German submarine U-32 was a Type VIIA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Her keel was laid down on 15 March 1936 by DeSchiMAG AG Weser of Bremen as yard number 913. She was launched on 25 February 1937 and commissioned on 15 April with Kapitänleutnant Werner Lott in command. On 15 August 1937, Lott was relieved by Korvettenkapitän Paul Büchel, and on 12 February 1940, Oberleutnant zur See Hans Jenisch took over. He was in charge of the boat until her loss.
As one of the first ten German Type VII submarines later designated as Type VIIA submarines, U-32 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of , a pressure hull length of , a beam of , a height of , and a draught of . The submarine was powered by two MAN M 6 V 40/46 four-stroke, six-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to .
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . U-32 was fitted with five torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), eleven torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
U-32 conducted nine patrols, sinking 20 ships, for a total of . Five more ships,including the light cruiser HMS Fiji, were damaged for a total of and 8,000 tons. On 28 October 1940 U-32, under the command of Hans Jenisch, sank the 42,348 GRT liner , which had previously been damaged by two 250 kg (550 lb) bombs from a German Focke-Wulf C 200 Condor long-range bomber, commanded by Oberleutnant Bernhard Jope. Empress was the largest ship sunk by a U-boat.
U-32 was sunk northwest of Ireland, in position , by depth charges from the British destroyers and on 30 October 1940. Nine crew members were killed; 33 survived and became prisoners of war, including Jenisch. Jenisch then spent six and a half years in British captivity before returning to Germany in June 1947.
U-32 took part in one wolfpack, namely: