The Kriegsmarine, officially established in 1935 as the naval branch of the Wehrmacht following the renunciation of the Treaty of Versailles, served as Nazi Germany's primary maritime force until its dissolution in 1945. Under the command of Großadmiral Erich Raeder and later Karl Dönitz, it rapidly expanded from a modest fleet inherited from the Reichsmarine into a formidable navy focused on surface raiders and submarine warfare. Iconic capital ships such as the battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz, the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee, and the battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau conducted high-profile operations, while the U-Bootwaffe waged a devastating but ultimately unsuccessful campaign in the Battle of the Atlantic against Allied convoys. Despite notable early successes like the sinking of HMS Hood, the Kriegsmarine faced overwhelming numerical superiority from the Royal Navy and United States Navy, compounded by fuel shortages and Allied air power. Its personnel earned distinctions such as the U-Boot-Kriegsabzeichen and the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes for extraordinary bravery, yet by 1945 the force had been largely neutralized, with surviving elements surrendering at the end of the war in Europe.
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SCHWERTERTRÄGER
Fregattenkapitän Otto Kretschmer (1912-1998), born 1 May 1912 and who died 5 August 1998, was one of the most successful U-boat commanders of the Kriegsmarine in World War II and earned the nickname Otto der Schweiger for his strict radio discipline and skillful use of silent running. Serving initially as Kapitänleutnant in command of U-23 and then from April 1940 as commander of U-99, he pioneered effective night surface attacks from the dark side of convoys and the “one torpedo, one ship” tactic, sinking a total of 47 ships totaling 274,333 gross register tons, including the British destroyer HMS Daring and several armed merchant cruisers, between September 1939 and his capture in March 1941. These outstanding results brought him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 4 August 1940 for his early U-99 patrols, notably the sinking of the Auckland Star and successful strikes against convoy OB 191, the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub on 4 November 1940 as only the sixth recipient after further devastating attacks that included the sinking of HMS Laurentic and HMS Patroclus, and finally the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern on 26 December 1941 as the fifth recipient and by then Korvettenkapitän for his cumulative record and the last patrols that added the sinking of HMS Forfar along with many more merchant vessels; he was later promoted to Fregattenkapitän on 1 September 1944 while a prisoner of war after U-99 was scuttled on 17 March 1941.
Fregattenkapitän Erich Topp (1914-2005), born on 2 July 1914 in Hannover, emerged as one of the most successful U-boat commanders of the Kriegsmarine during World War II, ultimately sinking 35 ships for a total of 197,460 gross register tons (GRT) and ranking as the third-highest tonnage scorer among German submariners. He began his naval career in 1934, served aboard the light cruiser Karlsruhe, and transitioned to the U-boat force, initially as first watch officer on U-46 before taking command of U-57 in the 1st U-boat Flotilla in June 1940, where he conducted aggressive patrols into the North Atlantic and North Channel, achieving multiple sinkings that earned him the Iron Cross 1st Class. Transferring to the newly commissioned Type VIIC submarine U-552 in December 1940 with the 7th U-boat Flotilla, Topp distinguished himself further during operations west of Ireland and in the North Atlantic; his third war patrol in May-June 1941 resulted in credited sinkings that led to the award of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 20 June 1941 as Oberleutnant zur See for approximately 14 ships sunk or damaged totaling around 90,000 GRT across his commands. During subsequent patrols, including the dramatic sinking of the US destroyer USS Reuben James on 31 October 1941 while escorting Convoy HX 156, and highly productive operations off the American East Coast during the Second Happy Time in early 1942 where U-552 sank seven ships for over 45,000 GRT on one patrol alone, Topp received the Eichenlaub on 11 April 1942 as the 87th recipient while at sea, recognizing his cumulative successes. His continued daring raids, including additional sinkings and damage to shipping on patrols in mid-1942, culminated in the Schwerter award on 17 August 1942 as the 17th recipient, elevating him amid his leadership of the Red Devil Boat U-552. Later commanding the 27th U-boat Flotilla for training and contributing to tactics for advanced Type XXI Elektroboote while briefly commanding U-2513 before surrendering at war's end, Topp survived to postwar service in the Bundesmarine, rising to Konteradmiral and NATO roles.
Fregattenkapitän Reinhard "Teddy" Suhren (1916-1984) first gained distinction as 1. Wachoffizier on U-48 and later as Kommandant of the Type VIIC submarine U-564 in the 1. U-Boot-Flottille. After joining the navy in 1935 as part of Crew 35, completing training on the school ship Gorch Fock, the light cruiser Emden and various specialist courses, and serving briefly on destroyers and earlier U-boats, Suhren spent nine war patrols from 1939 to 1940 aboard U-48 (initially in the Wegener Flotille) under commanders Herbert Schultze, Hans-Rudolf Rösing and Heinrich Bleichrodt, where as torpedo weapons officer he fired the majority of the boat’s successful torpedoes and contributed decisively to the sinking of roughly 200,000 gross register tons of Allied shipping, for which he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 3 November 1940 as Oberleutnant zur See; the award was personally advocated by Bleichrodt, who credited Suhren’s skill more than his own command and threatened to refuse his own decoration if Suhren were overlooked. In April 1941 Suhren commissioned and took command of U-564, and during his six patrols as Kommandant he sank eighteen merchant vessels totalling 95,544 GRT plus the British corvette HMS Zinnia (900 long tons) while damaging four further merchants of 28,907 GRT; his first three patrols, which together accounted for ten ships of approximately 28,324 GRT including the sinking of HMS Zinnia on 23 August 1941, earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub on 31 December 1941 as Oberleutnant zur See, while his next three highly successful cruises—culminating in the sixth patrol into the mid-Atlantic and Caribbean near Trinidad, where despite an aircraft attack that forced him to dive to 200 metres he sank five ships of 32,181 GRT—brought the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern on 1 September 1942 as Kapitänleutnant. After handing over U-564 in October 1942 Suhren served as an instructor with the 27. U-Boot-Flottille, rose to Fregattenkapitän and held senior operational posts as Führer der Unterseeboote Norwegen and ultimately Commander-in-Chief of U-boats in the North Sea; following the war he worked in the petroleum industry and died of stomach cancer on 25 August 1984.
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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER
Korvettenkapitän Günther Prien (1908-1941), one of the most celebrated commanders of the Kriegsmarine’s U-Bootwaffe, gained legendary status during the early years of World War II as the captain of U-47. On the night of 14 October 1939, Prien executed a daring penetration of the heavily defended British naval base at Scapa Flow, where he torpedoed and sank the battleship HMS Royal Oak, resulting in the loss of over 800 British sailors. This bold operation made him an instant hero in Germany and earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 18 October 1939, making him the first U-boat commander to receive the prestigious award, which was personally presented by Adolf Hitler. Prien continued his successful career in the Atlantic, sinking numerous Allied ships, and on 20 October 1940 he was further honored with the Eichenlaub (Oak Leaves) to his Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes for his outstanding achievements and a total tonnage exceeding 200,000 tons sunk. His career ended tragically when U-47 was lost with all hands on 7 March 1941, likely sunk by British escorts in the North Atlantic.
Kapitänleutnant Joachim Schepke (1912-1941) was a prominent U-boat commander in the Kriegsmarine who earned his reputation as one of the most successful submarine officers during the early years of the war. As the commander of U-100, a Type VIIB boat, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 September 1940 for his successful military leadership and effectiveness against Allied shipping. Following his continued successes, he became the seventh recipient of the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 1 December 1940. Throughout his career, Schepke was credited with sinking 36 ships, though he famously claimed 37 vessels for a total of 213,310 gross register tons, a figure often viewed with skepticism by his peers due to a tendency to exaggerate his tonnage reports. His service ended on 17 March 1941 when U-100 was forced to the surface by depth charges from HMS Walker and HMS Vanoc and subsequently rammed by the latter during an attack on Convoy HX-112, resulting in his death.
Fregattenkapitän Heinrich Liebe (1908-1997) was one of the most successful U-Boot commanders of the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War, earning distinction through a series of highly effective Atlantic patrols that made him one of Germany’s leading submarine aces. After joining the Reichsmarine in 1927, he eventually took command of U-38, a Type IXA U-Boot that became one of the most successful submarines of the war under his leadership. During the early phases of the Battle of the Atlantic, Liebe demonstrated exceptional tactical skill, aggressive convoy attacks, and remarkable endurance on long-range patrols against Allied shipping. These operations resulted in the destruction of numerous merchant vessels and severely disrupted Allied maritime logistics. For his outstanding success in command of U-38 and the sinking of large amounts of enemy tonnage during the opening years of the Atlantic campaign, Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Liebe was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 August 1940. He continued to achieve further successes during subsequent patrols, increasing his tally to 34 ships sunk with a total of approximately 187,267 GRT, placing him among the highest-scoring U-Boot commanders of the war. In recognition of these continued achievements, his leadership, and the sustained effectiveness of U-38 in combat operations, he received the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 10 June 1941 as the 13th recipient of that higher award. Following his frontline service, Liebe was transferred to staff and training duties within the Kriegsmarine, surviving the war and later living a long postwar life until his death in Eisenach in 1997.
Kapitänleutnant Engelbert Endrass (1911-1941) was one of the most successful commanders of the Kriegsmarine U-Boot-Waffe during the Second World War, having first gained fame as the 1. Wachoffizier aboard U-47 under Günther Prien during the daring penetration of Scapa Flow and the sinking of the British battleship HMS Royal Oak in October 1939. After taking command of U-46 on 22 May 1940, Endrass quickly demonstrated exceptional aggressiveness and tactical skill in the Battle of the Atlantic. During his first two war patrols as commander, he sank numerous Allied merchant vessels and two large British auxiliary cruisers, HMS Carinthia and HMS Dunvegan Castle, inflicting heavy losses on Allied shipping despite operating under difficult conditions, including damage to his attack periscope. These successes, which totaled more than 60,000 GRT of enemy shipping destroyed within a few months, earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 5 September 1940 as Oberleutnant zur See and Kommandant of U-46. Endrass continued his successful convoy operations throughout late 1940 and the first half of 1941, participating in attacks against convoys such as SC 7 and HX 79 and steadily increasing his sinking record. In recognition of his sustained combat achievements, leadership, and repeated successes against heavily escorted Atlantic convoys, he received the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 10 June 1941 as Kapitänleutnant and Kommandant of U-46, becoming the 14th member of the German armed forces to receive that distinction. After relinquishing U-46 in September 1941, he assumed command of U-567, but his career ended during operations against Convoy HG 76 when his submarine was sunk by British escort vessels on 21 December 1941 northeast of the Azores, with the loss of all hands. His final tally: 19 ships sunk, with the total tonnage of 81,164 GRT.
Korvettenkapitän Herbert Schultze (1909-1987) was one of the most successful and widely known U-Boot commanders of the Kriegsmarine during the early years of the Second World War, achieving fame as the commander of U-48, one of Germany’s most successful submarines. After taking command of U-48 in 1938, Schultze began a remarkable combat career in the Atlantic, where his aggressive yet often highly publicized adherence to traditional naval prize rules brought him international attention. During the opening months of the war he sank numerous Allied merchant vessels, including Royal Sceptre, Winkleigh, Firby, and many others, while conducting a series of highly successful patrols that resulted in tens of thousands of tons of enemy shipping destroyed. His growing record of success, leadership, and effectiveness in disrupting British maritime supply lines led to the award of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 1 March 1940. Schultze continued his operational achievements throughout 1940 and early 1941, eventually reaching a total of more than 169,709 gross register tons of 26 Allied shipping sunk, making him one of the leading U-Boot aces of the period. In recognition of these continued successes while commanding U-48, as well as his sustained contribution to the Battle of the Atlantic and exemplary leadership within the U-Boot-Waffe, he was awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 12 June 1941 as the sixth U-Boot commander to receive that distinction. Shortly afterward he was withdrawn from frontline patrol duty and assigned to command the 3. U-Flottille at La Rochelle, later serving in several important staff positions under Großadmiral Karl Dönitz.
Kapitän zur See Viktor Schütze (1906-1950) was one of the most successful U-boat commanders of the Second World War, serving initially in the Reichsmarine aboard torpedo boats from 1925 before transferring to the U-boat arm in 1935 and rising through commands of U 19, U 11, and U 25 prior to taking over the Type IXB boat U 103 of the 2. Unterseebootsflottille in July 1940. As Kommandant of U 103 he conducted multiple patrols in the North Atlantic and off the African coast, during which his cumulative successes across five patrols earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 11 December 1940 for sinking 19 ships totaling 91,953 gross register tons and damaging one additional vessel. He continued aggressive operations, and over the course of two further patrols in the first half of 1941 he sank another 16 ships for 88,120 gross register tons while damaging one more, actions that directly resulted in the award of the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 July 1941 as the 23rd recipient of the Oak Leaves. By the time he relinquished command of U 103 in mid-1941 to become Flottillenchef of the 2. Unterseebootsflottille and later Führer der U-Boote Ausbildungsflottillen, Schütze’s personal final tally as a front-line commander stood at 35 ships sunk for a total of 180,073 gross register tons plus two vessels damaged for 14,213 gross register tons, placing him among the elite aces of the Battle of the Atlantic before he transitioned to training and staff roles until the end of the war.
Kapitän zur See Ernst-Felix Krüder (1897-1941) was an officer of the Kriegsmarine who commanded the Hilfskreuzer „Pinguin“ (Schiff 33 / HSK 5), one of the most successful German auxiliary cruisers and commerce raiders of the Second World War. After distinguished service in the First World War aboard the SMS König at the Battle of Jutland and later as Funkentelegraphie-Offizier on the SMS Goeben, followed by post-war roles in the Reichsmarine including command of minesweepers and as Chef der 1. Minensuchflottille, he took command of the converted freighter Pinguin on 6 February 1940 (promoted Kapitän zur See the same day) and sailed from Gotenhafen on 15 June 1940 for a 357-day cruise in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean. Under his leadership the Pinguin sank or captured 32 Allied merchant vessels totaling 154,619 GRT through gunfire, torpedoes, scuttling, and minefields it laid, notably sinking the British freighter Domingo de Larrinaga on 31 July 1940 near Ascension Island, capturing the bulk of the Norwegian whaling fleet in January 1941 (including the factory ships Ole Wegger and Pelagos plus numerous whalers dispatched as prizes), and laying mines off Australia that destroyed several additional ships. For these cumulative successes—specifically 11 ships of 78,947 GRT sunk or captured plus three more vessels of 17,781 GRT destroyed by his Australian minefield—he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 22 December 1940; posthumously, on 15 November 1941 as the 40th recipient, he received the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes for a further 18 ships of 57,891 GRT sunk, captured or destroyed by mines (with one additional vessel damaged). The Pinguin was finally sunk on 8 May 1941 in the Indian Ocean east of Somaliland and northwest of the Seychelles by the British heavy cruiser HMS Cornwall; a direct hit detonated the ship’s mine magazine, killing Krüder and most of the crew along with many prisoners of war.
Vizeadmiral Bernhard Rogge (1899-1982), born on 4 November 1899 in Schleswig and died on 29 June 1982 in Reinbek, was a distinguished German naval officer who rose to the rank of Vizeadmiral in the Kriegsmarine during World War II and later served as Konteradmiral in the post-war Bundesmarine. A devoutly religious man and skilled seaman with a career beginning in the Imperial German Navy in 1915, Rogge commanded various sail training ships before taking charge of the auxiliary cruiser Atlantis (HSK 2, also known as Schiff 16), a disguised merchant raider that departed on its legendary 655-day cruise on 31 March 1940. Under his leadership, Atlantis conducted one of the most successful commerce raiding operations of the war, operating across the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans while sinking or capturing a total of 22 enemy merchant ships totaling approximately 145,697 GRT through a combination of clever deception, precise gunnery, and humane treatment of prisoners that earned respect even from adversaries. For these exploits, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 7 December 1940 as Kapitän zur See and Kommandant of Hilfskreuzer Atlantis after accounting for 13 ships and 94,000 GRT, recognizing the disruption inflicted on Allied supply lines far from home waters. The Eichenlaub followed on 31 December 1941 as the 45th recipient, honoring the full tally of successes and over 110,000 nautical miles sailed, making Rogge one of the most effective surface raider commanders of the conflict; notably, the capture of secret documents from the British steamer Automedon near Sumatra further amplified his impact by aiding Japanese strategic planning. Renowned for his chivalrous conduct toward captured crews, which contrasted with harsher wartime norms and contributed to his avoidance of post-war Allied prosecution, Rogge exemplified professional seamanship amid the demands of commerce warfare.
Fregattenkapitän Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock (1911-1986) began his naval career in 1931 and transferred to the U-boat arm in 1939, later commanding the Type VIIC submarine U-96 as Kapitänleutnant from September 1940 until March 1942 while attached to the 7. U-Flottille and conducting eight war patrols in the Battle of the Atlantic that resulted in the sinking of twenty-four ships totaling 170,237 gross register tons along with two ships damaged for 15,864 gross register tons and one ship declared a total loss. For his achievements during the first three of these patrols, in which U-96 under his command sank fourteen ships of 115,580 gross register tons and damaged two others of 15,864 gross register tons including the prominent sinking of the British troopship Almeda Star of 14,935 gross register tons on 17 January 1941, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 26 February 1941 as Kommandant of U-96 in recognition of his rapid destruction of more than 125,000 gross register tons of enemy shipping in a short period. For further successes achieved over the course of another five war patrols in which he sank an additional ten ships totaling 58,746 gross register tons, he received the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 31 December 1941 while still serving as Kommandant of U-96, after which he went on to command the 9. U-Flottille in Brest and briefly U-256 before becoming Flottillenchef of the 11. U-Flottille until the end of the war.
Korvettenkapitän Reinhard Hardegen (1913-2018) was an officer in the Kriegsmarine during World War II, best known as a successful U-boat commander who sank or damaged numerous Allied vessels, primarily while serving with the 2nd U-boat Flotilla. Having previously served as 1.WO aboard U-124 under Kapitanleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Schulz, he took command of U-147 in late 1940 before assuming command of the Type IXB U-boat U-123 in May 1941. His most notable achievements came during Operation Paukenschlag (Drumbeat), the German U-boat offensive against American shipping along the East Coast in early 1942, where he penetrated heavily illuminated coastal waters with remarkable audacity. On his first Drumbeat patrol, Hardegen and his crew aboard U-123 sank several ships including the British tanker Coimbra and others off Cape Hatteras, accumulating over 100,000 GRT in claimed sinkings that earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 23 January 1942. During his second and final patrol in March-April 1942, he continued his aggressive operations along the Florida and Georgia coasts, sinking or heavily damaging tankers and freighters such as the American tanker Muskogee, Empire Steel, Oklahoma, Esso Baton Rouge, Gulfamerica (torpedoed and then shelled from a daring close-range position near the beach amid onshore spectators), and others with a combination of torpedoes and deck gun fire, often in shallow waters where ships were sometimes later refloated; these successes, bringing his patrol claims to around 74,000 GRT amid fierce but often ineffective American responses including depth charges and air attacks, led to the award of the Eichenlaub to his Ritterkreuz on 23 April 1942 (the 89th such presentation). Health issues forced his retirement from frontline U-boat duties shortly thereafter, after which he commanded Marine-Infanterie-Regiment 6 briefly in 1945; postwar, he built a successful career as a businessman and politician in Bremen, living to the age of 105 as the last surviving German U-boat captain.
Kapitän zur See Viktor Schütze (1906-1950) was one of the most successful U-boat commanders of the Second World War, serving initially in the Reichsmarine aboard torpedo boats from 1925 before transferring to the U-boat arm in 1935 and rising through commands of U 19, U 11, and U 25 prior to taking over the Type IXB boat U 103 of the 2. Unterseebootsflottille in July 1940. As Kommandant of U 103 he conducted multiple patrols in the North Atlantic and off the African coast, during which his cumulative successes across five patrols earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 11 December 1940 for sinking 19 ships totaling 91,953 gross register tons and damaging one additional vessel. He continued aggressive operations, and over the course of two further patrols in the first half of 1941 he sank another 16 ships for 88,120 gross register tons while damaging one more, actions that directly resulted in the award of the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 July 1941 as the 23rd recipient of the Oak Leaves. By the time he relinquished command of U 103 in mid-1941 to become Flottillenchef of the 2. Unterseebootsflottille and later Führer der U-Boote Ausbildungsflottillen, Schütze’s personal final tally as a front-line commander stood at 35 ships sunk for a total of 180,073 gross register tons plus two vessels damaged for 14,213 gross register tons, placing him among the elite aces of the Battle of the Atlantic before he transitioned to training and staff roles until the end of the war.
Kapitän zur See Ernst-Felix Krüder (1897-1941) was an officer of the Kriegsmarine who commanded the Hilfskreuzer „Pinguin“ (Schiff 33 / HSK 5), one of the most successful German auxiliary cruisers and commerce raiders of the Second World War. After distinguished service in the First World War aboard the SMS König at the Battle of Jutland and later as Funkentelegraphie-Offizier on the SMS Goeben, followed by post-war roles in the Reichsmarine including command of minesweepers and as Chef der 1. Minensuchflottille, he took command of the converted freighter Pinguin on 6 February 1940 (promoted Kapitän zur See the same day) and sailed from Gotenhafen on 15 June 1940 for a 357-day cruise in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean. Under his leadership the Pinguin sank or captured 32 Allied merchant vessels totaling 154,619 GRT through gunfire, torpedoes, scuttling, and minefields it laid, notably sinking the British freighter Domingo de Larrinaga on 31 July 1940 near Ascension Island, capturing the bulk of the Norwegian whaling fleet in January 1941 (including the factory ships Ole Wegger and Pelagos plus numerous whalers dispatched as prizes), and laying mines off Australia that destroyed several additional ships. For these cumulative successes—specifically 11 ships of 78,947 GRT sunk or captured plus three more vessels of 17,781 GRT destroyed by his Australian minefield—he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 22 December 1940; posthumously, on 15 November 1941 as the 40th recipient, he received the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes for a further 18 ships of 57,891 GRT sunk, captured or destroyed by mines (with one additional vessel damaged). The Pinguin was finally sunk on 8 May 1941 in the Indian Ocean east of Somaliland and northwest of the Seychelles by the British heavy cruiser HMS Cornwall; a direct hit detonated the ship’s mine magazine, killing Krüder and most of the crew along with many prisoners of war.
Vizeadmiral Bernhard Rogge (1899-1982), born on 4 November 1899 in Schleswig and died on 29 June 1982 in Reinbek, was a distinguished German naval officer who rose to the rank of Vizeadmiral in the Kriegsmarine during World War II and later served as Konteradmiral in the post-war Bundesmarine. A devoutly religious man and skilled seaman with a career beginning in the Imperial German Navy in 1915, Rogge commanded various sail training ships before taking charge of the auxiliary cruiser Atlantis (HSK 2, also known as Schiff 16), a disguised merchant raider that departed on its legendary 655-day cruise on 31 March 1940. Under his leadership, Atlantis conducted one of the most successful commerce raiding operations of the war, operating across the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans while sinking or capturing a total of 22 enemy merchant ships totaling approximately 145,697 GRT through a combination of clever deception, precise gunnery, and humane treatment of prisoners that earned respect even from adversaries. For these exploits, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 7 December 1940 as Kapitän zur See and Kommandant of Hilfskreuzer Atlantis after accounting for 13 ships and 94,000 GRT, recognizing the disruption inflicted on Allied supply lines far from home waters. The Eichenlaub followed on 31 December 1941 as the 45th recipient, honoring the full tally of successes and over 110,000 nautical miles sailed, making Rogge one of the most effective surface raider commanders of the conflict; notably, the capture of secret documents from the British steamer Automedon near Sumatra further amplified his impact by aiding Japanese strategic planning. Renowned for his chivalrous conduct toward captured crews, which contrasted with harsher wartime norms and contributed to his avoidance of post-war Allied prosecution, Rogge exemplified professional seamanship amid the demands of commerce warfare.
Fregattenkapitän Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock (1911-1986) began his naval career in 1931 and transferred to the U-boat arm in 1939, later commanding the Type VIIC submarine U-96 as Kapitänleutnant from September 1940 until March 1942 while attached to the 7. U-Flottille and conducting eight war patrols in the Battle of the Atlantic that resulted in the sinking of twenty-four ships totaling 170,237 gross register tons along with two ships damaged for 15,864 gross register tons and one ship declared a total loss. For his achievements during the first three of these patrols, in which U-96 under his command sank fourteen ships of 115,580 gross register tons and damaged two others of 15,864 gross register tons including the prominent sinking of the British troopship Almeda Star of 14,935 gross register tons on 17 January 1941, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 26 February 1941 as Kommandant of U-96 in recognition of his rapid destruction of more than 125,000 gross register tons of enemy shipping in a short period. For further successes achieved over the course of another five war patrols in which he sank an additional ten ships totaling 58,746 gross register tons, he received the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 31 December 1941 while still serving as Kommandant of U-96, after which he went on to command the 9. U-Flottille in Brest and briefly U-256 before becoming Flottillenchef of the 11. U-Flottille until the end of the war.
Korvettenkapitän Reinhard Hardegen (1913-2018) was an officer in the Kriegsmarine during World War II, best known as a successful U-boat commander who sank or damaged numerous Allied vessels, primarily while serving with the 2nd U-boat Flotilla. Having previously served as 1.WO aboard U-124 under Kapitanleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Schulz, he took command of U-147 in late 1940 before assuming command of the Type IXB U-boat U-123 in May 1941. His most notable achievements came during Operation Paukenschlag (Drumbeat), the German U-boat offensive against American shipping along the East Coast in early 1942, where he penetrated heavily illuminated coastal waters with remarkable audacity. On his first Drumbeat patrol, Hardegen and his crew aboard U-123 sank several ships including the British tanker Coimbra and others off Cape Hatteras, accumulating over 100,000 GRT in claimed sinkings that earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 23 January 1942. During his second and final patrol in March-April 1942, he continued his aggressive operations along the Florida and Georgia coasts, sinking or heavily damaging tankers and freighters such as the American tanker Muskogee, Empire Steel, Oklahoma, Esso Baton Rouge, Gulfamerica (torpedoed and then shelled from a daring close-range position near the beach amid onshore spectators), and others with a combination of torpedoes and deck gun fire, often in shallow waters where ships were sometimes later refloated; these successes, bringing his patrol claims to around 74,000 GRT amid fierce but often ineffective American responses including depth charges and air attacks, led to the award of the Eichenlaub to his Ritterkreuz on 23 April 1942 (the 89th such presentation). Health issues forced his retirement from frontline U-boat duties shortly thereafter, after which he commanded Marine-Infanterie-Regiment 6 briefly in 1945; postwar, he built a successful career as a businessman and politician in Bremen, living to the age of 105 as the last surviving German U-boat captain.
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kriegsmarine
https://www.tracesofwar.com/awards/83/ritterkreuz-des-eisernen-kreuzes.htm
https://uboat.net/men/decorations/ritter_winners.htm
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