Deathcard of U-Boot Crewmember – U-Boot “U-194” (Sunk by US Catalina Aircraft)

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.