This site is dedicated to the study of the awards, insignia, badges and uniforms worn by the men of the U-Boat Arm from the days of the Kaiser's Navy up to the Bundesmarine of today. It will be under constant review and will be updated regularly with new photos and information.  Please click on one of the icons below to visit the section which interests you. Some may still be under construction- please check back as work will be ongoing on these areas. This site is still in its early stages and much work remains to be done. I have tried to make sure there is at least some information in each section and subsection to give visitors a flavour of what is to follow. Suggestions are welcome. Future sections may include similar information on collectibles from the submarine forces of other nations.

The Kriegsmarine was by far the least politically indoctrinated of the German armed forces. Hitler himself is quoted as having said "I have a reactionary Army, a National Socialist Air Force and a Christian Navy" Großadmiral Karl Dönitz went to some lengths to ensure that so called "National Socialist Leadership Officers" (the Nazi equivalent of the Communist Political Commisar) were never permitted to serve on U-Boats. Though there were no doubt many within the U-Bootwaffe who supported the regime, it is equally true that many were outspoken against it.

The feeling of many of these hard-bitten seamen to their political masters may be gauged by one occasion, on which Ace commander Reinhard "Teddi" Suhren was bringing his boat, U-564 into port after a long war cruise. The usual group of senior ranking dignitaries were lined up on the quayside. As his boat neared, Suhren shouted out "Are the Nazis still in charge?". When the answer "Yes!" came back, Suhren ordered his engines put into reverse and backed his boat away from the quay, much to the hilarity of his crew Making such jokes at the expense of the regime was a dangerous business during the Third Reich!

NOTE to Collectors. A very good friend is looking for the following material and may have some rare U-Boat items and groupings available to trade.

- Luftwaffe Cuffbands (officers and NCO) - Richthofen, Schlageter, Udet
- Personal items for the Luftwaffe and U-boats (watches, rings, etc)
- LW unit stickpins/emblems and photos showing them worn
- Photos showing: Night Fighter Flight Clasps, the Luftwaffe Honor Roll Clasp, and photos showing Honor Goblets and LW squadron cufftitles being worn
- U-boot tradition badges (crew badges) and personal items and photos showing them being worn
- Luftwaffe and U-boot ceramic items (plates, mugs, etc.)
- KM belt buckles for NCO
- KM side caps for NCO and officer
- KM visor caps for NCO and officer
- Engraved (personalised) U-boot badges, small silver cups for U-boots
- Photos showing LW personnel with awards from different Wehrmacht branches (KM, Heer etc) and photos showing KM personnel with LW/Heer badges
- Case for Luftwaffe Honor Goblet
- Luftwaffe Fighter documents, document groups, Soldbuch and Flugbuch
- Tropical LW items (buckles, side caps)
- Bullion LW (flying) badges
- Bullion embroidered EKI

Anyone who may be interested should contact François Saez for further details at the following email address - fsaez@noos.fr

Please mark the subject line of your email as "Wish List" to avoid being filtered as SPAM.

 

 

 

New U-Boat Titles

Superb new magazine just out which will be a must for all collectors interested in U-Boats.

A4 with 50 pages printed on high quality glossy stock. Concentrates on previously unpublished photos from private collections and archive sources with details of various boats showing a range of colour schemes, rare original colour photos, colour artwork of conning towers and their insignia, profiles of U-Boat commanders etc.

Dual language German/English with the English text being professionally translated so no concerns over crude, cheaply done babel-fish translations.

Highly recommended.

Check out the publishers web site for further details at http://www.luftfahrtverlag-start.de/

 

 

My own book "Torpedo Los" has now been published by Bender. (http://www.bender-publishing.com). This color-filled book covers everything worn and used by the U-Boat crews. Detailed chapters included are uniforms, headgear, cap ribbons, rank insignia, trade insignia, the U-Boat badge, gallantry and other awards, personal documentation, equipment, weapons, flags, the Kaiserliche Marine and the Bundesmarine. Large format (A4), hardbound and with over 400 pages and around 1000 photographs and including photographic contributions from some of the best U-Boat collections in existence.

 

 

 

 

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Site Last Updated: 18 May 2010

 

 

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