Georg Thiele

Georg Max Thiele (11 May 1881 – 17 October 1914) was an Imperial German Navy officer Korvettenkapitän (corvette captain = Lieutenant commander) killed during World War I. During World War I he commanded the Seventh Half Flotilla of torpedo boats, based in Flanders. His ship, Torpedoboot SMS S119, was sunk with his entire flotilla by superior British forces while on a minelaying mission in October 1914 during the Battle off Texel.

Legacy

The German destroyer Z2 was named Georg Thiele in his honour and took part of the invasion of Norway, Operation Weserübung. She was part of the task force sent to Northern Norway to capture the town of Narvik. On 13 April 1940 the Georg Thiele was run ashore near Sildvik in the inner parts of Rombaksfjord, after sustaining substantial damage through several hits from British ships. The wreck can still be seen today.

A street in Munich is also named in his honour.