Günther Prien
German U-boat commander during World War II · Germany · On the map · Lived 1908 to 1941 · aged 33
Günther Prien was a German U-boat commander during World War II. He was the first U-boat commander to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the first member of the Kriegsmarine to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany.
Günther Prien is read about 410 times a day, in 32 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 1 November 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 407 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?A life in dates
1941Died7 March 19411940Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak LeavesAward1939Iron Cross 1st ClassAwardIron Cross 2nd ClassAwardKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossAward1937Wehrmacht Long Service AwardAward1908Born16 January 1908
Also in Deutsch
Media & music
![The Königin-Carola-Gymnasium in Leipzig was named the Günther Prien School.[6]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/K%C3%B6nigin-Carola-Gymnasium_Stra%C3%9Fenseite.jpg/500px-K%C3%B6nigin-Carola-Gymnasium_Stra%C3%9Fenseite.jpg)
Awards
About this person
It was Germany's highest military decoration at the time of its presentation to Prien.
Country
Germany
Type
Other
Status
Deceased
Dates
Lived 1908 to 1941 · aged 33