Lütjens, Günther

Date of birth:: May 25th, 1889 (Wiesbaden, Germany)
Date of death:: May 27th, 1941 (Atlantic Ocean)
Nationality:: German

Biography

Promotions:
3 April 1907: Seekadett
21 April 1908: Fähnrich zur See
28 September 1910: Leutnant zur See
27 September 1913: Oberleutnant zur See
24 May 1917: Kapitänleutnant
1 April 1926: Korvettenkapitän
1 October 1931: Fregattenkapitän
1 July 1933: Kapitän zur See
18 September 1937: Konteradmiral
17 December 1939: Vizeadmiral
26 August 1940: Admiral

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Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:: October 6th, 1915

Eisernes Kreuz 1.Klasse (1914)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:: August 17th, 1916

Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:: June 18th, 1917

Ritter des Königlicher Preussischer Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:: November 24th, 1917

Friedrich-August Kreuz 2.Klasse

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)

Friedrich-August Kreuz 1.Klasse

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)

Ritter II. Klasse zu dem Orden der Löwen von Zähringen

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)

Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:: September 12th, 1934

Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4.Klasse, 4 Jahre

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: October 2nd, 1936

Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 3.Klasse, 12 Jahre

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: October 2nd, 1936

Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 2. Klasse, 18 Jahre

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: October 2nd, 1936

Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 1.Klasse, 25 Jahre

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: October 2nd, 1936

1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: September 4th, 1939

1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: October 25th, 1939

Medaille zur Erinnerung an die Heimkehr des Memellandes

Awarded on:: October 26th, 1939

Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938

Awarded on:: December 20th, 1939

Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: February 20th, 1940

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Vizeadmiral (Rear-admiral)
Unit:: efehlshaber der Aufklärenden Streitkräfte
Awarded on:: June 14th, 1940

Awarded for his successes during the Norwegian campaign. While in command of the Gneisenau and Scharnhorst battleships he succeeded in holding off British naval formations attempting to intervene in Norway, and was recognized for the fulfillment of this important mission with the Knight’s Cross.

Zerstörer-Kriegsabzeichen

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: November 11th, 1940

Wehrmachtbericht

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: March 22nd, 1941

The fleet commander Admiral Lutjens as leader of a battleship task force reports as success so far on an extended undertaking of a heavy naval forces in the North Atlantic, the sinking of a total of 22 armed enemy merchant vessels of a total of 116 000 GRT. Eight hundred survivors were rescued here by German battleships.

Wehrmachtbericht

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: May 25th, 1941

As also mentioned in a special report, a German task force under the leadership of chief of fleet Lütjens encountered, in the sea area of Iceland, heavy British sea forces. The battleship "Bismarck" sank the British battlecruiser "Hood," the largest battleship of the British fleet, after a short and heavy battle. A further battleship of the newest English "King George" class was damaged and forced to retreat. The German sea forces continued their operation without loss.

Wehrmachtbericht

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: May 28th, 1941

As reported yesterday, the battleship "Bismarck," after its victorious battle near Iceland, was on 26 May hit by a torpedo from an enemy aircraft and left unmanoeuvrable. True to the last radio message from chief of fleet Admiral Lütjens, the battleship was defeated by overwhelming enemy forces and sank with flag flying together with its commander Kapitän zur See Lindemann and its brave crew, on 27 May before noon.

Kriegsabzeichen für Hilfskreuzer

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: May 9th, 1942

Sources

- DÖRR, MANFRED, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehmacht 1939–1945, Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1996.