New book. Submarine Commander Memoir

[Felix C]

Hello Everyone,

 

Translated the 1943 edition of German submarine commander Ernst Hashagen's memoir. Added some clarifying notes. 

Interesting work. He writes as a novelist not a military officer. You will know what I refer to upon reading.

Available at the usual online locations. You know who.

Thx 

FC

Edited 19 July , 2019 by Felix C

[Hyacinth1326]

It is a very good book. Hashagen did not emerge from the usual junker elite.  He was something of an outsider. I believe his U-boat career began as IWo on U-21 followed by command of U-21 and finally he commanded U-62 to he end of hostilities. He comes over as a humane man and his descriptions of operations off North West Scotland have never been bettered.

 

Edited 19 July , 2019 by Hyacinth1326

[Felix C]

The 1943 edition did not have any propaganda elements in it for which I am thankful. There is a late 1930s memoir written by Hans Rose,(who had an impressive submarine career), which is studded with them. Too bad.  

 

[Hyacinth1326]

Yes brain my brain said 'U-22' but my fingers wrote U-21 !   That is my story and I'm sticking to it.  No, I agree with you.  I think Hans Rose was a very very different type of man from Ernst Hashagen.  Have you read Furbringer's autobiography ?

[Felix C]

No. Spiess and Hersing yes. Both even handed. I can think of another work where the author is brilliant throughout and ruins it at the end with an intense anti-Semitic remark and it was only from 1925 IIRC. 

[Hyacinth1326]

I guess the Freikorps would have been active among officer veteran groups in 1925.

 

It is rather a pity that you have not read Furbringer's autobiography because I would have value your view on an (alleged) atrocity said to have been carried out by the crew of HMS Garry against the  survivors of UB 110 when this boat was sunk off the coast of NE England.  A couple of authors have pointed out that the book was published in 1933 and claim this incident might have been embroidered to deflect from alleged U-boat atrocities.  I have unearthed some local sources which could be interpreted to add weight to the atrocity claim eg some of the  UB 110 were treated for gunshot wounds after they had been fished out of the water.

[michaeldr]

Felix - Good Luck with your book

 

I see that Hersing gets a mention a little earlier in this thread 

and checking on Abe, I find that as well as the German, there are Turkish & Italian editions of his book

Does anyone know if there is an English version available?

 

Thanks 

Michael

[Hyacinth1326]

Its good to read about the other side of the conflict.  Hashagen and Furbringer can usefully be cross referenced with the hard fact of Spindler's Handeskrieg mit U-booten adding flesh to the bones and reminding us that these people and the men they commanded were decent  human beings helplessly caught up in great events over which they had little control.

Edited 20 July , 2019 by Hyacinth1326

[Felix C]

Thanks to all.

 

No Hersing in English at this time. I confess I had planned to translate it... Many reasons why not done yet. 

For some reason anything WW2 U-boat is hot, hot in terms of audience. WW1 is very niche. Which is a shame as the pioneering era of WW1 is immensely readable. 

 

As for Furbinger, ironically I have been an extensive Charles Herbert Lightoller reader for years so am familiar with his account and found the Fips  book  online with the Garry incident available to read. Quite a disparity. I wonder what the official report by the escort indicates. One of the gentlemen at Uboat.net is working on a revised U-boat loss book and probably has the latter and survivor interrogations. We will know more eventually. (Have encountered where an author will include fictional elements in a memoir for effect and equally CH Lightoller + Garry crew experienced some harrowing sinkings by Ger. submarines. Enough to desensitize anyone.)

 

An acquaintance published some of the Room 40 volumes on the German Navy and includes synopsis of survivor interviews. I know we are in the book section. Will post in the appropriate Navies section if there is any result under Garry vs. UB110 etc.etc.

 

Take Care 

 

NB: I see I made Major, just like the fellow in FawltyTowers.

 

 

 

 

Edited 20 July , 2019 by Felix C

[Felix C]

 To add to this I see in his autobio. Lightholler writes in Chapter 44 Destroyer vs. Submarine

boldened the relevant parts. 

"As S.O., we had to wait (and how willingly we waited) under the lee of the Spurn, till the last ship had picked up and got out. Convoy orders from the Convoy officer delivered on board and then we were for it. A cold winter’s morning and sea like nothing on earth. Out we would have to go, with nothing for the next couple of days and nights but roll, roll, roll. The one saving grace of the bad weather was that it made it impossible for the submarines to attack with any degree of accuracy. Furthermore, if an attack were made anywhere near the surface, there was a ten to one chance that her conning tower would show between the seas and that would soon put paid to her little efforts.

It was bad enough on the surface, but it must have been hell for those chaps under water. No wonder one heard of all sorts of wheezes to get rid of their Mouldies and return to the Fatherland. Still, by far the majority of their ships were manned by men of pluck and resource, the only pity being, that it was expended on such an unworthy cause.

The man that could sink a merchantman, from below the surface, without giving him the ghost of a chance, must have had a mentality lower than the worst aborigine and heaven knows, they glory in some pretty flthy practices.

Anyhow, that was my feeling about them and their work, so I suppose there was little wonder that when one did surrender to us, I refused to accept the hands-up business. In fact it was simply amazing that they should have had the infernal audacity to offer to surrender, in view of their ferocious and pitiless attacks on our merchant ships.

Destroyer versus Destroyer, as in the Dover Patrol, was fair game and no favour. One could meet them and take them on as a decent antagonist. But towards the submarine men, one felt an utter disgust and loathing; they were nothing but an abomination, polluting the clean sea."

[michaeldr]

16 hours ago, Felix C said:

No Hersing in English at this time. I confess I had planned to translate it... Many reasons why not done yet. 

For some reason anything WW2 U-boat is hot, hot in terms of audience. WW1 is very niche. Which is a shame as the pioneering era of WW1 is immensely readable.

 

Felix,

Many thanks for the reply
Though not a German speaker myself, a friend of mine has just complete some translation work on a book with a German/Gallipoli/Dardanelles connection
I'm thinking that I might suggest Hersing to him as a suitable subject to tackle next

Thanks again
Michael