Hans Rose

Hans Rose (April 18, 1885 – December 6, 1969) was one of the most successful and highly decorated German U-boat commanders in the Kaiserliche Marine during WW1. He sank 80 merchant ships for a total of along with an American destroyer during the war.

Early life
Johann ‘Hans” Eduard Friedrich Rose was born in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin on 15 April 1885, the third of five children of Marie Louise “Lilli” (nee Kroseberg) and Heinrich Otto Ludwig Rose. His father was the Director General of the European division of the Germania Insurance Company of New York. He spent his childhood in Berlin and was educated at the Kaiserin-Augusta Gymnasium in Charlottenburg between 1896 and 1902.

World War I
In September 1916, Rose brought SMU U-53 to Newport, Rhode Island, to the surprise of American authorities. He proceeded to dock and then invite American naval officers and their wives aboard to view his vessel. After delivering a message to the German Ambassador he proceeded offshore to the lightship Nantucket. He sent five or six ships to the bottom, after questioning their captains on their cargo and ordering the abandonment of their ships.

On March 11, 1917, Rose, still in command of U-53, torpedoed and sank the 6705 ton Cunard Liner RMS Folia. On December 6, 1917, Rose torpedoed and sank USS Jacob Jones (DD-61), the first American destroyer lost in the First World War. The torpedo hit Jacob Jones at 3000 yd, the longest successful torpedo shot on record at the time. In all, he sank 81 ships totalling (excluding Jacob Jones) and damaged another nine.

World War II
Hans Rose was in command of 1. Unterseeboots-Ausbildungsabteilung (U-boat training unit) from February to May 1940.

Post war
Rose died in his sleep in his home at the age of 84 on 6 December 1969. He received a miltiary funeral with an honour guard made up of four officers of the Bundesmarine. Among those attending were Walther Forstmann, representing the knighthood of the order of Pour le Mérite and Rear Admiral Hermann Boehm.

Personal life
At the age of 28 Rose married 20 year old Anne-Marie Siemers in St. Mariens church in Flensburg on 20 September 1913. Anne-Marie died of cancer in 1943. the couple had four children, Heinz Viktor, born on 18 July 1920; Gerd, born on 13 February 1925; Helga, born on 8 October 1920 and Christian Songenfrei, born on 2 February 1930. Anne-Mare died of cancer on 3 January 1943. After serving with German Army in France, Norway, Yugoslavia and Italy Heinz Viktor Rose was killed on the Eastern Front in 1944.

On 29 January 1949 the now 63 year old Rose married 44 year old widow Theodora Brügmann Brickenstein, who bought her five children to the relationship, Rudolf, Peter, Karolina, Wilhelm Rolf-Jürgen and Hans-Joachim.

Honours
On 20 December 1917. Rose was awarded the Pour le Mérite. He was also awarded the Ritterkreuz des Hohenzollerschen Hausordens mit Schwertern (Knights Cross of the Hohenzollern House Order with Swords).