German submarine U-159 was a Type IXC U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II. The keel for this boat was laid down on 11 November 1940 at the AG Weser yard in Bremen, Germany as 'werk' 1009. She was launched on 1 July 1941 and commissioned on 4 October under the command of Kapitänleutnant Helmut Witte (Knight's Cross). The U-boat's service began with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla. She then moved to the 10th flotilla on 1 May 1942 for operations. She sank 22 ships, totalling 119,554 tons and damaged one more, of 265 tons.