Kriegsmarine Frock Rock / Greatcoat (Gehrock/Mantel). This is a heavy quality dark navy-blue woolen construction privately purchased type greatcoat, it has two rows of five gold coloured front closure buttons. The buttons are the typical gold coloured 'Kriegsmarine' marked navy type buttons. The greatcoat is complete with a pair of sew-in type officers shoulder-boards as intended for a 'Kapitänleutnant'. A nice hand-embroiderd bullion breat-eagle is hand sewn to the coat. The greatcoat is fully lined and complete with tailor label from the company of 'Th. Thöl' from Kiel. The greatcoat is having a name-tag in the inner-pocket, the label is named to 'Oberfähnrich z. See Höltring' and dated 30 January 1936. Each sleeve has three machine applied gilt rings, two wide rings with one small ring in the middle indicating the rank of a 'Kapitänleutnant', above the rings are hand applied bullion stars to indicate line service. Horst Höltring was promoted to Kapitänleutnant on 1 March 1941. 

Horst Höltring joined the German Navy (Reichsmarine) in 1933. He went through U-boat training from March to October 1940. On 13 November 1940 he was given command of the small "duck" U-149, a training boat. He served on the boat for more than a year. From December1941 to January 1942 he went through U-boat familiarization (Baubelehrung) in preparation for his next command. On 8 January 1942 Kapitänleutnant Horst Höltring commissioned the type VIIC U-604 at Hamburg. The U-604 went on seven patrols, spending 203 days at sea. Six ships were sunk, totaling 40,000 tons. On the 7th patrol the boat was lost. Horst Höltring survived the loss of his boat on 11 August 1943 after she was scuttled following an attack by two American aircraft. The entire crew of 45 men was rescued by two U-boats. He died together with 13 of his men when the boat that rescued half of his crew, U-185 (Kptlt. August Maus), was sunk 13 days later.

The greatcoat is in very good condition showing minor traces of usage, see photos. Interesting original Kriegsmarine Frock Coat, named to a U-Boat Commander!

Used source for information: uboat.net/men/commanders