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Korvettenkapitän Günther Prien (January 16, 1908 - March 7, 1941) was one of the three outstanding U-boat aces of the first part of the Second World War, and the first U-boat commander to win the Knight's Cross. Under Prien's command, the submarine U-47 sank over 30 Allied ships totalling about 200,000 tons. By far his most famous exploit, however, was the sinking of the British battleship HMS Royal Oak at anchor in Scapa Flow.
Born in Thuringia, Prien went to sea as a young man. In 1925, he survived the shipwreck of the three-master Hamburg off the Irish coast. He obtained his officer's patent in the merchant marine, but was laid off when German shipping severely contracted during the Depression years. In 1933 he joined the Reichsmarine, serving initially on the light cruiser Königsberg before transferring to the U-boat service in October 1935. Prien progressed steadily in rank, from Fähnrich zur See (midshipman) in 1933, to Oberfähnrich zur See (senior midshipman) in 1935, Leutnant zur See (ensign) also in 1935, then Oberleutnant zur See (lieutenant j.g.) in 1937. He was appointed to the command of the new Type VIIB U-47 on her commissioning (December 17, 1938) and promoted to Kapitänleutnant (lieutenant) on February 1, 1939.
On October 14, 1939, Prien risked shallow water, unknown shoals, tricky currents and detection by defenders to penetrate the Royal Navy's primary base, Scapa Flow. Although most of the Home Fleet was at sea, Prien sunk the battleship Royal Oak and returned home to instant fame. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the first member of the Kriegsmarine to receive this award, and was given the nickname Der Stier von Scapa Flow ("The Bull of Scapa Flow"). This emblem was painted on the conning tower of U-47 and soon became the emblem of the entire 7th U-boat Flotilla.
Following later patrols and raids on Allied merchant shipping, Prien was awarded the Oakleaves to the Knight's Cross in 1940. He was killed, not long after being promoted to the rank of Korvettenkapitän (lieutenant commander) when U-47 was sunk in March 1941.
Although he was at sea for less than two years, Prien's record stands high among the U-boat aces during the Second World War. He spent 238 days at sea, sinking 30 enemy vessels for a total tonnage of 193,808 GRT.
External Links
u47.org (http://www.u47.org)de:Günther Prien sv:Günther Prien