Type: VII-C
Built by: Germania Werft (Kiel)
Launched: 11 March 1942
Commissioned: 25 April 1942
Feldpost Nr: M44245
Sunk: 21 July 1944
Sunk by: HMS CURZON and HMS EKINS (Frigates)
Location sunk: 47m SE of Brighton
Position sunk: 50º 27’N x 09º 51’E (All hands lost – 48 men)

The only Skipper of U-212 was Kapitänleutnant Helmut Vogler who was killed when the boat was lost. He had no previous commands. U-212 was initially with the 8 th U-Bootflottille based in Danzig for her working up trials, then posted to the 11 th, (Bergen), 13 th (Trondheim) and the 3 rd U-Bootflottille (La Rochelle) as a frontboot.

Her conning tower emblem was the emblem of the Stormarn region that had adopted the boat; a regular custom of World War II.

U-212 operated against Allied convoys and Soviet naval forces in various patrols from August 1942 until September 1943. During one of these patrols, they landed some reconnaissance personnel and later destroyed an abandoned Allied weather station on Bear Island in June 1943. Over the night of 31 July/1 August 1943, she laid a mine barrage in the Pechorskoye Sea.

She was a snorkel-boot and in October 1943, she was transferred to the 3 rd U-Flot at La Rochelle and sent into action in the North Atlantic in June 1944 (D-Day) but was forced to withdraw.

During her time in WWII, U-212 made no attacks against any ship.

We learn the following from research done by Captain BOB (333-+-1987): THEW In October 1942, she conducted a reconnaissance near Jan Mayn. She laid a minefield off Kolguev in late July 1943. On 24 October she became part of the “Siegfried” Group to operate against Convoy HX.262 which avoided the subs but U-212 was bombed.

The group then split into three sections to operate against SC.145 and on 28 October she took station east of Newfoundland. She had no success and on the 31 st was reformed into the “Korner” Group but still without success.

By 11 Nov. she was part of the “Eisenbart” Group waiting for Convoy HX.264 and on the 15 th for SC.146, still without success. By the middle of January 1944 she began operations west of Ireland and on the 27 th she was directed to intercept Convoy OS.66/KMS.40/ON.221 as part of the “Hinen” Group but again failed to make contact.

A new group, “Ingel I” was formed on 3 February and deployed against SL.147/MKS.38 to no avail. Later in the month she joined the “Hai” Group but still no success. A few days later, she helped form the “Preussen” Group west of Ireland but still did nothing.

In June she made two attempts to get to the invasion area but had to return both times despite the fact that she was equipped with a snorkel. In July she did get to the area but was sunk before she could do anything.