u-boat training

[_Seth_]

Does anybody know how the Germans selected their uboat-crews? Was there a "boot camp" where they selected those who fitted the uboatwaffe, or did they pick sailors from the other branches of the navy? I`m also thinking about the "das boot" movie, when johann gets "nervous" when they are beeing DC'ed. Was there some psychological testing before they let those men slip into their "steel cigars"? :D

[Eichenlaub]

This is probably what you are looking for: http://www.uboat.net/men/training/.

Enjoy!

I recently read in the somewhat aging book "Battle of the Atlantic" (such an imaginative name) by Hughes & Costello, that 2.000 men were selected for the submarine service out of 40.000 applicants per annum!:huh: Tests were rigid and included a pain test (I believe this was for officier candidates only), during which an applicant had to hold iron bars that were then electrically charged. The current would increase gradually and the ones who could witstand the pain the longest usually got the position.:o

Kind regards,

Eichenlaub

[_Seth_]

:o:o:o Holding electrically charged bars....??? Well, i am educated in the norwegian army officer school, but we never had to do that...(thank god...) :D
I've read somewhere that electrisity causes "uncontrollable" pain, or pain noone can train themselves to withstand... These guys must have been "one-of -a-kind", even though they were nazis...

Thanx for the answer and the link, Eichenlaub!!! :rock:

[HunterICX]

Also you had to proof u werent any of Bernards Relatives :rotfl:

[_Seth_]

@ hunterICX: :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:Excellent!!! :rotfl:

[Eichenlaub]

Seth, I found it!

On p. 40 of the Dutch translation of "Battle of the Atlantic" by Costello & Hughes, we read:

"40,000 men competed annually for 2,000 openings and the competetition for the officer's positions were equally fierce; in 1932 618 men applied for 45 openings. Particularly the officer candidates had to perform well in written, psychological and physical tests and eventually had to pass a 'test of courage', during which they were filmed while holding electrically charged bars that were gradually increased in power.":huh:

Translation is mine.

Kind regards,

Eichenlaub

[_Seth_]

Thanks, Eichenlaub!!! Excellent!!! :D:D:D

Its strange how so many men competed to be in the uboatwaffe, when you consider the environment they had to serve in... (diesel smelll, damp conditions, little place to move around and so on..) They had to be one-of-a-kind, thats for sure! :arrgh!:

Thanx again!! :D

[Eichenlaub]

You're welcome Seth.

Kind regards,

Eichenlaub