Werner Fürbringer

Werner "Fips" Fürbringer (2 October 1888 – 8 February 1982) was a successful German U boat commander in the Kaiserliche Marine during World War I, sinking 101 ships. He was later promoted to the rank of Konteradmiral during World War II.

Fürbringer was born in Braunschweig and entered the Imperial German Navy as a Seekadett on 3 April 1907. Subsequently, he attended basic training and was assigned on training ship He also attended the Naval Academy and was promoted to the rank of Fähnrich zur See (officer candidate). He then spent some time aboard the cruiser , sailing in East Asia within the High Seas Fleet, before being transferred to the Heavy cruiser During the time of his transfer, Fürbringer was promoted to the rank of Leutnant zur See on 28 September 1910. Spending another two years with the East Asia Squadron in Jiaozhou Bay Leased Territory, Fürbringer returned home in November 1912 and was selected for U boat training.

He served aboard , but left prior to the U 20s sinking of in 1915. He exclusively commanded small, coastal U boats, starting with in February 1915. He went on to command six subsequent UB and UC type boats, during which time he was awarded the Iron Cross, Second and First class. He was a successful commerce raider, responsible for sinking 101 (mostly small, coastal) ships (totaling 97,881 GRT) and damaged five others (of 9,033 GRT). Lightoller was awarded a Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross for sinking SM UB 110. Twenty one of the thirty four crew members were killed during the sinking of the UB 110. Fürbringer was captured and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of war.

In the inter war years Furbringer served in various capacities, and at the start of the Second World War he was appointed commander of Submarine Defence Department of Germany's Naval High Command (OKM). In 1942 he was promoted to Konteradmiral, and was Inspector of Armaments in the occupied Eastern Territories. He was released from service in June 1943. Werner Furbringer died in Brunswick in February 1982.

Werner (Fips) Fürbringer: Alarm! Tauchen!! U Boot in Kampf und Sturm, Ullstein, Berlin 1933, English translation: Fips: Legendary U Boat Commander, 1915 1918, Naval Institute Press, 2000, .