Kriegsmarine dark blue jacket as Kapitänleutnant Ing. Made from dark blue cloth, complete with all insignia. Hand-embroidered bullion breast eagle hand-sewn, on the sleeves gold rank insignia, above which the career insignia for engineering officers. On the chest the Iron Cross 1st Class 1939 (maker 26) and the U-Boat War Badge (version in tombac, the swastika slightly damaged), as well as loops for a ribbon bar. Inside with owner's label “Kischkat”, the jacket shows typical wear, with small mended spots. Condition 2-.

Kriegsmarine dark blue tunic as Kapitänleutnant Ing. Elegant private purchase item. Made from fine dark blue cloth, complete with all insignia. Hand-embroidered bullion breast eagle, gilt buttons. On the sleeves with rank stripes as Kapitänleutnant Ing., under the sewn-in shoulder boards with silver passants. On the chest the Iron Cross 1st Class 1939 (maker 26) and the U-Boat War Badge (version in tombac), as well as loops for 1 ribbon bar. Inside black silk lining, on the inside pocket with tailor's label “Heinrich Vogt Flensburg” and owner's name “Fähnrich Ing. Kischkat 1938”. Only lightly worn, in beautiful untouched original condition. Condition 2. Additionally the matching officer's belt with gilded buckle. From the former officer's cloak there remains the fastening chain with the two lion heads in gilded version.

Dark blue mess jacket as Kapitänleutnant Ing. Cloth of finest officer quality, complete with all insignia, hand-embroidered bullion breast eagle. On the chest loops for 2 pin-on badges as well as a ribbon bar. Black inner lining, on the inside pocket with tailor's label “Heinrich Vogt Flensburg” and owner's name “F.(Ing.) Kischkat”. Additionally the matching vest.

Kriegsmarine dark blue peaked cap for officers, Leutnant to Kapitänleutnant. Dark blue cloth, the crown not removable. Complete with hand-embroidered bullion national eagle and oak leaf wreath. The sweatband of light brown leather, blue silk lining with celluloid diamond, and stamp “O.K.K Wilhelmshaven”. Worn, Condition 2-.

2 photos in picture frames of the crew of U-571.
3 photo albums, approx. 309 photos, albums are not captioned, oath-taking at the Naval School Dänholm/Stralsund, leisure time, sports exercises, training at the Naval School Mürwik, sailing, arrival of Generalfeldmarschall Blomberg and commander of the Naval School Mürwik Kapitän zur See Schmundt, Alfred Saalwächter, Erich Raeder, members of the coastal artillery during practice firing with the MG 08/15, Adolf Hitler and Hermann Göring at a rally, U-boat, U-13 at sea, Naval School Kiel, harbor entrance of Memel, formation for the commissioning of U-571, commissioning ceremony, voyage to Norway, arrival in the fjord, training cruises, captured Renault UE Chenillette, Kristiansand, in the harbor of Arendal, on the high seas in the North Atlantic, anti-aircraft gun, U-571 meets U-46 in the Bay of Biscay on war patrol, U-571 joins a wolfpack in the Atlantic, camouflage paint, U-571 during the sinking of a merchant ship, Allied prisoners, victory pennant, Italian U-boat, Christmas, arrival in port, officers of U-571 signing the Golden Book of the city of Freiburg, Condition 2.
Furthermore three edged weapons from the property of Kischkat.
Kriegsmarine saber for officers, rarer variant by “WKC”, the blade with fuller and etching on both sides, as well as national eagle on anchor, pocket battleship Deutschland, U-boat, Naval Memorial Laboe. Gilded lion head hilt with folding hinge, white plastic grip with intact wire wrapping, black leather scabbard with gilded fittings, the scabbard body bent twice and the seam in the lower area split open, lightly worn, complete with original knotted sword knot. Condition 2-.

Kriegsmarine dagger for officers, clean blade by “E.&F. Hörster Solingen”, etched on both sides with the ship motif, white grip with intact wire wrapping, hammered scabbard with typical compression in the lower third, with seawater-resistant sword knot, very well preserved. Condition 2

Kriegsmarine dagger for officers, somewhat dulled blade with maker's mark of “Puma Solingen”, etched blade with fish motif, multiply cracked plastic grip with chips, frayed sword knot, dented lightning scabbard with cut-off dagger hangers, clearly worn. Condition 2-3

Additional medals and documents:
- 3 letters from 1935 from the recruitment office of the Inspection of Educational Affairs of the Navy in Kiel regarding the enlistment of the man as engineering officer
- large format promotion certificate from Oberfähnrich (Ing.) to Leutnant (Ing.), issued on 24.10.1938 with very beautiful ink signature “Raeder”
- large format promotion certificate from Leutnant (Ing.) to Oberleutnant (Ing.), issued on 20.9.1940 with very beautiful ink signature “Raeder”
- award certificate for the U-Boat War Badge 1939, issued on 1.12.1941. Additionally another U-Boat War Badge in fine zinc production, worn.
- award certificate for the Iron Cross 2nd Class, issued on 1.12.1941. Additionally the Iron Cross 1939 2nd Class, unworn.
- award certificate for the Iron Cross 1st Class, issued on 11.8.1942. Additionally another Iron Cross 1939 1st Class in presentation case. Condition 2.
- large format promotion certificate from Oberleutnant (Ing.) to Kapitänleutnant (Ing.), issued on 19.2.1943 with very beautiful ink signature “Dönitz”
The entire estate complete in the original officer's trunk made of aluminum, inside with insert.
At war's end Kapitänleutnant Kischkat was U-boat instructor in Pillau and was able to escape by ship to Stettin in 1945 and thus survived the war.
“U-571” was laid down on 8 June 1940 at Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, the launch was on 4 April 1941. On 22 May 1941 it was commissioned under the command of Kapitänleutnant Helmut Möhlmann. Departure for the first war patrol on 5 September 1941. “U 571” succeeded in sinking one ship of 3,870 GRT. The second war patrol was completed by the U-boat from 18 October 1941 - 26 November 1941. On this patrol no successes were achieved. The third war patrol lasted from 21 December 1941 - 27 January 1941. Again no successes were achieved. The fourth war patrol finally brought successes again. It lasted from 10 March 1941 - 7 May 1941 and brought three sunk ships totaling 24,319 GRT. The fifth war patrol lasted from 11 June 1942 - 7 August 1942. On this patrol three ships totaling 18,980 GRT were sunk and one ship of 11,394 GRT damaged. The sixth war patrol was completed by “U 571” from 3 October 1942 - 14 November 1942. No successes were achieved. The seventh war patrol lasted from 22 December 1942 - 19 February 1943. Again no successes were achieved. Also on the eighth war patrol from 22 March - 1 May 1943 no successes were achieved. Erroneously, however, two sunk and one torpedoed ship were credited. Award of the Knight's Cross to Kptlnt. Möhlmann on 16 April 1943. On 1 June 1943 Möhlmann was assigned to the staff of the Commanding Admiral of U-boats. At this time Kptlnt. Kischkat also left “U 571”, which was sunk in 1944.

The estate comes directly from the family and has never been in collector's hands. A truly fantastic grouping of a U-boat officer, as rarely found.

375925

Kriegsmarine U-Boat Service: Large Estate from the Property of Kapitänleutnant Ing. Kischkat, Chief Engineering Officer on “U 571”

This exceptional estate documents the naval career of a Kriegsmarine engineering officer who served as Chief Engineer aboard the renowned U-boat U-571. The collection provides a rare and comprehensive insight into the life and career of a technical officer in Germany's submarine force during World War II.

U-571 was a Type VIIC U-boat built by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg. The keel was laid on June 8, 1940, she was launched on April 4, 1941, and commissioned under the command of Kapitänleutnant Helmut Möhlmann on May 22, 1941. Under Möhlmann's leadership, U-571 conducted multiple war patrols in the Atlantic. According to various sources, the boat sank five ships totaling 33,511 gross registered tons and damaged another ship of 11,394 tons. On May 2, 1943, Möhlmann was relieved by Oberleutnant zur See Gustav Lüssow. Möhlmann received the Knight's Cross on April 16, 1943. Following Möhlmann's departure, Kapitänleutnant Kischkat also left the boat.

The tragic end of U-571 came on January 28, 1944, west of Ireland, when the boat was attacked by an Australian-crewed Sunderland aircraft of No. 461 Squadron RAAF and destroyed by depth charges. All 52 crew members perished, most from hypothermia after abandoning ship.

The uniforms in the estate represent the characteristic Kriegsmarine officer dress, which evolved from Reichsmarine tradition. Officers wore midnight blue double-breasted tunics with rank displayed through sleeve stripes and shoulder boards. Engineering officers were identified by specialized career insignia indicating their technical specialization. The estate contains three complete uniform ensembles: a service jacket, a dress frock coat, and a mess jacket with vest, all in the rank of Kapitänleutnant (Ing.).

The promotion documents chronicle the officer's career progression. The large-format certificates document promotions from Oberfähnrich (Ing.) to Leutnant (Ing.) on October 24, 1938, to Oberleutnant (Ing.) on September 20, 1940, and finally to Kapitänleutnant (Ing.) on February 19, 1943. The first two documents bear the ink signature of Großadmiral Erich Raeder, who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine from 1928 to 1943, while the last bears the signature of Großadmiral Karl Dönitz, who succeeded Raeder as Commander-in-Chief in January 1943.

The U-Boat War Badge 1939 was instituted on October 13, 1939, by Großadmiral Raeder and awarded to all ranks of U-boat personnel who had served on at least two war patrols against the enemy or were wounded or killed in action. The Iron Cross 1939 was awarded for bravery in battle and military contributions in battlefield environments, with the 2nd Class serving as a prerequisite for the 1st Class. During World War II, hundreds of thousands of Iron Crosses 1st Class and four and a half million 2nd Class were awarded.

The three edged weapons in the estate represent the prescribed side arms for Kriegsmarine officers. The officer's sabre by WKC (Weyersburg, Kirschbaum & Co.) features characteristic naval etchings including the Panzerschiff Deutschland, a U-boat, and the Marine-Ehrenmal Laboe (Naval Memorial at Laboe). The two daggers are from the Solingen manufacturers E. & F. Hörster and Puma and display typical ship motifs. These weapons were purchased privately by officers through the Offizierkleiderkasse (Officers Clothing Account) system and worn with particular dress uniforms.

The photo albums containing approximately 309 photographs document training at the Naval Academy Dänholm/Stralsund and Naval Academy Mürwik, visits by high-ranking officers, and U-571's war patrols. The images show life aboard, operations in the Atlantic, visits to Norwegian ports, and the boat's commissioning. At war's end, Kischkat served as a U-boat instructor in Pillau and escaped by ship to Stettin in 1945, thus surviving the war. The Kriegsmarine was dissolved in May 1945. Raeder was later convicted at the Nuremberg Trials and sentenced to life imprisonment, though he was released in 1955. Möhlmann survived the war, later served in the Bundesmarine, and died in 1977.