Hans-Werner Kraus | |
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File:Hans-Werner Kraus.jpg | |
Born | July 1, 1915 |
Died | May 25, 1990 | (aged 74)
Place of birth | Beulwitz/Saalfeld |
Place of death | Wanger/Allgäu |
Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
Service/branch | Kriegsmarine |
Years of service | 1934–1945 |
Rank | Kapitänleutnant |
Unit |
SSS Gorch Fock cruiser Karlsruhe cruiser Königsberg U-47 |
Commands held | U-83, U-199 |
Battles/wars | |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Hans-Werner Kraus (1 July 1915 – 25 May 1990) was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross(German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Kraus served as 1st watch officer on U-47 from January 1940 until November 1940 having replaced Engelbert Endrass. He later commanded U-83 and U-199. He was on board the latter when it was bombed and sunk by aircraft off the coast of Brazil on 31 July 1943. Captured, he was sent as a POW to the United States. Kraus was one of the 25 POWs who escaped from Camp Papago Park, Arizona, during the night of 23–24 December 1944.
Summary of career[]
Ships attacked[]
Date | U-boat | Ship | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate[1][2] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 October 1941 | U-83 | Corte Real | Portugal | 2,044 | Sunk |
26 October 1941 | U-83 | HMS Anguani | United Kingdom | 6,746 | Damaged |
17 March 1942 | U-83 | Crista | United Kingdom | 2,590 | Damaged |
8 June 1942 | U-83 | Esther * | Mandatory Palestine | 100 | Sunk |
8 June 1942 | U-83 | Said | Egypt | 231 | Sunk |
9 June 1942 | U-83 | Typhoon * | Mandatory Palestine | 175 | Sunk |
13 June 1942 | U-83 | HMS Farouk | United Kingdom | 96 | Sunk |
17 August 1942 | U-83 | Princess Marguerite | Canada | 5,875 | Sunk |
4 July 1943 | U-199 | Changri-Lá | Brazil | 20 | Sunk |
24 July 1943 | U-199 | Henzada | United Kingdom | 4,161 | Sunk |
* Sailing vessel
Awards[]
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class[3]
- U-boat War Badge (1939) (29 April 1940)[3]
- Medaglia di bronzo al Valore Militare (18 March 1942)[3]
- Iron Cross (1939)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 June 1942 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-83[4]
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 22 March 1942
Wehrmachtbericht reference[]
Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
---|---|---|
22 March 1942 | Bei den Unternehmungen gegen feindliche Kriegs- und Transportschiffe vor der Cyrenaika hat sich das Unterseeboot unter Führung von Kapitänleutnant Kraus besonders ausgezeichnet.[5] | The submarine under the command of Kapitänleutnant Kraus distinguished itself in the operations before the Cyrenaica against enemy war and transport shipping. |
References[]
- Citations
- ↑ "Patrols by U-83". uboat.net. http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/u83.html. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
- ↑ "Patrols by U-199". uboat.net. http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/u199.html. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Busch and Röll 2003, p. 225.
- ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 471.
- ↑ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 2, p. 63
- Bibliography
- Busch, Hans-Joachim; Röll (2003) (in German). Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939–1945 — Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [The U-Boat War 1939–1945 — The Knight's Cross Bearers of the U-Boat Force from September 1939 to May 1945]. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 978-3-8132-0515-2.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches]. Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knight's Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-88740-748-2.
- Moore, John Hammond (2006). The Faustball Tunnel: German POWs in America and Their Great Escape. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-526-4.
- Range, Clemens (1974). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Navy]. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-87943-355-1.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007) (in German). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives]. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943. München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.
External links[]
- "Hans-Werner Kraus". uboat.net. http://uboat.net/men/kraus.htm. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
- "Hans-Werner Kraus" (in German). Lexikon der Wehrmacht. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/K/KrausHW.htm. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
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The original article can be found at Hans-Werner Kraus and the edit history here.