Type: VII-C
Built by: Germania Werft (Kiel)
Launched: 4 April 1941
Commissioned: 17 May 1941
Feldpost Nr.: M41306
Sunk: 30 Novemeber 1941
Sunk by: RAF A/C from 205 Squadron
Location sunk: West of Nantes
Position sunk: 46º 55’N x 07º 16’E (all hands, 46 men lost)

The only Skipper of U-206 was Oberleutnant zur See Herbert Opitz, who was killed in action.

U-206 was attached to the 3rd U-Bootflottille based at La Rochelle. The emblem on the conning tower of U-206 was the heraldic emblem of the city of Reichenberg, the city, which adopted that U-Boat.

On her first war patrol in the North Atlantic, U-206 operated southwest of Iceland where she sank a trawler on the 9th. On 12 August, she was directed to intercept a convoy that had been sighted by U-129, but was unable to locate it. Because of a lack of sightings, she was sent east on the 22nd. On 26 Aug 1941, U-206 rescued six survivors of a downed British aircraft and took them prisoners.

On 1 September, she helped form the Group Kurfurst in an area west of the North Channel, and was directed towards Convoy OG.72 that had been sighted by reconnaissance aircraft, but she could not locate it.

She was outbound on her 2nd patrol on 2 October when she was ordered towards Convoy OG.75 but was unable to come up. She then moved south and sank the corvette FLEUR de LYS off the Straits of Gibraltar on 12 October.

Beginning the 17th, she was positioned off Cape Trafalgar to intercept the anticipated Convoy HG.74. On the 19th, she sank another ship. HG-74 was contacted shortly after midnight on the 23rd and two attacks were unsuccessful to she was able to maintain contact despite strong escorts but on the 25th, she was driven off.

U-206 was enroute into the Mediterranean when she was sunk by a WHITLEY of RAF 205 Squadron.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-206 UNDER OPITZ
09.08.41	unknown	Brit trawler	unknown
14.10.41	FLEUR de LYS	Brit corvt	925 GRT
19.10.41	BARON KELVIN	Brit stmr	3,081 GRT