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Originally Posted by jimbuna
Apologies if it's already been mentioned, but slave/enforced labour was increasingly the norm near the wars end due to the fact most of the experienced/skilled labour was drafted into an ever deteriorating land defence situation.
This labour was notorious for being way below expected standards, in one book I've read, reference is made to a pseudo welded seam....the worker or workers had packed an oil stained rope between the plates to look like a weld had been performed.
Can you imagine the suprise in store as soon as the U-boat made her first out of port trim dive.
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Good point.
Many experienced factory workers who up to that point had been exempted from military service were now being drafted into the Volkssturm or hastily raised Volksgrenadier divisions. Their replacements were often forced labourers who lived and often died in appalling conditions: starvation, disease, beatings & the ever-present threat of summary execution. They certainly had no reason to ensure that the quality of their work was of the highest standard.