Erich Topp
A U-boat ace of chilling efficiency who later helped rebuild Germany's naval forces as a NATO admiral in the Cold War.
1914–2005 (age 91)·German WW2 U-Boat commander·Birthday: July 2·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Erich Topp's story is one of dramatic transformation, mirroring that of his nation. During the Second World War, he was one of Germany's most successful U-boat commanders, a master of submarine warfare whose tonnage tally placed him among the top aces. Commanding U-552, known as the 'Red Devil Boat,' he patrolled the North Atlantic with a clinical effectiveness that earned him high military honors. The end of the war left him, like many skilled officers, at a crossroads. In a stark pivot, Topp became a central figure in the founding of the Federal German Navy (Bundesmarine) in the 1950s. His hard-won expertise, once used to sever Allied supply lines, was now dedicated to defending them. Rising to the rank of rear admiral, he served as a key planner for NATO, helping to integrate West German forces into the Western alliance and shape naval strategy against the Soviet threat.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Erich was born in 1914, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Erich Was Born
The biggest hits of 1914
Erich's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1914Born
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1919Started school
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1927Became a teenager
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1930Could drive
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1932Could vote
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1935Turned 21
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1944Turned 30
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1954Turned 40
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1964Turned 50
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 60
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 70
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 80
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2005Died at 91
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
Key Achievements
- Sank 35 Allied ships during World War II, totaling nearly 200,000 gross register tons.
- Awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, one of Nazi Germany's highest military honors.
- Played a foundational role in building the post-war Federal German Navy, reaching the rank of Konteradmiral (rear admiral).
- Served as Chief of Staff for the NATO command Allied Forces Northern Europe.
Did You Know?
After the war, he studied architecture and actually worked as an architect for a period.
His wartime command, U-552, was nicknamed the 'Red Devil Boat' for its distinctive emblem.
Topp later wrote and contributed to several historical works on naval warfare.
He was the third most successful U-boat commander of World War II in terms of tonnage sunk.
“We were soldiers, not murderers. There is a difference.”
