German submarine U-85 was a Type VIIB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Launched on 10 April 1941, she was commissioned on 7 June and assigned to the 3rd U-boat Flotilla under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Eberhard Greger.

U-85 conducted four war patrols with the flotilla, and sank three ships, totalling 15,060 gross register tons (GRT).

The submarine was powered by two MAN M 6 V 40/46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged.

[2] Having left St. Nazaire on 21 March 1942, U-85 sank the Norwegian freighter Christen Knudsen off the coast of New Jersey on 10 April.

[3] U-85 took part in four wolfpacks, namely: U-85 was operating within view of Bodie Island Light at midnight on 13 April 1942 when the destroyer USS Roper detected the submarine on British Type 286 radar at a range of 2,700 yards (2,500 m).

Roper illuminated the U-boat with its searchlight and observed men on deck near the gun whose firing arc had just been cleared by the course change.

Some of the bodies were wearing civilian clothes, carrying wallets with United States currency and identification cards.