Original WWII death card (Sterbebild) for Hans Hobelsberger, a crew member of German submarine U-460.
Service & Fate: Hans Hobelsberger served aboard U-460, a Type XIV “Milchkuh” supply submarine of the Kriegsmarine. On 4 October 1943, while operating in the North Atlantic north of the Azores, the U-boat was attacked by aircraft from the American escort carrier USS Card (CVE-11). Depth charges dropped by Avenger and Wildcat aircraft of VC-9 Squadron sank the submarine at position 43.18N, 28.58W. Out of the crew, 62 men perished and only 2 survived.
Item Details:
Original wartime Sterbebild (death card) commemorating Hans Hobelsberger.
A solemn remembrance of his service aboard U-460.
Condition: As seen, with period patina and wear.
Historical Context – U-460:
Type: Type XIV supply submarine (“Milchkuh”).
Commissioned: 1941 under Korvettenkapitän Friedrich Schäfer.
Role: Served as a critical mid-Atlantic tanker and supply boat, refueling combat U-boats far from base.
Loss: Destroyed in October 1943 during intensified Allied anti-submarine operations — part of the turning tide in the Battle of the Atlantic.
Collector’s Note: Death cards related to supply U-boats (Milchkühe) are exceptionally rare, as these submarines were few in number and most were lost in 1943–44. The card of Hans Hobelsberger represents not only the human cost of submarine warfare but also the vital role of the “Milchkühe” in sustaining U-boat operations across the Atlantic. A scarce and highly desirable item for collectors of U-boat history and Battle of the Atlantic memorabilia.
Original WWII death card (Sterbebild) for Anton Bergbauer, a crew member of the German submarine U-460.
Service & Fate: Bergbauer served aboard U-460, a Type XIV “Milchkuh” supply submarine of the Kriegsmarine. On 4 October 1943, the boat was sunk in the North Atlantic north of the Azores, at position 43.18N, 28.58W, by depth charges from Avenger and Wildcat aircraft (VC-9) of the American escort carrier USS Card. Of the crew, 62 men were killed and only 2 survived.
Item Details:
Original wartime Sterbebild memorial card.
Commemorates a sailor lost with his boat in one of the rare supply U-boat sinkings.
Condition: As seen, with natural age wear and patina.
Historical Context – U-460:
Type: Type XIV U-boat (nicknamed Milchkuh or “Milk Cow”), designed to resupply other U-boats at sea.
Role: These boats carried fuel, torpedoes, food, and provisions, greatly extending the range of attack submarines during the Battle of the Atlantic.
Loss: The sinking of U-460 was part of the concerted Allied effort to hunt down and destroy Milchkuh U-boats, severely weakening German U-boat endurance in the Atlantic.
Casualties: The destruction of U-460 with 62 dead illustrates the high risks faced by even non-combatant support submarines.
Collector’s Note: Sterbebilder from supply U-boats are especially scarce due to the limited number of these vessels built and their strategic importance. This death card for Anton Bergbauer offers a rare memorial to one of the sailors lost in the sinking of U-460, making it a significant and poignant addition for collectors of Kriegsmarine and Battle of the Atlantic relics.
