Ernst Schirlitz

Ernst Schirlitz (7 September 1893 – 27 November 1978) was a German vice admiral in the navy (Kriegsmarine) of Nazi Germany. He served during World War II and was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He surrendered at the end of World War II after the Allied siege of La Rochelle.

Ernst Schirlitz
Born	(1893-09-07)7 September 1893 Christburg, West Prussia
Died	27 November 1978(1978-11-27) (aged 85) Kiel
Allegiance	German Empire  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Imperial German Navy  Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1912–45
Rank	Vizeadmiral
Unit	SMS Hertha SMS Freya SMS Friedrich Carl SMS Fürst Bismarck; Luftschiff "L 7", "L 20", "L 33"
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Schirlitz served as a watch officer on Luftschiff "L 33" which crashed in Little Wigborough, Essex on 24 September 1916. Schirlitz was taken prisoner of war by the British and was released in November 1919.[1]

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 1 December 1944 as Vizeadmiral in fortress La Rochelle[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 11 March 1945 as Vizeadmiral and as commander Atlantic coast and of fortress La Rochelle.[3]

References

Citations

1. Dörr 1996, p. 203.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 407.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 662.

Bibliography

• Dörr, Manfred (1996). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine—Band 2: L–Z [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Surface Forces of the Navy—Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2497-6.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.