Quote:
Originally Posted by frau kaleun
In addition I expect foreign language studies, including English, were part of the officer candidate curriculum at the naval academy. Not to mention the fact that some officers had already been exposed to English in an educational or even everyday setting before joining up. Cremer, I think, had an English grandmother and Kretschmer spent the better part of a year living and going to school in England. |
Yes, you're right that most officers could speak some English. I am not sure if it was part of the curriculum for all officers, if so then certainly only in the earlier years of the war. Those who went to the "Gymnasium" (the German school, which was only affordable for posh people at that time) might have also learned it to some extent - after they learned Latin and Greek...
I am somehow impressed about Topp's language skills which he shows in this interview:
He really speaks free and coherent, no search for words. Definitely not common in his age group.