Reinhard König

Kapitänleutnant (Ing.) (Kr. O.)
(Navy since 1930)


Born 30 March, 1909 Hanau

Reinhard König

Decorations

06/06/1939 : Spanienkreuz in Bronze
22/09/1940 : Iron Cross 2nd class (EK II)
11/02/1943 : Ubootskriegsabzeichen 1939
31/03/1943 : Iron Cross 1st class (EK I)
12/12/1943 : Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (172) 08/07/1944 : Knights Cross (121)
14/10/1944 : U-Boots-Frontspange in Bronze
15/03/1945 : U-Boots-Frontspange in Silber

Ranks

01/10/1930 Oberheizer
01/10/1932 Maschinengefreiter
01/04/1934 Maschinenmaat
01/04/1936 Obermaschinistenmaat
01/10/1938 Obermaschinist
04/12/1938 Oberstabsmaschinist
01/04/1942 Leutnant (Ing.) (Kr.O.)
01/10/1942 Oberleutnant (Ing.) (Kr.O.) (72)
01/04/1945 Kapitänleutnant (Ing.) (Kr.O.)

U-boat Career

U-123 IXB LI; 5 patrols, 342 days * 08.42 - 06.44
U-2506 XXI LI * 08.44 - 05.45
* LI is a Chief engineer and not a U-boat commander

Reinhard König started his naval career in October 1930 at the age of 19 years. He then rode on several ships like the light cruiser Leipzig and Köln. In October 1939 he became a crew member of the auxiliary cruiser Atlantis (HSK 2 or Schiff 16) and was on board during the outstanding one and only patrol (622 days; 22 ships sunk with a total of 145,697 tons). When the Atlantis was sunk on 22 November, 1941 the entire crew was saved by German and Italian U-boats and brought back to base.

From March 1942 he received a U-boat training and became in August 1942 the Leading Engineer on U-123. He came on board when Kptlt. Reinhard Hardegen left the U-boat. On five patrols he was a great mainstay for the now commander Oblt. Horst von Schroeter. When U-123 was taken out of service both officers commisioned in August 1944 the type XXI U-boat U-2506. The U-boat sailed after a long trial and training time in the last days of war to Bergen, Norway, but never went on war patrol. Reinhard König spent then nearly two years in allied captivity.


Sources:


D�rr, Manfred
Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Bootwaffe
Band 2. K - Z
Biblio-Verlag, Osnabrück, 1989
ISBN 3-7648-1153-6