Captain Hering / T-36 & the Wilhelm Gustloff

[Cunard-WhiteStarLine]

Greetings,
I am currently researching an email I received on any factualities about Captain Robert Hering of the T-36 and his relation to the Wilhelm Gustloff. The email I received is in Germany below with the rough English translation:

"Es handelt sich bei dem Artikel um eine ganz normale Decke der Kriegsmarine aus dem 2. Weltkrieg, die einem Überlebenden des Schiffes Wilhelm Gustloff gehörte, der sich in der Unglücksnacht mit dieser Decke auf eins der Rettungsboote gekämpft hatte, welches von einem deutschen Torpedoboot aufgebracht wurde und die Insassen gerettet hatte; wie ich von seinem Sohn erfahren habe. Leider ist sein Vater, der Besitzer der Decke, schon vor einigen Jahren an Krebs gestorben. Vom Sohn weiss ich noch das der Kommandant des Torpedobootes "Fering??" oder so ähnlich hieß und einige Hundert Überlebende gerettet hatte. Mehr weiss ich zu dem Mann oder der Decke leider nicht.

Hello. It concerns with the article a quite normal cover of the navy from the 2-nd world war which belonged to a survivor of the ship Wilhelm Gustloff who had struggled at the misfortune night with this cover on one of the lifeboats which were raised by a German torpedo boat and had saved the passengers; as I have got to know from his son. Unfortunately, his father, the owner of the cover has died, already some years ago of cancer. I know about the son still the commander of the torpedo boat \ " Fering?? \ " or was called so similarly and had saved some Hundred survivors. Unfortunately, any more I do not know to the man or the cover."

I am trying to figure out the following:
- If the son mentioned is in fact Captain Robert Hering and if he is still alive today? I know the T-36 sank and I heard Capt Hering went down with the ship, but the article I found from this site I believe made it sound like he was still alive.
- I was told by the man in Germany that this son is still alive, working as a professional in Germany, and that he was going to send me more information when he was able to. This was 4 months ago and I am beginning to think he forgot.
- If it is not Captain Hering, I am looking to find a survivor of the Gustloff sinking who fits the above criteria: i.e., father died of cancer and the son is still alive. The information given to me was based on memory and I am not sure how accurate it is. I have mailed the Gustloff Archive and Military Archive in Germany hoping for some help in this matter as well.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Regards, Edward Petruskevich

[sw_eno]

If the son mentioned is in fact Captain Robert Hering and if he is still alive today?

If I read the german part of your post correctly, the son is not Captain Robert Hering, if that is the commander of the T-boat, but the son of the guy that was rescued BY the T-boat commandeered by Captain Robert Hering.

[Cunard-WhiteStarLine]

That is what I need help on - I wasn't able to translate it perfectly, so I am not sure. The main thing I am trying to track down is the name of a survivor who died of cancer a few years back and who still has a son alive today working as a professional in Germany. Keep the ideas coming....