U-35 crewmember Willi Jacob

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U-35 crew member Willi Jacob

Willi Jacob joined the Kriegsmarine on 01 July 1936. After training as a torpedo mechanic in Flensburg and Kiel, and after further U-Boat training in Neustadt, he reported to U-35 on 01 October 1937. [44]

Surrounding the car belonging to Fritz Vollmer: Peter Schwarz, Willi Jacob, Karl-Heinz Schmidt, Erwin Fenzel, Johannes Martin, Erich Rosemann. [44]

Crewmembers of U-35 gathered around the conning tower hatch. From upper left: Rudi Schmidt, 2X unknown, Heinz Sandmüller, Karl Schnute, Willi Jacob, unknown, Hans-Bernhard Michalowski, Peter Schwarz. [47]

U-35 crewmembers manning the deck gun. From left: Rudi Schmidt, Erich Herrmann, Willi Jacob, [unknown], Gottlob Wilhelm Fischer (front), [unknown], [unknown], Johann van der Pütten. [47]

The crew of U-35, including Willi Jacob, in Spain. [44]

Karl Schnute, Karl Sommerer, Johannes Weigand, Paul Fichte and Willi Jacob in Spain.

Crewmembers of U-35 on the shore in Spain: Siegfried Bruse, Willi Jacob, and Theodor Schütt. [44]

Admiral Karl Dönitz addressing the crew of U-35: Paul Fichte, Rockenfeller, Willi Jacob, Heinz Pfeifer, Richard Friedrich Lüneburg, Gustav Horstkötter [33,cover photo of 32]

A photograph taken of the U-35 crew, including Willi Jacob, upon return from the first war cruise. [35]

Upon capture, Willi Jacob was assigned POW Number 37336.

After arriving in Glasgow, Scotland, Willi Jacob was transported with the rest of the U-35 crew to the Tower of London for a few days. After a brief stay at a house near London during his interrogation, he and the rest of the non-officer crew were transported to the POW Camp in Oldham, England.
After being transported across the Atlantic to Canada, he was housed at the Gravenhurst, Espanola and Lethbridge POW Camps.

Espanola POW Camp, Canada.

Standing, from left: Hannes Thieme, Karl Schnute, Erich Bartold May, Hubert Hirsch, Wilhelm Janssen.

Seated: Walter Kalabuch, Paul Liebau, Gottlob Wilhelm Fischer, Willi Jacob, Martin Müller.

He fondly remembers a week-long sportfest in Lethbridge (a camp of roughly 10,000 men) in the summer of 1945. Some time later came a major upheaval within the camp - POWs were assigned new quarters within the camp. Many friendships were interrupted.
He was transported back to Germany for medical reasons in February 1946, and was released on 21 March 1946. After six years, four months, and 21 days, he was finally a free man. [44]

Willi Jacob and his wife Elfriede Jacob at a reunion of the U-35 crew. [54]

The 1980 reunion in Emden, Germany.
L-R: Albert Schrader, Hans-Joachim "Jonny" Roters, Friedrich-Hermann Vollmer, Willi Jacob, Paul Liebau, Heinz Pfeifer, Martin Müller, Gustav Horstkötter, Wilhelm Janssen, Werner Lott, Karl Sommerer, Erich Bartold May, Peter von der Helm, Gerhard Stamer. [55]

1982: Reunion in Neuss on the Rhine, organized by Lucia and Erich Bartold May:

Photo: Augustusburg palace in Brühl. L-R: Inge Lott, Walter Konradt, Friedrich-Hermann Vollmer, Hans-Joachim "Jonny" Roters, Martha Konradt, unknown, Lucia May, Werner Lott, Charlotte Vollmer, Grete Balke, Wilhelm Silbernagel (guest), Mrs. Silbernagel, Änne Horstkötter, Gustav Horstkötter, unknown (girlfriend of Hans-Joachim "Jonny" Roters), Albert Göbel (U-39), unknown, Erich Bartold May, Inge Pfeifer, Heinz Pfeifer, Peter von der Helm, Martin Müller, Mrs. Schwarz, Maria Weigand, unknown, Willi Jacob, unknown, Johannes Weigand. [54]

A reunion of the U-35 crew in May 1984 in Hamburg L-R: Martin Müller, Johannes Weigand, Siegfried Bruse, Willi Jacob, Peter von der Helm, Walter Roloff, Werner Lott. [54,63]

Willi Jacob with his wife Elfriede Jacob at their 50th anniversary in October 1998.

Kurt Grosser, Willi Jacob, and Chief Yeoman Warder Tom Sharp at the Tower of London, 28 November 2001.

Willi Jacob and Evangelos Angelakos featured in the German newspaper Der Westen, "Die Geschichte einer Rettung" after meeting on 22 October 2009.

Hans Mair, Willi Jacob, 5 Sep 2015

Born on 14 October 1917, Willi Jacob passed away on 18 May 2019 at the age of 101. He was the last surviving crewmember of U-35.

Mr. Jacob, and his son Reiner Jacob, were major contributors to this website.