Deathcard of U-Boot Crewmember – U-Boot “U-578” (Unexplained Disappearance))

Original WWII death card (Sterbebild) for Matrosenobergefreiter Josef Seidl, who served aboard the German submarine U-578.

Service & Fate:
Josef Seidl was a crew member of U-578, a Type VIIC U-boat of the Kriegsmarine. On 6 August 1942, U-578 departed St. Nazaire for operations in the Bay of Biscay and was never heard from again. The submarine was officially declared lost with 49 dead (all hands).

Earlier accounts incorrectly credited her sinking to a Vickers Wellington H of RAF 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron on 10 August 1942, but modern research has disproven this claim. The true cause of U-578’s disappearance remains unknown.

Item Details:

• Original wartime Sterbebild of Josef Seidl.

• Memorial for a sailor lost in one of the war’s unexplained U-boat disappearances.

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

Historical Context – U-578:

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

• Patrols: Took part in Atlantic convoy hunting operations during the height of the Battle of the Atlantic.

• Loss: Her disappearance highlights the dangers of minefields, technical failures, or unrecorded Allied attacks, which remain part of the mystery surrounding U-boat warfare.

Collector’s Note:
Death cards from mysteriously lost U-boats like U-578 are highly sought after. This example, dedicated to Josef Seidl, connects directly to one of the Kriegsmarine’s unsolved wartime losses. A poignant and historically significant addition to any collection of U-boat and naval memorabilia.