Memoirs about submarine warfare. All books about: “memoirs of German submariners...

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I thank him for his kindness in allowing me to post his note in my journal.

Original taken from maxdianov in Images of German submariners in Soviet prose

Hello colleagues and friends! Finally got around to it (I was stuck at work) to create a note on the specified topic. Think
For many, an interest in military history arose in childhood or adolescence after reading military adventure or historical literature, which is quite natural, since there were many good books. It was from this literature that those born in the USSR learned about the enemy - the Nazis, their strategy, tactics and weapons, and although there were serious reference books and studies, they did not contain one thing that interested many - how the enemy lived and breathed, what kind of things he had heroes and antiheroes, everyday life, thoughts, everyday reality. Writers also faced this - they had little information, and had to come up with something on their own or use propaganda cliches. Therefore, I decided to make, so to speak, a retrospective of the most famous images of German submariners in our literature and analyze what the authors ended up with. Let me make a reservation right away: I have no complaints about the writers mentioned below. They have the right to fiction. Their books are great and interesting. They are patriotic. Let’s just try to figure out “where the legs come from” and how stereotypes about German submariners and the German submarine fleet appear.
So number one is Gerhard von Zwischen, the commander of the "Flying Dutchman" from Leonid Platov's novel "The Secret Fairway", on which our TV blockbuster was based (by the way, I really like the music from it). There is nothing special to say here - the hero is completely fictional, like his ship. He is brutal, demonic and cruel. Truly Nordic character - especially in the film. He has delusions of grandeur and a fanatical belief in the ideals of National Socialism. Platov apparently used rumors about the Fuhrer’s personal convoy, and that Hitler was supposed to be transported to South America on a submarine. But his hyperbolic description of events, as I noticed, played a cruel joke on many people. The phrase “my ship is worth three tank armies,” huge rock shelters for one boat, thousands of killed prisoners, etc. causes a break in the pattern in people with a conspiracy theological streak. They get the impression that the Third Reich was an all-powerful techno-civilization with enormous capabilities. After they read "The One Hundred Great Secrets of the Third Reich" and play "Wolfenstein", it is almost impossible to convince them about the secret bases in Antarctica.

With the next writer, V.S. With Pikul everything is much more complicated. In his first novel, "Ocean Patrol", the commander of the u-bot, Schwieger, is occasionally introduced (it is emphasized that he has the same last name). The emphasis is that he is an ace. The crew is all volunteers. Personal account - 113 sunk ships. Valentin Savvich apparently thought then that among the Germans, like us, the performance of boats was reflected primarily by quantity, and not by tonnage. If for our boats the number of victories was drawn inside a star on the wheelhouse, then for Schwieger it was the same, only in a laurel wreath. It is unclear where this wreath came from, but it appears several times in Pikul, and in one miniature he writes in the first person that he personally saw a boat with a wreath, and inside there is the number 13. Otherwise, nothing remarkable - Schwieger is caught in a trap boat and both die . Considering that this is the writer’s first novel, which reflected his own fresh memories, there is an understandable lack of information - nothing unusual. Just an experienced enemy, of which our memoirs are full. I was amused by the phrase of the boss from the novel, who learned about Schwieger’s arrival in the north - “we will show them that this is not Bab-el-Mandeb.” From here a new stereotype begins to grow, which has developed among many people. Many are sure that the Germans really did not want to fight in our theater - perhaps because of our skill and severity. Of course, this is absolutely not true. For some branches of the military, it’s even the opposite.
But in “Requiem for the PQ-17 Caravan” Pikul already mentions that when creating the image of Ralph Seggers, he collected information about German submariners and collected everything that he learned about them. And who did he get? And he turned out to be a more experienced and successful Ekk. Only Ekk. Who has good military successes, who has appeared in all the high-profile operations of the Kriegsmarine at the same time, who shoots and drowns people with might and main, does not shy away from drinking cognac with or without reason, with his only officer - the navigator, with whom he is on friendly terms. But he’s on short terms with Doenitz and again really doesn’t want (is afraid) to fight in our North. In conclusion, Pikul could not resist and also demonized the German submarine fleet - and “Zaunkenig” also remembered that the Germans sank ships even after the war, “eating their martel” and calmed down “only when their devices could no longer throw anything away.” Well, we have to state one thing - when creating the image, Valentin Savvich trusted propaganda cliches, and with regard to the carelessness of communication of the Germans, he came up with it on his own. This is his signature style in all historical novels, which does not make them worse. I personally like Pikul’s humor.
In the famous novel “Four Tankmen and a Dog” by Janusz Przymanowski, there is a cameo appearance by Chief Lieutenant Siegfried Krummel, the commander of the boat “Hermenegilda”. Many are sure that Germans love big names. This is also a stereotype. In "Secret Fairway" it says so when it is mentioned that Zwischen's boat was called "Blue Lightning". One thing can be said about Krummel - he also doesn’t like fighting with us. He loves the Atlantic and hates the Baltic.
“There’s too much stuff in the air here and it’s about to fall on your head,” he says.
And finally, my favorite is Anatoly Ivankin “The End of the Hound Dogs”. A most talented book, especially for its time. Ivankin, a professional military pilot (head of the department of the famous Kacha), director of the “Battle of Stalingrad” panorama museum, beautifully, in vivid language, described the rise and fall of the Luftwaffe using the example of one person, the main character, pilot Karl von Ritten. Along the way of the story, fate introduces him to Gunther Prien himself. I offer this wonderful passage, although in the story Prine is called Herbert for some reason. So, Karl von Ritten, his sister's husband, Luftwaffe Oberst Hugo von Eckart, and Organization Todt official Heinrich Stecker are sitting in a Parisian tavern before the start of the Battle of Britain:
" -Where are the sailors from? - Hugo was surprised. “You might think that we are not in Paris, but in Hamburg or Kiel.”
- These are submarine officers, the minions of Grand Admiral Raeder. Now they will be frequent guests here. We make slipways for submarines in Brest. Incredibly thick reinforced concrete floors. Any bombs will be no more dangerous to them than spitting. By the way, I said hello to Herbert Prien, the famous commander of the submarine that sank the battleship Royal Oak in Scapa Flow.
“But I didn’t recognize him,” said Hugo. “He doesn’t look like him at all in the photographs. Heinrich, introduce us to him.”
- Willingly.
Soon the famous Herbert Prien was sitting at their table. Karl looked closely at the most desperate daredevil from the Kriegsmarine. Pale, strong-willed face. The legendary captain-lieutenant was stagnantly drunk, apparently since last week, but he carried himself well. The submariner ace, who drank at the Bruderschaft with Grand Admiral Raeder, soon became on friendly terms with von Eckartot.
- We, Hugo, came to Brest about ten days ago. We fasted at sea for a month and a half, and now we are eliminating alcohol deficiency. Well, and all sorts of others... - Prin laughed at his own wit. He drank a glass of cognac in one gulp and lit a cigarette. - We are deprived of all this while sailing. You pilots, in some ways, can be envied. You see the sun every day and, having completed the task, return to the people. And around me the whole voyage is only the crew. Do you understand the crew? I can’t afford to start an unofficial conversation with him in a month and a half.
“Everyone gets it in war,” Hugo noted diplomatically.
- Yes! This is true. Look at my sailors. They can be envied now. Revelry, beautiful women... But they are in vain trying to forget in their arms that they will soon be sailing autonomously again. Yes! - He slammed his palm on the table. “It’s better not to think about him now.”
“He’s completely drunk,” Karl realized, looking into his stillness. dilated pupils.
“There, under the water, we are constantly gnawed by anticipation and underlying fear. We are trying to hide it away, but... You Hugo, can you imagine how the “depths” are torn nearby and how the durable hull shakes?
- Where is Herbert from? I well imagine something else: enemy bombs exploding and bullets hitting the plane. This is my third war, I was in Spain too.
- Spain... Laurels, oranges, fandango and bullfighting. God, how I wish I could die in Spain and not in a “wet grave.” There, under the blue sky, death is not so scary. And we’ll soon have to climb back into the cramped, stuffy conditions, where the air even in the commander’s room smells like a sailor’s latrine. Dampness. Drops of condensation flow from metal pipelines. It seems that the submarine itself is breaking out in a cold sweat. We recharge batteries only at night. As soon as you go to sea, goodbye to the sun, for almost two months. The entire voyage is a continuous watch for the submarine commander. It shakes your soul and nerves.
Prin lit the extinguished cigarette and looked around at everyone. trying to remember who his drinking buddies were and where he was. Then he saw his sailors and everything fell into place in his mind.
- I don’t understand. Why did I talk? I'm probably pretty drunk. “Don’t judge us harshly,” he nodded at the “sea” table, where one of the lieutenants was dozing, with his head in a plate with the remains of roast beef. Next to the fallen lieutenant sat a woman as bright as the northern lights. She crossed her legs and smoked, squinting tiredly from the tobacco smoke and deep indifference to her clients. Prin got up and went to the sailors. He moved along the carpet as if on a shaky deck. Cognac tossed him from list to list no worse than a storm wave."
The specialist will certainly find a lot to smile about here. But I like the way it's written. And for some reason I believe in the possibility of such a conversation. But only without Prin :). And again, it is clear that there is another stereotype - an ace outside of battle is also an “ace” - only by relaxation. Anyone who has heard about Marinesco will believe the above very easily. And after “First After God” - even more so. Well, that seems to be all. If anyone remembers anything else, I’ll be happy to discuss it.

Heinz Schaffer

The legendary submarine U-977. Memoirs of a German submarine commander

PREFACE

This book is not only well written, but also represents a powerful piece of military history. If not for these two circumstances, I would never have touched this “depth charge.”

My point of view must be defined from the very beginning, because I do not want to be considered a defender of any military achievements of Germany. After the war, too many books, films, plays appeared, convincing that the Germans, misled, were basically honest people who fought valiantly, like any Christian soldier. I do not want to be one of the supporters of this opinion, especially since a determined attempt has been made to present Field Marshal Rommel (at one time the head of Hitler's personal guard and head of the Hitler Youth) as not a Nazi at all, but simply a decent officer who sought to do his duty as best as possible.

This nonsense is eagerly bought as buzzwords, presented as a novelty and packaged as a holiday gift. But it's still nonsense.

As you read this book, you will also make a remarkable discovery: there really were no Nazis in defeated Germany, just millions of “decent Germans” who suffered terribly because of the terrible things that others forced them to do. You will also remember that General MacArthur discovered the same thing in Japan: every last Japanese person was just gum-chewing democrats, waiting only for the Americans to arrive to show it. You'll remember the general willingness to welcome both the Germans and the Japanese - good guys who were just a little off track.

I don’t want to belong to supporters of this opinion either.

No one can say why the Western world accepts this particular type of blindness. For Nazi Germany was by no means a nation of honest simpletons. They all knew what they wanted and were prepared to go all the way to achieve their goal. Until they were defeated (then all the colors suddenly changed), they were absolute supporters of the idea of ​​​​world domination, wholeheartedly supporting a disgusting tyranny, which, if not checked, would draw the curtain on human freedom for all subsequent generations.

Now they sing sweetly (and others sing for them): “Let's love each other, let's shake hands over the trenches. Everything that happened was a terrible mistake.” But this mistake has already happened twice in the 20th century. Twice this people, and not any other, plunged the whole world into suffering and bloodshed, pursuing their dream of unlimited power. And then and now it is recognized as a mistake only because of defeat. We have forgotten about this, and this is dangerous.

Among the worst of the voluntary advocates of world enslavement were men who served on submarines, which brings us back to this book.

No one except a maniac, a sadist or a romantic of the sea can speak out in defense of submarine warfare. This is a cruel and disgusting form of human behavior, whether practiced by us or the Germans. This is betrayal, no matter what flag it comes under. According to the well-known Anglo-American illusion, German submarines are disgusting, ours are completely different, even wonderful. (This self-delusion is not confirmed by those who themselves have been under the gun of a torpedo.) Of course, this is the other side of the coin. It cannot be denied that submariners of any country are brave and skillful people. They are accustomed to doing their job in conditions of real danger, which, perhaps, is where real courage is manifested. But what constitutes their life's work - killing secretly, without warning and without mercy - is evil as much as it is skill. Moreover, evil prevails and, if you think about it, it has no forgiveness.

Before us is a book by a brave and intelligent man who was the embodiment of this evil. Having written the foreword to it, I do not advocate the principle of “forgive and forget.” The author and people like him tried to kill me and my friends for five years straight. Until the end of the Battle of the Atlantic I loathed and feared them. I still have a disgust for them. But it would be right now, when the fight is over and the German submarines are disarmed, to try to understand the other side. We must find out what the picture of war looks like from the other side of the periscope, understand what made these people act and, in acting, kill.

We learn about the training of young submariners, about their initiation into a special type of killer. We learn how they felt when they saw their victims, and, conversely, when, as often happened, they themselves became victims, and the depth charges exploded and rumbled around them.

We learn about the appearance of radar in the war at sea, this important weapon that changed the course of the struggle and finally made submarines and surface ships equal.

We learn about the enormous cost of preserving such an important artery across the Atlantic. It was here that swarms of submarines attacked the convoy and sometimes tore it to shreds, and sometimes they themselves died in the attack. And we really understand what we could only guess about or fear in those past bad days.

The book ends with the escape of U-977 to Argentina at the end of the war. This transition took three and a half months. The team was at times disciplined and at others on the verge of mutiny. The submarine spent 66 consecutive days underwater - a feat of endurance and determination that deserves every respect.

But in such cases there is always “something else”. For me, this “something” is a small incident with the sinking of a tanker, described at the beginning of the book. It was literally torn in two in stormy weather. Of course, there was no warning. They just saw him, tracked him down, his hand was on the start button, and that was the sweet moment of murder. When it was all over, the author says, when those who tried to escape were left to die and the wrecked ship was overwhelmed by the waves, “we put on a record and listened to the old songs that reminded us of home.”

The book makes us sympathize with the crews of other submarines that failed to reach the shores of Argentina; they sought in vain for “respect for the vanquished.”

Ah, Germany!

But read for yourself. This book is valuable for its authenticity and clarity in showing this type of warfare. It is even more valuable for understanding the root causes of the appearance of submarines. After reading it, you will not only feel the dirt and cruelty of the life of a submariner, but also understand how far politicians can go down the road of madness and what they can do to other people in their irrepressible thirst for power.

After the First World War, those who participated in it rushed to express themselves in print because, under those circumstances, they felt able to tell the full truth about themselves and their time. But very few German survivors of World War II broke their silence. The reason, apparently, is that their exploits were meaningless, and their future in our dramatically changed world is obscured by the threat of a new war.

I am just one of those unknown young Germans who went through the Second World War and would also remain silent if I could. But the mystery of the U-977 submarine has already become the subject of so many comments that I feel the need to tell its true story. I was the last commander of this submarine and, since I now live abroad, I can speak more freely than those who returned home. I realized my responsibility as soon as I started writing this book. Apart from Gunther Prien, who died in the first days of the war, I do not know a single submarine commander in the war of 1939–1945 who put pen to paper. Those who could tell everything better than me are either at the bottom of the sea, or caught up in the struggle for survival in the post-war world. However, I am afraid that what I can say means very little compared to what more eminent people could say. But still this means something, since while one or two books have already appeared telling about battles on earth and in

Vice Admiral Leland Lovett (commander of the squadron that landed Anglo-American troops in North Africa on November 7, 1942) wrote after the war: “Most of us remember that in two world wars German submarines came dangerously close to the point beyond which began complete control over the main sea communications. The establishment of such control would change the course of the war..."

This book tells about the actions of German submarines in the Atlantic (where most of the submarine warfare took place) and in the adjacent seas. It is written on the basis of documents (submarine logbooks, personnel diaries), as well as memories of submariners. In places, the author, trying to avoid a dry retelling of events, weaves elements of fiction into the fabric of the story.

Perhaps the author is embellishing something. No, no, and the spirit of post-war apologetics will blow from the pages of the book (especially the last two chapters). For example, the provocation against Poland and the attack on it, which became the beginning of World War II, is neatly called the “Polish crisis.” However, who would call himself an aggressor?

One feels that the author paid his debt to the atmosphere of the Cold War during which the book was written. For example, in the last chapter, one of the submariners blows himself up along with the boat: the country is defeated, the parents were killed - and, of course, the Russians. Although his parents actually had many times more chances of dying from British or American bombing.

In general, the book is read with interest, and is primarily addressed to those who are interested in the history of the participation of the submarine fleet in the battles of World War II.

And the Reichstag declared in April that we no longer consider ourselves bound by any restrictions on the fleet. For the British this is not God's dew. And now we’re not hanging out in the North Sea for the sake of boredom, although it seems like at this time we should be in the Baltic, off the Polish coast, there’s a mess there right now.

- Yes, we hang around here just in case, you never know. Don't forget, these islanders are always very careful about their own skins. – The mechanic patted his palm on the strong hull of the U-48. “The British haven’t forgotten how we almost drove them into a corner then.” Then, mind you, at the beginning of the war, we had few boats, but now there are about fifty of them.

“You are reasoning purely mechanically,” the boatswain objected. – You think in numbers and forget that cars and weapons are vulnerable things. Let's not attach much importance to what happened in that war. The enemy also probably had new methods and new weapons. By the way, they say that the British seem to have invented a new thing that detects a boat under water.

- Where are they from us! In any case, our boats are better. And the engineers are more skilled, and our guts are stronger.

- What are you talking about? We improved what we had in that war. Although they too. What we're really missing is you know what? Boats, boats and more boats. But Raeder has a heart for battleships. But you can’t build a battleship in a closed dock, and you can’t easily build a boat.

-You judge from your own bell tower. From a submariner's point of view, you may be right. But battleships, whatever you say, are the backbone of the fleet. At least for now.

“For a strong fleet, yes, that’s right,” continued the boatswain. “But the weaker side must use such weapons as the weakness imposes on it.” Submarines are the weapon of the weak side. And at sea, the weaker side is us.

“If you think like that, your knees will soon start shaking.” And behind you - and your people.

- Not at all. I just look at things soberly and see them as they are. How you look at your cars and see them the way they were made - calculated, measured.

More submarines or more battleships? Few minds in the navy were not occupied by this problem. The sailor furthest from the headquarters on Tirpitz-Ufer felt that there was an intense struggle going on at the top over this issue. Submariners, a people fanatically devoted to their type of weapon, gave their hearts to Dönitz, who was more than just a commander for them. Ordinary submariners said with a bitter smile about Raeder: “I know why our commander-in-chief doesn’t want submarines: they can’t have an orchestra on the upper deck to greet him with trumpets and drums.”

Young and enterprising submarine officers, whom Dönitz spoke of as the cream of the navy, did not condemn Raeder’s policies too energetically, but nevertheless stood wholeheartedly for “their” Dönitz and his position.

Original taken from olt_z_s in The life of German submariners after the war

Greetings, uv. Colleagues!
This time I bring to your attention such an interesting topic as the life and career of German submariners after the war. I have noticed that this issue is of interest and is periodically discussed on various historical resources on the Internet. A definite motive for writing this note was the note by uv. catherine_catty
“Legionnaire Murati or the dangers of education” about the service of German submariners in the Foreign Legion after the war. The period I am considering concerns Western Germany from 1945 to 1956, since it is this period that is most often omitted in the biographies of famous submariners, especially those who re-entered service with the creation of the Bundesmarine.

Vladimir Nagirnyak

Life of German submariners after the war

So, the war ended and those who served in the German Armed Forces and, accordingly, managed to survive in wartime, also needed to survive in the difficult post-war years, when Germany literally resembled a pile of stones. Living conditions to which submarine commanders must adapt , after they were allowed to return to Germany (after 1946-47) were difficult. There was no housing, no work, no food, and German territory was occupied by troops from the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition. The first thing they had to do was find their families, many of whom died during the war.

Naval officers had no skills in civilian professions. They were not in demand in their capacity, since Germany actually did not have a Navy until 1955. There were no vacancies in the merchant navy either, because the German merchant navy was barely breathing after war losses and reparations. There were very few ships. Former Navy officers joined the Navy when they were 19 and received a very good education at the Navy, but it was practically useless in civilian life. Of course, they also did not have time to acquire any profession before joining the navy and thus did not have the opportunity to return to their previous work, if they had one.

Their long stay in captivity was the other “double-edged sword” of unemployment. On the one hand, some could master some profession in captivity, but on the other hand, when they returned to Germany, good vacancies were already filled.

Things were somewhat better for the officers and lower ranks of the submarine engineering corps than for their commanders, because the former adapted much better to the market economy of post-war Germany, since their skills and the skills of mechanics were in demand.

Few of the available jobs could be obtained through official employment, and the country was dominated by a black market. But I had to live on something, and therefore I had to grab any job. For example, such a famous underwater ace as Erich Topp managed to get a job as a simple sailor on a small fishing trawler, and another underwater ace Ernst Bauer initially got a job as a small clerk in the office of a small company. But it was not only the lack of work within Germany that made their situation difficult. For several years after the war, Germans were limited in many freedoms, including the right to leave the country, which made it impossible to travel abroad in search of work. Therefore, people often left Germany illegally. Later, some of the submarine officers, for example von Tiesenhausen and Herbert Werner, managed to emigrate to the USA, England, Canada and other countries. But this could only be done if some citizen of this country, friend or relative could vouch for the future emigrant. Some submariners, while in captivity, managed to make acquaintances from local residents who challenged them, or had relatives who lived there before the war. A certain number of submariners decided to connect their future lives with the French Foreign Legion.

In addition to the lack of work, another motive for leaving the country was the difficult food situation. In Germany, those who received food parcels from friends and relatives from other countries were considered lucky. No matter how paradoxical it may seem, the former opponents and victims of the German submariners literally fed the latter. Thus, the German submarine ace Otto von Bülow received food parcels from part of the crew of the American ship that he sank, and the commander of the corvette Crocus Holm, a former rival of Kremer's U333 in October 1942, sent food parcels to the latter's mother in Germany.

The most successful of the submarine officers who found work tried to continue their education and make themselves more in demand on the labor market. The aforementioned Erich Topp studied architecture and worked in the profession until 1955. Ernst Bauer and several other submarine commanders also returned to the fleet in 1955. But the created German Navy was tiny and the number of officers willing to serve obviously exceeded the need for personnel. Therefore, very few were invited to the service. The remaining applicants had to continue to realize themselves in civilian life and entered the service much later.

A separate aspect of the survival of submariners in post-war Germany was the naval mutual assistance, which was formed during the years of study of future officers at the Navy. The sense of camaraderie was especially evident among conscript officers of the same year. The so-called “crews” for service in the navy were formed in pre-war Germany according to the years of conscription. Officers of the same draft turned out to be the most united. The surviving classmates helped each other as best they could. According to naval tradition, the senior in rank from his call was obliged to provide assistance to his comrades and members of their families (wives, widows, children). Therefore, as soon as officers of the same “crew” found each other, they tried to help each other in any way they could - notifying about vacancies, finding housing, writing recommendations and petitions, etc. If someone was sick or in distress, his entire “crew” tried to help him.

The first edition of G. Bush's book "Such Was the Submarine War" from 1952 contains a list of German underwater aces with a listing of their professions at that time. This list is interesting primarily because it allows you to get acquainted, at least partially, with what the former gentlemen of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Oak Leaves were doing in post-war Germany until 1955. Based on modern data, I added other submarine officers to the list and made small"upgrade" to Bush's records.

1. Heinrich Bleichrodt (holder of the Knight's Cross) - own business, businessman.
2. Albrecht Brandi (holder of the Knight's Cross) - architect
3. Otto von Büllow (holder of the Knight's Cross) - farmer (since 1956 in the service of the Bundesmarine)
4. Karl Emmerman (holder of the Knight's Cross) - architect, writer
5. Peter-Otmar Grau (commander of U601) - own business, businessman.
6. Friedrich Hugenberger (holder of the Knight's Cross) - architect, received a diploma in engineering (since 1956 in the service of the Bundesmarine)
7. Robert Giese (holder of the Knight's Cross) - employee of the Inland Shipping Administration. (from 195? in service in the Bundesmarine)
8. Reinhard Hardegen (holder of the Knight's Cross) - own business, businessman.
9. Werner Hartmann (holder of the Knight's Cross) - church official in one of the churches of Hesse (since 195? in service in the Bundesmarine)
9. Gunter Hessler (holder of the Knight's Cross) - worked in a factory
10. Otto Kretschmer (holder of the Knight's Cross) - lawyer (since 1955 in the service of the Bundesmarine)
11. Hans-Gunther Lange (holder of the Knight's Cross) - sales agent for equipment (since 1957 in the service of the Bundesmarine)
12. Georg Lassen (holder of the Knight's Cross) - own business, businessman.
13. Heinrich Lehmann-Wilenbrock (holder of the Knight's Cross) - merchant seaman
14. Karl Marbach (holder of the Knight's Cross) - journalist (later published his memoirs)
15. Karl Merten (holder of the Knight's Cross) - employee in a shipping company
16. Herman Rush (holder of the Knight's Cross) - journalist
17. Reinhard Rehe (holder of the Knight's Cross) - received a diploma in engineering, hydraulic engineer.
18. Reinhard Suhren (holder of the Knight's Cross) - own business, businessman.
19. Adalbert Schnee (holder of the Knight's Cross) - textile sales agent
20. Klaus Scholz (holder of the Knight's Cross) - Staff captain in the maritime border guard (since 1956 in service in the Bundesmarine)
21. Herbert Schultze (holder of the Knight's Cross) - own business, businessman. (since 1956 in the service of the Bundesmarine)
22. Rolf Thomsen (holder of the Knight's Cross) - employee in the department that was involved in the creation of the Bundeswehr
23. Hans Tillessen (commander of U516) - own business, businessman. (since 1960 in service with the Bundesmarine)
24. Helmut Witte (holder of the Knight's Cross) - own business, businessman.
25. Erich Topp (holder of the Knight's Cross) - architect (freelancer) (since 1955 in the service of the Bundesmarine)
26. Hans-Dietrich von Tiesenhausen (holder of the Knight's Cross) - carpenter. Since 1951 in exile. Canada.
27. Otto Ites (holder of the Knight's Cross) - dentist (since 1956 in the service of the Bundesmarine)
28. August Maus (holder of the Knight's Cross) - own business, businessman.
29. Kurt Dobratz (holder of the Knight's Cross) - lawyer

As can be seen from this list, one of the most common s professions among underwater aces, was and build management and architecture. However, this is not surprising, since in war-torn Germany and, this was a great need. Mn Many have taken the path of private enterprise and some have achieved great success in this field. But in post-war Germany the word “businessman” should not be taken as a big tycoon or industrialist. Many were considered “businessmen” back then, even selling shoelaces. This is how former Pakuenschlag hero Reinhard Hardegen described his path as an entrepreneur in 1982:

“After the war, my family was in bombed-out Germany with no means of subsistence. We had nowhere to live. We were freezing. I was unemployed. I started from scratch as a businessman, first rode a bicycle, then a motorcycle, finally in a car. In 1952 I opened my own oil company, which I still work for today. This job gave me and my family a wonderful home and security. I am proud of it."(With)

photo Sandra Beckefeldt

As it turned out, not all famous submariners ended up in the West after Germany’s surrender. I was very surprised when I learned that such a famous German submarine ace as the commander of U38 Heinrich Liebe, who ranks 4th in the list of the most successful submariners of WWII, returned to his homeland and lived in the GDR until the destruction of the Berlin Wall. Unfortunately, the details of his post-war life are not known. I hope so for now.

This concludes my story about the careers and lives of German submarine officers in post-war Germany. Of course, my article does not pretend to cover this topic, but I hope that I was able to lift the “curtain” over it a little.

With respect to all my readers,
Vladimir Nagirnyak.

At the repeated requests of site visitors, a page has been created on which books and publications related to the subject of the German submarine fleet are presented. Of course, some books contain unreliable information and inaccuracies, so I ask you to leave anything that is not true to the conscience of the authors of these books.

All books and publications are presented in seven sections:
1. Reference books and encyclopedias.
2. Research on combat operations in military theaters.
3. War memoirs.
4. Military history.
5. Unraveling the mysteries of World War II.
6. Fiction.
7. Periodical popular science publications.

REFERENCE BOOKS AND ENCYCLOPEDIA

This section presents books containing background information about German submarines. The bulk of this literature was the source of information when creating the site.

Gordon Williamson "Hitler's Submarine Aces. Wolf Packs"

The book is a comprehensive guide to the German submarine fleet in World War II. The development of submarines from series I to XXIII is analyzed, the author pays a lot of attention to the submariners themselves: it is told how the recruitment and training of personnel was organized, the uniform and insignia are described. The tactical techniques used in the attack on allied convoys are analyzed, and an analysis of the command structure of the submarine fleet is given. Of great interest are the statistical data collected by the author on sunken ships, losses of personnel and submarine fleet. Numerous illustrations and archival photographs, including unique ones, are provided.

Gordon Williamson "German Submarine Fleet 1914-1945"

Winston Churchill admitted after the war that German submarines were the only reason that made him fear that Great Britain might lose the war to Germany. If this had happened, the Allies would have lost Britain as a base from which to conduct operations against the Third Reich, and the invasion of German-occupied Europe might never have taken place.

The book by G. Williamson tells about the history, organization, equipment and uniform of the crew members of German submarines of the First and Second World Wars. The text is accompanied by unique photographs and beautifully executed color illustrations based on archival materials.

Chris Bishop "Kriegsmarine submarines. 1939-1945. Flotilla identification guide"

The book is a reference book on all combat and training flotillas of the German submarine fleet. It contains data on all submarines operating in these flotillas, briefly describes the combat path of some submarines from each combat flotilla, and provides data on the composition of the operating “wolf packs” and the most successful attacks on Allied convoys. The features of the use and combat employment of submarines are reflected. When considering training flotillas, a description is given of the main focus of training in each of them, indicating the assigned boats, as well as boats whose crews were trained in this flotilla.

Morozov M.E. "German submarines series VII"

The illustrated publication is dedicated to the history of the creation and service of German submarines of the VII series. The book discusses the development of boats, their production and participation in combat operations. The publication is intended for a wide range of readers interested in the history of the navy in World War II.

Morozov M.E., Nagirnyak V.A. "Hitler's Steel Sharks. Series "VII"

The book is a comprehensive guide to German submarines of the VII series. The first part, “German Submarines,” examines the history of the design, as well as serial construction and modernization of the project. The second part, “Description of Design,” examines in detail the design features of the hull, submersion and ascent systems, power plant, weapons, surveillance and communications equipment, and provides a general assessment of the project. The third part, “The Combat Path of Series VII Submarines,” describes combat operations in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Arctic and Baltic Sea. The fourth part, “Post-War Fate,” provides data on the service of captured VII series submarines after the war in the fleets of the allied states. Of particular interest are the following applications: the fate of submarines of the VII series, tactical and technical data of submarines of the VII series, losses of allied tonnage in the Second World War, the most successful campaigns of submarines of the VII series and the losses of German submarines of all types during the Second World War.

Jurgen Roever "Submarines that bring death. Victories of submarines of Hitler's Axis countries"

This book, in the laconic form of tables, collects and analyzes materials about the grandiose underwater battles during the Second World War, which were waged by the powers of Hitler's Axis against the Allied fleets. The dates and times of the start of the attacks, the numbers and names of the submarines, the names and ranks of the commanders, the coordinates of the positions, and descriptions of the attacked ships and vessels are given. Thanks to numerous archival data, it is possible to trace the development of battle tactics of German submarines.

Zalessky K.A. "Kriegsmarine. Navy of the Third Reich"

The German Navy is still shrouded in myth and in many ways has a heroic aura surrounding it. Perhaps this was due to the fact that the German Navy was practically not involved in war crimes, unlike the ground forces, which throughout the war had direct contact with the civilian population in the occupied territories. Everything about the history of the Kriegsmarine - headquarters and aces of submarine warfare, battleships and submarines, destroyers and torpedo boats - in the encyclopedia "Kriegsmarine. The Navy of the Third Reich."

The volume of the encyclopedia "The Third Reich" is entirely devoted to the history of the development of one branch of the German armed forces - the Navy, or, as it was called in German, the Kriegsmarine. It contains articles about the leaders of the German fleet, about aces of submarine and cruising warfare, about individual ships and operations, insignia, awards, and the structure of the Kriegsmarine command chains is examined in detail. The Appendix to the volume contains a list of all German submarines and a list of all submarine commanders.

David Porter "Kriegsmarine. 1935-1945. German Navy. Facts and figures"

The history of the Navy of the Third Reich is still shrouded in myths and legends. Perhaps the fact that the Kriegsmarine was practically not involved in war crimes, unlike ground forces that directly interacted with the civilian population in occupied territories, played a role here. In addition, it was in the creation of the fleet that the genius of the engineers and scientists of the Third Reich showed itself to the maximum. German ships and submarines became a real nightmare for enemy flotillas, because of them the Atlantic turned into a real hell, where desperate cries for help from victims of torpedo attacks were heard among the burning wrecks of ships...

From this book you will learn about the features of the strategy and tactics of naval combat, the creation of new technical devices, the most important surface and underwater operations, the successes and losses of the German fleet. You will get acquainted with the structure of all types of Kriegsmarine ships, the features of their weapons, and learn new details of all the largest naval battles of the Second World War. For convenience, facts and figures are presented in the form of tables, charts and maps.

Platonov A.V., Apalkov Yu.V. "German warships. 1939-1945"

The reference book summarizes basic information about warships of the main classes of special construction, which were used to carry out combat missions at sea in the interests of the German Navy. For large surface ships and submarines, along with the main tactical and technical elements, the main points of their combat activity during the war are given. At the same time, special attention is paid to the conduct of combat operations against the USSR Navy and in the operational zones of the Soviet Northern, Baltic and Black Sea fleets.

RESEARCH OF COMBAT OPERATIONS IN MILITARY THEATERS

This section presents fundamental research on the combat operations of the Kriegsmarine, British and American fleets during the Second World War in general and in individual naval theaters of war. The most complete studies of the actions of the German submarine fleet are two works by Clay Blair, “Hitler's Submarine War (1939-1942). Hunters” and “Hitler's Submarine War (1942-1945). Victims.”

Clay Blair "Hitler's Submarine War (1939-1942). Hunters" (in 2 parts)

Here is a unique study of the actions of the submarine fleet of Nazi Germany in the Second World War. Its author is an American journalist, a specialist in naval history, and a former submariner who served during the Pacific War.

The book "Hunters", covering the period from September 1939 to August 1942, talks about the successful operations of German submarines against the British and American fleets. It was these victories that nearly led Britain to economic and military disaster.

Clay Blair, having collected a huge amount of factual material, gives a description of the German submarine campaign literally hour by hour from the first days of the war.

Clay Blair "Hitler's Submarine War (1942-1945). Victims" (in 2 parts)

The study by American journalist and historian Clay Blair covers the period from September 1942 to May 1945. It was then that the string of brilliant victories of the German submarine forces, which, according to many historians, almost brought the Allied merchant shipping to the brink of disaster, suddenly ended, giving way to a chain of brutal defeats. And these defeats did not stop until the very moment of Germany’s final surrender.

But who won the “Battle of the Atlantic” - the British and American cryptographers who deciphered the secret codes of the Kriegsmarine, or the many times superior power of the Allies? Giving the most detailed and vivid picture of the German submarine campaign in the Atlantic, the author of the work gives the reader the opportunity to draw his own conclusion.

Friedrich Ruge "War at sea, 1939-1945"

Before you is one of the first works on the history of the Second World War, which provides a complete description of the events in all naval theaters of military operations in the period 1939-1945.

The study was created on the basis of documents and materials, a significant part of which is unknown to the Russian reader. The author also used the memories of leading figures of the German fleet - participants in the Second World War.

Edward von der Porten "The German Navy in World War II"

Strategic overview of the activities of the German fleet during the Second World War. This book is quite different from the famous work of Friedrich Ruge “War at Sea, 1939-1945” and contains a number of new information.

Leon Pillar "Underwater warfare. Chronicle of naval battles. 1939-1945"

Leon Pillar's book describes the major operations in which submarines participated during World War II. The author presents a vast panorama of battles in the World Ocean and, going far beyond the dry presentation of facts, allows us to relive the dramatic events of those days.

Wolfgang Frank "Sea Wolves. German submarines in the Second World War"

The book, based on documentary materials, tells the story of the military operations of the German submarine fleet in 1939–1945, including the background to the origin of underwater weapons. The author describes the main operations of the “sea wolves” that led Germany to the point beyond which full control over sea communications began. And only scientific and technological achievements, effective operational tactics, and the perfection of the “hunter-fighter” groups of the British and American navies contributed to the defeat of the German fleet at sea.

"World War: View of the Vanquished, 1939-1945."

Immediately after the victory over Germany, the American command attracted a large group of former Nazi generals and officers to prepare research on the history of World War II.

The book brought to the attention of readers is one of such studies. All three parts - "War on Land", "War at Sea" and "War in the Air" - contain a lot of factual material. The authors took direct part in the fighting, holding positions that allowed them to know and see a lot, so their assessment of the mistakes and blunders made by the German military leadership in World War II, as well as conclusions for the future, are of interest to a wide range of readers.

Sergeev A.A. "German submarines in the Arctic 1941-1942"

The book tells about the combat operations of German submarines in the Norwegian, Barents and Kara Seas against Allied shipping during the Second World War.

Stephen Wentworth Roskill "The Flag of St. George. The English Navy in the Second World War"

The work of Stephen Wentworth Roskill, one of the leading military historians, was prepared by order of the Annapolis Naval Institute (USNI) for the series “Naval Actions in the Second World War” - the most authoritative publication on this topic.

“The hunt for the Bismarck and the battle for the Mediterranean, polar convoys and the fight against German submarines, fighting in the Pacific Ocean and landing operations - all phases of the war are reflected in this book.

The combat operations of one of the largest fleets of the Second World War, described with excellent knowledge of the subject, will not leave military history buffs indifferent.

Samuel Eliot Morison "The American Navy in World War II. The Battle of the Atlantic"

The Battle of the Atlantic volume covers all U.S. Navy operations in that theater from the North to the South Pole, as well as in the Caribbean, Barents, and Gulf of Mexico from 1939 to mid-1942.

Samuel Eliot Morison "The American Navy in World War II. The Battle of the Atlantic (July 1942 - May 1943)"

Here is the most complete study of the actions of the US Navy in World War II.

Its author, Samuel Eliot Morison, is a famous American historian and professor at Harvard University. Having received the support of US President F.D. Roosevelt, S.E. Morison had access to any information, collected unique material and, on its basis, created a fundamental fifteen-volume work.

This volume is the second half of the book "The Battle of the Atlantic" and contains a description of the struggle on communications in the Atlantic, as well as on messages passing through the seas adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean in 1942-1943.

Samuel Eliot Morison "The American Navy in World War II. The Battle of the Atlantic is Won (May 1943 - May 1945)"

Here is the most complete study of the actions of the US Navy in World War II.

Its author, Samuel Eliot Morison, is a famous American historian and professor at Harvard University. Having received the support of US President F.D. Roosevelt, S.E. Morison had access to any information, collected unique material and, on its basis, created a fundamental fifteen-volume work.

This volume is dedicated to the finale of the “Battle of the Atlantic” - the final collapse of the German submarine war and the establishment of the dominance of the American and British fleets in the Atlantic Ocean and the adjacent seas in 1943-1945.

WAR MEMOIRS

This section presents post-war memoirs of participants in World War II. The general picture of the actions of the German submarine fleet is presented in the complete edition of the memoirs of Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz “Ten Years and Twenty Days”.

Karl Doenitz "Ten Years and Twenty Days"

This book, for the first time in Russian, fully presents the memoirs of Karl Doenitz, Grand Admiral of the Kriegsmarine during the Third Reich.

In his memoirs, the commander-in-chief of the naval forces of Nazi Germany talks in detail about the policy in the field of submarine construction, about group tactics of submarine warfare, about the operation against Norway and about the Battle of the Atlantic. The final chapter is devoted to Dönitz's tenure as Hitler's political heir.

Johan Brenneke "German submarines in battle. Memoirs of combatants. 1939-1945"

The book tells about the combat operations of the German submarine fleet during the Second World War. The author, based on factual data, documents, submarine logbooks, submariners' diaries, and memories of combat participants, reveals the reasons for the defeat of the German submarine fleet.

Herbert A. Werner "Steel Coffins. German Submarines: Secret Operations 1941-1945."

Former submarine commander Herbert A. Werner, in his memoirs, introduces the reader to the actions of German submarines in the Atlantic Ocean, in the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel against the British and American fleets during World War II.

Heinz Schaffer "The legendary submarine U-977. Memoirs of the commander of a German submarine. 1939–1945"

Heinz Schaffer, commander of the German submarine U-977, talks about the events of World War II, about service in the submarine fleet, without concealing its hardships, dangers and living conditions; about the Battle of the Atlantic and the amazing rescue of the submarine, which made a long autonomous journey to Argentina, where the crew faced imprisonment and accusations of saving Hitler. The information given in the book is especially valuable because it is given from the position of the USSR’s enemy in the war.

Harald Busch "The Submarine Fleet of the Third Reich. German submarines in the war that was almost won. 1939-1945."

The book by German submariner Harald Busch tells about the military operations of German submarines during World War II. Successful campaigns and a grueling struggle for survival, improving the strategy and tactics of naval combat and updating the technical base of ships - the author vividly and imaginatively narrates all this, and also provides interesting details from the life and life of submariners.

Jost Metzler "The Story of the U-69" "The Laughing Cow"

Jost Metzler was one of the leading commanders of the German submarine fleet during World War II. From November 1940 to August 1941, on the submarine U-69 with a crew of forty-four, he participated in submarine warfare in the North Atlantic and off the coast of Africa. In his book, Metzler talks about the work of the submarine crew members and the combat operations they carried out.

Kenneth M. Beir "Anti-submarine decoy ships. America's Secret Project"

To counter the blitzkrieg of German submarines off the east coast of America in 1942, the US Navy decided to equip and deploy decoy ships that were to be used as bait for enemy submarines.

Paul Lund "PQ-17 - Convoy to Hell"

Paul Lund served on one of the small escort ships of the ill-fated convoy PQ-17. He is trying to describe his feelings at that moment when the warships abandoned the convoy and disappeared over the horizon. The sailors were convinced that they would soon face a hopeless battle with the German super-battleship Tirpitz. However, Lord Austin was lucky; he managed to reach Arkhangelsk, although more than 20 Allied ships were sunk.

MILITARY HISTORY

This section presents books that describe individual episodes of combat operations of the warring sides in the Second World War and talk about the biographies of famous German submariners. They are based on documentary materials and eyewitness accounts of naval battles.

Makhov S.P., Bazhenov N.N., Nagirnyak V.A., Morozov M.E., Kuznetsov A.Ya.
"Secrets of submarine warfare. 1914–1945"

The history of the First and Second World Wars is difficult to imagine without the submarine warfare waged by their participants. Submarines immediately established themselves as a formidable weapon, posing a noticeable threat to warships, and one of the main types of fleet forces in the fight against enemy communications. It is not surprising that submarine warfare is of such great interest to military history buffs. This is confirmed by the large number of discussions that arise on the Internet, where on historical forums there are heated debates on the topics of whether the German battleship Tirpitz was torpedoed, what the real successes of our submariners were, how legitimate the sinking of the British liners Athenia and Lusitania was. and so on. And, of course, it is worth highlighting the interest in the underwater warfare waged by German submarines during both world wars. This book is a collection compiled from the works of Russian researchers and historians devoted to individual periods and episodes of submarine warfare.

E. Geiseway "Gray wolves, gray sea. The combat path of the German submarine "U-124". 1941-1943"

The book tells about the combat path of the German submarine U-124, one of the most effective submarines of the warring parties during the Second World War. Long-distance voyages of submariners, difficult watches in stormy seas, resisting attacks by enemy warships and aircraft, hunting for allied convoys - the author writes about all this in detail and spectacularly, based on documents and eyewitness memories, reproducing the history of the legendary submarine and drawing an accurate and vivid portrait of its commander , Johana Mora.

Gunther Prien "U-Boat Commander. Steel Wolves of the Wehrmacht"

German submarine officer Gunther Prien talks about the combat operations of German submarines in the Atlantic, of which he was a direct participant. You will follow the fate of one of the most successful captains, who achieved recognition in his homeland and caused irreparable damage to the enemy, and also get acquainted with the details of the battle in Scapa Flow Bay, for which Prien was awarded the highest award - the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves.

Terence Robertson "Submarine ace of the Third Reich. Combat victories of Otto Kretschmer, commander of the U-99 submarine. 1939-1941"

Terence Robertson's book is based on unique eyewitness accounts of the naval battles of the Atlantic during the Second World War. The narrative of the military campaigns of one of the most experienced submarine commanders, Captain Otto Kretschmer, reveals the devastating tactics of German submarines that attacked from the surface and penetrated into the convoy formation. This tactic allowed the German fleet to gain a significant advantage at sea in the early years of the war.

Jordan Vause "Submarine Ace. The Story of Wolfgang Lüth"

The names of the underwater aces of Nazi Germany Prien, Schepke and Kretschmer are widely known. But few people know about Wolfgang Lüth, although only Kretschmer and he, two of the submariners, received the highest award of the Reich - the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. Lüth has 47 sunk ships, his name ranks second on the list of German underwater aces. He was the only famous German submariner who was lucky enough to survive long campaigns and live to see the end of the war. But fate played a cruel joke on him - Lute died from an accidental bullet from a sentry a week after the surrender of Germany. The story of Wolfgang Lüth is also interesting because it opens up a new page of World War II for the Russian reader - the actions of German submarines in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean.

Tadeusz Tuleja "Twilight of the Sea Gods"
David Woodward "Battle of the North Atlantic"

"Twilight of the Sea Gods" is a view from the other side, the point of view of the main enemy of Hitler's Germany in the war at sea.

The creation of the German navy, famous operations and battles, the fate of individual ships - all this is told in a lively and clear language, with a lot of interesting details.

The works of English military historians Tadeusz Tuleja and David Woodward are an excellent addition to the books by F. Ruge and K. Dönitz previously published in the “Military History Library” series.

Peter C. Smith "Pedestal"

This publication is dedicated to the legendary British naval convoy of the Second World War, which saved the population of the island of Malta from starvation.

The book was created on the basis of documentary materials and memories of participants in the events.

Ronald Seth "The Fiercest Battle"

The book is dedicated to an ordinary Atlantic convoy ONS-5, which, after a multi-day battle, managed to sink eight German submarines and break through to its destination. This event was a turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic.

Brian Scofield "Russian Convoys"

Brian Scofield's book "Russian Convoys" is dedicated to the history of the legendary polar convoys (September 1941 - 1945). Allied transports carried tanks and planes, aviation gasoline and shells to the USSR, constantly being attacked by German planes and submarines.

Of the 811 merchant ships sent to Russia, 720 arrived safely, of which only 58 were sunk. The English sailors honestly performed their duty. While escorting Arctic convoys, the British fleet lost 18 ships. German losses were: the famous battleship Tirpitz, the battle cruiser Scharnhorst, 3 large destroyers, 38 submarines.

Vangorodsky V.I. "A flower of rare beauty splits the Enigma. The uranium trip of U-234 to Japan"

Series "Court room for everyone", issue 4.
Two little-known pages in the history of the submarine fleet of World War II.

UNLOCKING THE MYSTERIES OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR

This section presents popular science publications dedicated to the search for German submarines and unraveling the mysteries of World War II.

Korganov A.S. "The Mystery of Scapa Flow. The raid of the German submarine U-47 into the holy of holies of the British Navy"

On the night of October 13-14, 1939, the German submarine U-47 was able to break through to the raid of the main base of the British fleet - Scapa Flow. The official German report stated that as a result of the raid, the battleship Royal Oak with a crew of 1,200 people was sunk and the battle cruiser Repulse was damaged. The British responded by saying that the Repulse was at sea.

Decades passed, but the question remained open. Alexander Korganov conducted a real investigation, during which he was able to meet not only with the surviving crew members of the battleship and submarine, but also with the author of the idea of ​​this attack, Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz, who described this book as a fascinating and truthful story.

Robert Carson "Diving into the Dark"

In the tradition of Jon Krakauer's The Vanishing and Sebastian Junger's The Perfect Storm, this film recreates true events and thrilling adventures as two scuba divers decide to sacrifice everything to solve the mystery of the last world war.

For John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, exploring deep-sea shipwrecks was more than just a hobby. Testing their endurance in the conditions of treacherous currents, at enormous depths that cause hallucinations, swimming inside ship wrecks as deadly as minefields, they reached the limit of human capabilities and went further, more than once touching death when they penetrated the rusted hulls of sunken ships. ships. Writer Robert Carson manages to tell the story of this quest in a way that is both gripping and emotional, giving a clear picture of what divers actually experience when faced with the dangers of the underwater world.

FICTION

This section presents fiction that describes the actions of German submarines in World War II. Of greatest interest is the novel “The Submarine” by military journalist Lothar-Günther Buchheim, who participated in the combat campaign of the submarine U-96.

Lothar-Gunther Buchheim "Submarine"

Literally every word in this book is true. Having witnessed the events taking place - serving as a war correspondent and more than once finding himself in the most critical situations, Lothar-Gunther Buchheim describes in detail what he experienced, those difficult long days that he spent in the painful confinement of cramped compartments of a submarine, experiencing all the horror and drama of the brutal struggle in the Atlantic in the winter of 1941.

The military operations in question mainly take place during the autumn and winter of 1941. By this time, significant changes had occurred in all theaters of war. Near Moscow, the Wehrmacht troops were stopped for the first time during the war. British troops went on the offensive in northern Africa. The United States provided urgent assistance to the Soviet Union and immediately after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor itself became one of the warring powers.

Of the 40,000 German submariners during the entire period of World War II, 30,000 did not return to their homeland.

Wolfgang Ott "Steel Shark. A German submarine and its crew during the war. 1939-1945"

This global bestseller is dedicated to the most inhumane weapon in naval history - the German submarine. The author accurately recreates the technical subtleties of the strategy and tactics of naval combat and reliably conveys the complex psychological atmosphere of the difficult everyday life of submariners. The gripping narrative reflects the whole truth about the war, all the dirt and filth of the horrific massacre...

PERIODICAL POPULAR SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS

This section presents periodical popular science publications for members of military history clubs on the subject of the German submarine fleet. Series of publications "German submarines" Ivanova S.V. notable for the large number of photographs in each issue.

Farafonov A.S. "Underwater pirates of the Kriegsmarine. German submarines of the VII series"

"Sea Collection" No. 5, 1998

Morozov M.E., Farafonov A.S. "German submarines of the VII series. Underwater pirates of the Kriegsmarine"

"Sea Collection" No. 2, 2003
Supplement to the magazine "Model Designer".

Patyanin S.V., Nagirnyak V.A. "Ships of the Second World War. German Navy (part 2)"

"Sea Collection" No. 10, 2005
Supplement to the magazine "Model Designer".

Ivanov S.V. "Submarines of the Kriegsmarine"

"War at Sea" No. 2, 2005

Ivanov S.V. "U-boot. War underwater"

"War at Sea" No. 7, 2005
Periodical popular science publication for members of military history clubs.

Ivanov S.V. "German submarines. Type II"

"War at Sea" No. 33, 2006
Periodical popular science publication for members of military history clubs.

Ivanov S.V. "German submarines. Type IXC"

"War at Sea" No. 34, 2006
Periodical popular science publication for members of military history clubs.

Ivanov S.V. "German submarines. Type XVII"

"War at Sea" No. 35, 2006
Periodical popular science publication for members of military history clubs.

Ivanov S.V. "German submarines. Type XXI"

"War at Sea" No. 36, 2006
Periodical popular science publication for members of military history clubs.

Ivanov S.V. "German submarines. Type XXIII"

"War at Sea" No. 37, 2009
Periodical popular science publication for members of military history clubs.