U96 LI Friedrich Grade

loede · 12-02-16, 07:36 PM

All stations, all stations, all stations.

I have some spectacular news (I hope you'll agree)!!

Remember U96 - "Das Boot"? Of course you do!

Apparently, Friedrich Grade, the LI (Leitender Ingenieur / Chief engineer) of U96 has just turned 100 years old this year. And as he still lives in the vicinity of this tiny old town of Oldenburg(Germany), the local newspaper (http://www.nwzonline.de/u96) felt it appropriate to conduct an interview with him.

This alone, I feel, is newsworthy:
* 100 yrs old
* Took part in most of U96's patrols, most notably the 7th ("Das Boot" Gibraltar Break-Through)
* Holds all-time record for fastest submergence (22s), says, that while some may have been quicker, they could never have balanced out the boat and re-surface to tell the story

And then, after the cameras are gone and the brandy has come out, the LI casually mentions, that he has been keeping a personal diary during all of his patrols...

At this point, please note, that for security reasons this was HIGH TREASON in NS Germany during WW2!!

The most notable differences (as I understand it) between the real events and the story as told by Buchheim's "Das Boot" are, that (1) the captain had much more important things to do, than to deal with tourists (Buchheim) with cameras, and that (2) nobody ever freaked out during patrols or waterbomb attacks on U96 (although indications are strong, that this may not be representative for the entire U-Waffe, but be due to the extraordinary amount of training, that this particular captain put his crew through - see dive time records). The worst on U96 was a "bad vibe" after a particularly long shelling, but next morning all was well again...

And what we have now is a tiny overwhelmed newspaper, which holds the diaries of the events on U96 as they really happened. They have of course already printed excerpts for their readers, but I feel, that this should have a greater audience! They have already promised to publish the interview and diaries as soon as possible.

I thought you should know.

TLDR: U96 "Das Boot" Diaries found. Mixed emotions.

Obligatory (heart-felt) german disclaimer:
The cognitive dissonance between the horrific inhumane policies of the NS-Regime and the german majority who voted them into power, and the straight-backed acts of the people actually dying in the planetary-scale pile of **** that is a world war still blows my ****ing mindhole.

Commander Wallace · 12-03-16, 02:02 AM

Welcome to Subsim loede.

Thanks for posting the account and link and taking the time to post this story.

There is a good deal of information in your article that a lot of forum members probably didn't know. I certainly didn't. Das Boot remains a favorite movie with a number of forum members which many feel is an accurate representation of life aboard a U boat.

Great story. Keep them coming and enjoy your time here.

Jimbuna · 12-03-16, 07:56 AM

Great post

Prometheus · 12-03-16, 10:09 AM

Thank you for this info loede. It would be very interesting to watch interview with Friedrich Grade.

Here is part of interview from youtube.

Aktungbby · 12-03-16, 11:36 AM

NOT allowed on a U-boat!

(considering the hazard of 65

) for obvious reasons

12-02-16, 07:36 PM	#1
loede Swabbie Join Date: May 2014 Location: Bremen, Germany Posts: 8 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	U96 LI Friedrich Grade All stations, all stations, all stations. I have some spectacular news (I hope you'll agree)!! Remember U96 - "Das Boot"? Of course you do! Apparently, Friedrich Grade, the LI (Leitender Ingenieur / Chief engineer) of U96 has just turned 100 years old this year. And as he still lives in the vicinity of this tiny old town of Oldenburg(Germany), the local newspaper (http://www.nwzonline.de/u96) felt it appropriate to conduct an interview with him. This alone, I feel, is newsworthy: * 100 yrs old * Took part in most of U96's patrols, most notably the 7th ("Das Boot" Gibraltar Break-Through) * Holds all-time record for fastest submergence (22s), says, that while some may have been quicker, they could never have balanced out the boat and re-surface to tell the story And then, after the cameras are gone and the brandy has come out, the LI casually mentions, that he has been keeping a personal diary during all of his patrols... At this point, please note, that for security reasons this was HIGH TREASON in NS Germany during WW2!! The most notable differences (as I understand it) between the real events and the story as told by Buchheim's "Das Boot" are, that (1) the captain had much more important things to do, than to deal with tourists (Buchheim) with cameras, and that (2) nobody ever freaked out during patrols or waterbomb attacks on U96 (although indications are strong, that this may not be representative for the entire U-Waffe, but be due to the extraordinary amount of training, that this particular captain put his crew through - see dive time records). The worst on U96 was a "bad vibe" after a particularly long shelling, but next morning all was well again... And what we have now is a tiny overwhelmed newspaper, which holds the diaries of the events on U96 as they really happened. They have of course already printed excerpts for their readers, but I feel, that this should have a greater audience! They have already promised to publish the interview and diaries as soon as possible. I thought you should know. TLDR: U96 "Das Boot" Diaries found. Mixed emotions. Obligatory (heart-felt) german disclaimer: The cognitive dissonance between the horrific inhumane policies of the NS-Regime and the german majority who voted them into power, and the straight-backed acts of the people actually dying in the planetary-scale pile of ** that is a world war still blows my **ing mindhole.

12-03-16, 02:02 AM	#2
Commander Wallace Navy Seal Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Under the sea in an Octupus garden in the shade Posts: 5,017 Downloads: 360 Uploads: 0	Welcome to Subsim loede. Thanks for posting the account and link and taking the time to post this story. There is a good deal of information in your article that a lot of forum members probably didn't know. I certainly didn't. Das Boot remains a favorite movie with a number of forum members which many feel is an accurate representation of life aboard a U boat. Great story. Keep them coming and enjoy your time here. Last edited by Commander Wallace; 12-03-16 at 03:04 AM.

12-03-16, 07:56 AM	#3
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 181,150 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Great post __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!! GWX3.0 Download Page - Donation/instant access to GWX (Help SubSim)

12-03-16, 10:09 AM	#4
Prometheus Helmsman Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Serbia Posts: 106 Downloads: 49 Uploads: 1	Thank you for this info loede. It would be very interesting to watch interview with Friedrich Grade. Here is part of interview from youtube. __________________ Prometheus Mod for SH3 - Hull damage made by torpedo impact. http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/down...o=file&id=5060

12-03-16, 11:36 AM	#5
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 27,853 Downloads: 22 Uploads: 0	happy birthday! NOT allowed on a U-boat! (considering the hazard of 65) for obvious reasons __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness; and I'm not too sure about the Universe" Last edited by Aktungbby; 12-03-16 at 11:45 AM.