OT: German Merchant during the WWII

[NightCrawler]

I was wondering what did the German Merchant during the WWII beside using profiding food/fuel/torps for the U-boots...

Are the German Merchant save on the water, i mean did the Brittish U-boots try to torp the German Merchants in WWII?

Because there is no further information about German Merchant during WWII in Google or yahoo search...

[don1reed]

Hi, Nightcrawler.

You pose an interesting question...my take on it. During the 30's many of the young merchant marine officers gravitated over to the Kriegsmarine, i.e. G.Prien, and as you know, the merchant service to any nation is for import/export; but, due to the nazi occupation of Europe shortly after the war began, it curtailed the need for merchant vessels as the comodoties were easily at hand overland.(oil, food, resources)

Hitler was able to instill patriotic ferver into the young through his speeches, the German people were desparately looking for a strong leader after WW1 and the treaty of Versaille. During the 20's Germany was not a very pleasant place.

[Warmonger]

One of the main tasks of German merchants was shipping the precious iron ore from Scandinavia to Germany. And they were by no means safe doing this, many were sunk by British or Russian subs. Some were used as tankers for battleships and subs, some were transformed into auxiliary cruisers lingering along Allied shipping lines.
Link to Aux. cruisers:
http://www.deutschland-class.dk/hilfskreuzer/hilfskreuzer_menu.html

Will post more should I find something.

[Quagmire]

Great website!

The most famous German "Merchant of War" was the HK Kormoran. It was credited with sinking 12 ships including the Light Cruiser HMAS Sydney. However that was her last fight as both ships effectively destroyed each other in the firefight.

However check out the account of her 3rd victim, the Africa Star:

Africa Star: Sunk by explosive charges. 72 prisoners. Two british young ladies (it’s said of outstanding beauty; in top of that, they climb up to Kormoran almost naked, as any regular shipwreacker take by surprise) enjoyed of non standard housing facilities; they got a first class cabin over the swimming pool deck, with their own bathroom. The German crew always gave them a courteus and very respectful treatment.

A British refrigerator ship (Africa Star) with a cargo of 5.708 tons of Argentine meat and 634 tons of butter, had her radio signals jammed by Kormoran's operator, and after 4 minutes of gunfire stopped and surrendered. Unfortunately this fine, valuable ship was no longer any use as a prize due to the damage she had sustained. 72 members of her crew and 4 passengers, including 2 young British women, who, having been sunbathing on deck, arrived on board the raider in their bathing costumes! The women's clothing was retrieved by the raider's boarding commando before the Afric Star was sunk and they were given first class accomodation and treatment on board the Kormoran. Among the items taken from Afric Star were radio code tables that enabled the Germans to read all British signals.


Now there's a war prize!!!!! :arrgh!: :arrgh!: :arrgh!: :arrgh!:

[Warmonger]

Hmm...I found some interesting sites but they are all in German...

[Sailor Steve]

There was also a considerable amount of coastal merchant traffic from Seebruge up to Wilhelmshaven. These were mostly protected by special escort boats ('Flakleiters") and Schnellboote, and their main enemy were the British Vosper Motor Torpedo Boats. Lots of entertaining night battles just outside the Channel.

[NightCrawler]

I understand that German Merchant from Germany to Scandinavia, because in Scandinavia there are lot's of V1 rockets and they need fuel too.. and from Scandinavia to Germany, Iron, Ore, steel, and many other things... but using a merchant as a milk-cow as in Besel or in spaine before Gibraltar.... and maybe later in Gran Canaria... or in Rio De Janeiro(most U boot commanders)(if they have enough fuel) will fled to Brazil to avoiding to be prison....