Theodor Preu (29 November 1896 – 8 July 1974) was a highly decorated Oberst in the Wehrmacht during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Theodor Preu was captured by Soviet troops in June 1944 near Vitebsk, Belarus during the Vitebsk–Orsha Offensive. He was released in 1948.