Couple of Das Boot questions...

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

and impressions from more than one u-boat patrol into a book that fictionalizes just one.

I forgot all about that part. He did indeed go on (I think) three patrols with two different boats. Your points about not using real numbers are great as well.

I would love to read some of his other books, but IIRC none of them have been translated into English.

I understand that he wrote two more novels about the same characters, and no, neither one has been translated.

His real book, U-Boat War, which chronicles real events and is full of pictures, is indeed available in English, and quite good.
http://www.amazon.com/U-Boat-War-Lot...0339744&sr=1-1

The other two books are more of a biographic style. "Die Festung" starts with the ending of his second war patrol on U 96 in early '43, sees him in Berlin and his atellier in southern Bavaria, gets him back to France in mid '44, to Brest a bit after D-Day with the almost last sub out of Brest and down the coast, then to Paris and ends in late '44 near the Belgian border.
"Der Abschied" simply ties up some loose knots during a documentary cruise on the Otto Hahn.
If your German is good enough i can heartly recommend "Die Festung". "Der Abschied" is more like a doorstopper.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I forgot all about that part. He did indeed go on (I think) three patrols with two different boats. Your points about not using real numbers are great as well.

Thanks. Also IIRC, the second part of the fictional designations he uses for the u-boats in the book (i.e., the "M" in "UM") is the first letter of the last name he gives to the commander of each craft. I think U-96 (the boat he is on) is referred to as "UA," the "A" being for "Alte" because its commander is simply referred to as Der Alte and no name for him is ever given.

His real book, U-Boat War, which chronicles real events and is full of pictures, is indeed available in English, and quite good.
http://www.amazon.com/U-Boat-War-Lot...0339744&sr=1-1

That one, I got. Picked up a former library copy on the cheap via one of Amazon's third party sellers. It's fairly light on text but the pictures are stunning - and it is mostly a "picture book" anyway. For those that haven't seen it, it include pics taken of the real event described in the book and featured in the movie where they unexpectedly encounter that other u-boat in very heavy seas and come alongside her. It's not even apparent in the movie just how close they got to "Thomsen" in the real encounter, but from the pictures it's unbelievable. Also amazing that he got any pictures at all given the situation and the weather.

[Weiss Pinguin]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

Thanks. Also IIRC, the second part of the fictional designations he uses for the u-boats in the book (i.e., the "M" in "UM") is the first letter of the last name he gives to the commander of each craft. I think U-96 (the boat he is on) is referred to as "UA," the "A" being for "Alte" because its commander is simply referred to as Der Alte and no name for him is ever given.

Interesting, although Thomsen's boat is designated UF. Could be the exception, though.

And I'll definitely have to look up U-boat War.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Weiss Pinguin

Interesting, although Thomsen's boat is designated UF. Could be the exception, though.

And I'll definitely have to look up U-boat War.

I don't know if I read that somewhere, or just made the (perhaps mistaken) connection as I was reading. Seemed like U-96 was referred to as "UA" and "UM" was mentioned as "Merkel's boat" or some such so it made sense at the time. It's possible I didn't pay any attention to it after that, lol, and missed references that didn't fit.

[mookiemookie]

I got my new sig from the last part of the book.