German
submarines
First and foremost, it was
the German submarines who were ordered to cut off
the lines of convoys who supplied Murmansk, Hitler
regarded North-Norway as crucial and ordered an increase
in the construction of submarines from 10 to 25 each
month.
The nearest U-boat base in the Lofoten region, was
Sjomen. Bogen harbour a huge navy repair facility
based on huge floating docks.
Because of the extreme conditions on the submarines,
selecting its crew was very strict. The huge number
of U-boats patrolling the Arctic seas, did indeed
put it’s stamp among the local population. The
crew consisted of young men, some practically boys
seduced by Nazi propaganda, yearning for adventure,
fogged by the thought of honour and glory.
When they where given leave, they acted so wild and
crazy that common people kept as far away as they
possibly could. The sailors acted as their next mission
could be their last. Maybe he should have known better
the NS Officer who stumbled upon such a U-boat crew.
To honour his fellow brothers in arms, he freshly
saluted “HEIL HITLER” with his arm outstretched.
This didn’t go down well with the sailors. So
they beat him up, and after everybody had relieved
themselves upon him, they went on to party.
The submarines spread
much death and mayhem around the oceans, but also
suffered heavy losses themselves. Of 40 000 men,
some 10 000 survived the war. Many of these rests
at the bottom of Nordishavet with their victims,
the seamen who lost their lives sailing The ”Murmansk-Convoys”
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German
submarine capitan.
Jacket
from the real "Das Boot" capitan "Willenbrock".
Memories
from the U-255 found in the mountains in Skjomen (near
Narvik). This submarine was one of the few who survived
the war and was sailed to England in May 1945. Photo:
Ole Nicolaisen.
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