebild (death card) for Ferdinand Popijal.

• A poignant memorial to a fallen sailor of U-215.

• Condition: As seen, with age-related wear.

Historical Context – U-215:

• Type: Type VIID minelaying U-boat, one of only six built.

• Commissioned: 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Fritz Hoevelmann.

• Patrols: Only one war patrol.

• Final Mission: Attempted to lay mines in Canadian waters; sunk before completing its operation.

• Legacy: Its wreck was located in 2004 off Nova Scotia, designated a war grave.

Collector’s Note:
Death cards from the rare Type VIID minelaying U-boats are scarce, as these submarines were few in number and most were lost with all hands. The card of Ferdinand Popijal thus offers not only a personal link to the fallen crew but also to a very rare class of U-boat, making it a highly desirable piece for collectors of Kriegsmarine and Battle of the Atlantic memorabilia.