Man who sank Lusitania also visited Cork in 1916

Congratulations to all who were involved in the publication of the Lusitania commemorative supplement in Friday’s Irish Examiner.

It was a very interesting and informative read.

One of the things I was unaware of, until I read the supplement, was the connection between Captain Raimund Weissbach, who commanded the German submarine U-19 that brought Roger Casement to Banna Strand, and the Lusitania.

According to the article by Ray Ryan, on page 16, it was Weissbach who actually launched the torpedo at the Lusitania, while serving on U-20, under Captain Walther Schweiger.

Your readers may be interested to learn that Weissbach visited Cork in 1966, during the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Rising.

An article and photograph in the Evening Echo, dated April 19, 1966, shows Weissbach signing the visitors book at Cork City Hall, on a courtesy visit to the lord mayor.

Ronnie Herlihy

South Douglas Road

Cork

Read more about the sinking of RMS Lusitania in our special report