Ernst-Felix Krüder

Ernst-Felix Krüder
Ernst-Felix Krüder
Born	6 December 1897; Hamburg
Died	8 May 1941 (aged 43); Indian Ocean
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918); Weimar Republic (to 1933); Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Imperial German Navy; Reichsmarine; Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1915–41
Rank	Kapitän zur See
Unit	SMS Goeben; SMS König
Commands held	auxiliary cruiser "Pinguin" (HSK 5)
Battles/wars	World War I Battle of Jutland; Action of 8 May 1941; World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (posthumous)

Ernst-Felix Krüder (6 December 1897 – 8 May 1941) was a Captain (German: Kapitän zur See) of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine who, during World War II, commanded a merchant raider. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Ernst-Felix Krüder was killed in action when on 8 May 1941, auxiliary cruiser "Pinguin" (HSK 5) was sunk by HMS Cornwall. 532 persons, among them 200 prisoners, were lost with the ship.

Awards

Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st Class
Gallipoli Star (Türkischer Eiserner Halbmond) (23 January 1918)^[1]
Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class (30 August 1940)^[1]^[2]
- 1st Class (11 October 1940)^[1]^[2]
Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 22 December 1940 as Kapitän zur See and commander of auxiliary cruiser "Pinguin" (HSK 5)^[3]^[4]
- 40th Oak Leaves on 15 November 1941 (posthumous) as Kapitän zur See and commander of auxiliary cruiser "Pinguin" (HSK 5)^[3]^[5]
Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 26 June 1941

Brennecke, Jochen (1998). Gespensterkreuzer HK 33 - Hilfskreuzer PINGUIN auf Kaperfahrt. Hamm, Germany: Koehlers. ISBN 978-3-7822-0732-4.
Dörr, Manfred (1995). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine—Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2453-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
Scherzer, Veit (2007). 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)