Unterseeboote

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 orderd 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!