Allegiance Nazi Germany Rank Kapitanleutnant Service/branch Kriegsmarine | Years of service 1936–43 Name Hans-Hartwig Trojer | |
Born 22 January 1916
Birthahn, Siebenburgen ( 1916-01-22 ) Died September 27, 1943, Atlantic Ocean Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Commands held German submarine U-3, German submarine U-221 | ||
Hans-Hartwig Trojer (22 January 1916 – 27 September 1943) was a German U-Boat commander in World War II. 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.
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Naval career
He joined the Kriegsmarine in April 1936 and was a member of the Olympia crew. Because he had been born in Transylvania, he was nicknamed Count Dracula by his comrades. In 1938 he joined the U-boat service, and spent his first two years as watch officer on the U-34 and U-67.
After completing his commander training, Trojer was promoted to Oberleutnant zur See and took command of the U-3. In March 1942 he was assigned to command the new Type VIIc boat U-221. He sank six ships for a total of 29,682 gross register tons (GRT) on his first patrol and he and his crew earned a mention in the Wehrmachtbericht for this. On his third patrol he was informed by a radio message that he had received the Knights cross. On 1 April 1943 he received a promotion to Kapitanleutnant.
Hans-Hartwig Trojer was killed when U-221 was sunk with all hands by a British Halifax bomber south of Ireland on 27 September 1943.