Klaus Bargsten
| Klaus Bargsten | |
|---|---|
Klaus Bargsten
|
|
| Born |
31 October 1911 Bad Oldesloe |
| Died | 25 October 2000 (aged 88) Bremen |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany
|
| Service/branch |
 Kriegsmarine
|
| Years of service | 1936–45 |
| Rank | Kapitänleutnant |
| Unit |
1st U-boat Flotilla 2nd U-boat Flotilla 4th U-boat Flotilla |
| Commands held |
U-563, 27 March 1941 – 15 March 1942 U-521, 3 June 1942 – 2 June 1943 |
| Awards |
U-boat War Badge Knight's Cross |
Klaus Bargsten (31 October 1911 – 25 October 2000) was the captain and sole survivor of sunken U-521. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
U-521 under Bargsten's command was sunk on 2 June 1943 by the United States submarine chaser PC-565 east of Cape Hatteras. Bargsten was the sole survivor.
PC-565 had transported Klaus Bargsten to Norfolk, Virginia for questioning. Bargsten told his captors of several accidents that had befallen U-boats, including the sinking of U-43 at the pier in Lorient in January 1941.
Another accident described by Bargsten was the collision of two U-boats in the Baltic Sea in August or September 1942, during their tactical exercises. One boat was commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Ulrich Pietsch of the 1935 naval term. The other U-boat was commanded by an officer named Friedrichs. Bargsten was under the impression that the latter was U-195. (Note: U-195 has been reported as a 1200-ton U-boat. It has not been possible to identify Friedrichs with any certainty. There are three officers of this name in the German Naval List of 1940. Kapitänleutnant Adolf Friedrichs of the October 1937 naval term, has had a post in the coast artillery.)
The rudder of Pietsch’s boat became jammed, the two boats collided, and both were badly damaged. A second accident occurred to Pietsch’ boat during the working up trials. During torpedo firing exercises, while submerged, Pietsch heard propeller noises in an area in which no other ships were supposed to be present. Suddenly his boat was rammed. On surfacing, he discovered that the ship was none other than the Scharnhorst.
Bargsten said that in Danzig he had seen the Baltic Sea freighter, Morgenrot, lying on her side after being rammed by U-512 under command of Kapitänleutnant Wolfgang Schultze.
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