Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) receives Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien and his U-47 submarine crew in the Reich Chancellery in Berlin on 18 October 1939. The 'Führer' welcomes every single member of the crew. Next to Hitler are Kapitänleutnant Prien and Großadmiral Erich Raeder (Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine). Prien had sunk with his U-boat the British battleship Royal Oak - with the loss of 833 British sailors - in the secured roads of the British Fleet, Scapa Flow, on 14 October 1939. In the picture the team is awarded with the Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse.
U-47's journey back home was one of celebration; this time was well utilised by First Officer Endrass, who ordered the painting of the now well-known "Snorting Bull" emblem on the conning tower in honour of his illustrious skipper, who was soon to become known as Der Stier von Scapa Flow, or "The Bull of Scapa Flow". This entire artistic operation was carried out without the skipper being aware of it, and when this new emblem was finally revealed, Prien was said to have been pleased with the result.
On arrival at Wilhelmshaven on 17 October Prien and his crew received the much-expected heroes' welcome and were greeted by an enthusiastic crowd, a ceremonial guard of honour and U-boat commander Dönitz himself. This was to herald the beginning of a hectic few days for Prien and his crew: having taken the short journey to Kiel, they then found themselves being flown onto Berlin for lunch the following day with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. Prien, having been informed of his being made the first recipient of the coveted Knight's Cross or Ritterkreuz, travelled in Hitler's personal aircraft.
The three aircraft carrying Günther Prien and his crew arrived at Berlin's Tempelhof airfield at 1100 on the morning of 18 October, and having been met by naval officials proceeded to make their way to the Reichskanzlei. As the procession of cars made their way through the streets of Berlin, the crew of U-47 and its celebrated skipper were met by yet more enthusiastic crowds lining the route. After meeting Hitler and making the obligatory opening speeches Prien was presented with his Ritterkreuz. The other crewmembers had been awarded with the Iron Cross, either first or second class, by Dönitz the previous day. Prien himself, already a holder of the Iron Cross second class, received the first class award the previous day.
Having been presented with their awards, Prien and the crew of U-47 continued their victory celebration by taking lunch with Adolf Hitler, followed by their being presented to press chief Otto Dietrich and yet more speeches. During a press conference in the afternoon, Prien reiterated his belief that he had also struck the Repulse during the attack - though it has been said that he was somewhat reticent to expand more on the subject. The day's events were capped off with a gala evening at the Wintergarten theatre where more cheering crowds had gathered both inside and out. Prien and his crew were fêted upon like film stars and besieged by armies of autograph hunters, young and old, male and female. Everyone was quick to jump on the Snorting Bull's bandwagon - during the show the crowd called upon Prien to deliver a speech, which in turn was broadcast to the nation on the popular radio programme Wunschkonzert.
The following morning the crew were woken up by a band of the Marine Hitler Youth, and were entertained by Luftwaffe chief Hermann Göring before making their way back to the airfield and the return flight to Wilhelmshaven. After yet more enthusiastic crowds, the crew were finally able to return to some semblance of normality when they made their way from Wilhelmshaven back to Kiel, where U-47 would undergo a well-earned rest and refit.
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U-47 returns from her 2nd war patrol, arriving at Wilhelmshaven’s harbour lock I on 17 October 1939. Sailors lined up on deck are receiving the praise of those on the edge of the jetty. There would be plenty more plaudits in the days to follow. Notable in this shot the breakwaters outboard of the 88mm deck gun, the raised bollards towards the bow and the weathering near the base of the conning tower. The wooden deck, treated with a black wood preservative, looks dark in this photo.
U-47, with crew on the deck, returns from her
2nd war patrol, arrives back at Wilhelmshaven’s harbour lock I on 17
October following the sinking of the Royal Oak at Scapa Flow. This photograph was taken at roughly the same time as the previous, but from the opposite side of the harbour lock. The wavy line on the starboard hull is not the division between the two greys; it marks the difference between wet and dry hull sides.
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This photograph was taken moments after two previous pictures, farther up the harbour lock from where the first picture was shot. The Ponton Bridge behind and the pole to the left are also visible in the second picture. Many sailors are parading along the harbour lock in honour of the triumphant U-boat.
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Here the U-boat can be seen arriving at the harbour lock, where a reception committee awaited them. This included Admirals Erich Raeder and Alfred Saalwächter, and Konteradmiral Karl Dönitz. There were some differences between the port and starboard sides of U-47's conning tower. Firstly, there were four tower rungs at the rear of the port tower wall as opposed to two on the starboard tower wall. Another difference is that the group of ventilation holes on the port side (between the top two rungs) is far smaller than on the starboard side. Both these differences can be seen by comparing this photo with others. Lastly, a double-length wooden seat can be made out on the starboard tower railings, covering the distance between three vertical stanchions. In the other picture it is obvious than a similar seat was not present on the port tower railings; the single-length seat on the port side was present between two vertical stanchions.
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Taken shortly after the previous picture, this photo provides a very clear view of the free-flooding drainage holes forward of the saddle tanks. Generally speaking, small groups of boats belonging to the same batch shared similar patterns of holes, though there were even, on occasions, minor differences between boats belonging to the same batch. Greater variations tended to occur between boats that had been built in different shipyards. There was a definite and noticeable difference in the number of holes in front of the saddle tanks (at the right hand side of the main group in this photo) on VIIBs as opposed to VIICs. The greater number located at this area of all 24 VIIBs allow us to distinguish this sub-class from VIICs. There appears to be a patch of grey below the forward deck railings in the fifth picture that is not present in the first and the fourth pictures. This is probably a shadow cast by a lamp-post. A similar lamp-post can be seen on the opposite side of the lock.
Konteradmiral Karl Dönitz talks to Günther Prien beside the 88mm deck gun. This day, 17 October 1939, was the day he took charge as BdU (Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote or Commander-in-Chief for U-boats), having previously been FdU (Führer der Unterseeboote or Flag Officer for U-boats). Prien was told that he would receive the Ritterkreuz from Hitler himself. The entire crew was flown to Kiel later that day, then flown to Berlin on the following day, the 18th. After several speeches, Hitler awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes to Günther Prien in recognition of U 47's audacious penetration of Scapa Flow. The Ritterkreuz bestowed upon Prien was the very first of 144 such medals awarded to men belonging to the Ubootwaffe.
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Reception of the victorious U-boat team in Berlin (sinking the 'Royal Oak' in the Bay of Scapa Flow): Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien (standing in the car) and accompanying officers on arrival in front of the Hotel Kaiserhof, in front of the Reich Chancellery, 18 October 1939.
Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien (Kommandant U-47) leading his crew on the way to the Reich Chancellery to receive the award from Hitler. Berlin, 18 October 1939.
Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien (Kommandant U-47) and the crew of U-47 are received by Adolf Hitler in the Reichskanzlei (Reich Chancellery) in Berlin on 18 October 1939, the day after their return from Scapa Flow. Prien was awarded his Ritterkreuz, and the rest of the crew were all decorated with the Eisernes Kreuzes.
Adolf
Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) receives
Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien (Kommandant U-47) and the crew of his
U-boat in the Reich Chancellery in Berlin, 18 October 1939. Behind
Hitler standing Großadmiral Erich Raeder (Oberbefehlshaber der
Kriegsmarine).
Adolf
Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes to
Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien (Kommandant U-47) in Reichs Chancellery, Berlin, on 18 October 1939. After the successful Scapa Flow infiltration by U-47, Prien returned to Germany on 17 October to instant fame. Prien and his crew were flown to Berlin aboard Hitler's personal aircraft. At the Reich Chancellery the following day, Hitler awarded Prien the Ritterkreuz. Nazi propaganda exploited the success and gloated over damaged British morale.
Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien (Kommandant U-47) and Adolf
Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) posing together for the camera after Hitler just awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes to Prien in the Reich Chancellery, Berlin, 18 October 1939.
Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) congratulates the crew of U-47 for their successful mission at Scapa Flow. They have already receives the Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse and I.Klasse one day previously. Standing behind Hitler is Großadmiral Erich Raeder (Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine) and Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien (Kommandant U-47).
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Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien (left, Kommandant U-47) chats with Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) about his exploits at Scapa Flow, while Großadmiral Erich Raeder (Oberbefehlshaber der Kriegsmarine) listening at right. In the background stands Oberst Rudolf Schmundt (Chefadjutant der Wehrmacht beim Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) and SS-Gruppenführer Dr. Otto Dietrich (Reichspressechef).
Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien (left, Kommandant U-47) at lunch with Hitler. There doesn't appear to be much talking going on; both Prien and the usually animated Führer look decidely uncomfortable. One can only assume that the tough seahand didn't take too well to Hitler's vegetarian menu and the likely lack of alcohol at the table. The crewman to Hitler's left looking equally unimpressed - or perhaps overawed - is Maschinenobergefreiter Ernst Schmidt, wearing his freshly awarded Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse.
Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien (Kommandant U-47) reports to the press in the Reich Chancellery about his successful mission at Scapa Flow, 18 October 1939. At right is Engelbert Endrass, who would also becoming a U-boat ace just like Prien awhile later.
In the evening of 18 October 1939, Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien (Kommandant U-47) and his U-boat crew invited as honor guests at the tea reception given by the Reichspressechef (Reich Press Chief), SS-Gruppenführer Dr. Otto Dietrich, to which representatives of the domestic and foreign press were also invited. From left to right: Kapitänleutnant Prien, Reich Press Chief Dr. Dietrich, and representative Legation Counselor Dr. Schmidt in the Foreign Office.
Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien (Kommandant U-47) posing for the photographer in the day he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes from Hitler, 18 October 1939. The picture was first published by 'Berliner Morgenpost' on 19 October 1939.
Source :
"Mein Weg nach Scapa Flow" by Günther Prien
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-guenther-prien-37055372.html?imageid=C175539F-F987-492B-B546-F8C61E14947B&p=291611&pn=1&searchId=4f616dffdeb958e3dc292153058180fc&searchtype=0
https://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/dba/de/search/?yearfrom=1939&yearto=1945&query=U-Boot&page=1#
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/adolf-hitler-accompanied-by-admiral-erich-raeder-left-news-photo/615315254?phrase=third%20reich%20navy%20adolf%20hitler
https://www.hitler-archive.com/index.php?d=1939-10-18
https://www.rebellionresearch.com/sinking-of-hms-royal-oak-by-u-47
http://www.u47.org/english/u47_sca.asp?page=4
https://uboat.net/men/prien.htm
https://www.u-historia.com/uhistoria/historia/articulos/royaloak/royaloak.htm
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