Peter-Erich Cremer

Peter-Erich Cremer
Nickname	"Ali"
Born	25 March 1911(1911-03-25) Metz, Alsace-Lorraine
Died	5 July 1992(1992-07-05) (aged 81) Hamburg, Germany
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1932-1945
Rank	Korvettenkapitän
Commands held	U-152, 1941-1-29 – 1941-7-21 U-333, 1941-8-25 – 1942-10-6 U-333, 1943-5-18 – 1944-7-19 U-2519, 1944-11-15 – 1945
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Peter-Erich Cremer (25 March 1911 – 5 July 1992) was a German U-boat commander during the Second World War. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Biography

Peter-Erich Cremer, also known by the nickname "Ali Cremer", was born in Metz, Alsace-Lorraine, on 25 March 1911. After high school, Cremer enlisted in the German Navy (Reichsmarine) in 1932. After serving on cruisers and destroyers, Cremer became captain in February 1940. He received the Iron Cross 2nd class. On August 1940, Cremer was promoted to the rank of commander of submarine. After a perilous sea trip, his crew gave him the nickname "Ali". After this epic trip, "Ali" Cremer commanded the U-152. Then, Cremer commanded the U-333 from 25 August 1941 to 6 October 1942 and again from 18 May 1943, to 19 July 1944. On 31 January 1942 he mistakenly attacked and sunk the SS Spreewald. Subsequently he was court-martialed and found not guilty.

After several victorious trips, he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 5 June 1942. The same year, Cremer was severely wounded. He sailed again from 1943 until July 1944, before giving his boat to his lieutenant. On November 1944, Cremer, now Lieutenant Commander, aimed to convey the new submarine U-2519 Class XXI. Citing "several design flaws", Cremer scuttled the submarine at Kiel, on May 1945. As the War drew to a close, he was attached to the personal security unit of Karl Dönitz.

Peter-Erich Cremer recounted his life in his book "U-Boat Commander: a periscope view of the Battle of the Atlantic.". He died at Hamburg on 5 July 1992.

Dates of rank

• Offiziersanwärter : 15 Aug. 1932
• Fähnrich zur See :1 Jan. 1934
• Oberfähnrich zur See : 1 Sep. 1935
• Leutnant zur See : 1 Jan. 1936
• Oberleutnant zur See : 1 Oct. 1937
• Kapitänleutnant : 2 Feb. 1940
• Korvettenkapitän : 11 July 1944

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class ( 11 February 1940 )
  • 1st Class ( 10 February 1942 )
• Destroyer War Badge ( 19 October 1940 )
• U-boat War Badge (1939) ( 26 May 1942 )
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ( 5 June 1942 )
• Wound Badge in Silver ( 11 November 1942 )
• U-boat Front Clasp ( 27 September 1944 )
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 11 May 1942

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Busch, Rainer & Röll, Hans-Joachim (2003). Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939-1945 - Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 3-8132-0515-0.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knight's Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-88740-748-X.
• Range, Clemens (1974). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine (in German). Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-87943-355-0.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External link

• Peter-Erich Cremer on uboat.net
• Peter Erich Cremer on ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de