This section began in KTB #115 and is intended to familiarize our Members with many of the German (and other military) terms we see on the pages of our KTB Magazine.

We hope to help our Members better understand some of the terms and words used in World War II and in our KTB Magazine.

‘ALBERICH’ This was a rubber coating on U-Boats to absorb SONAR pulses. It consisted of two layers of BUNA rubber. The inner layer had holes of precise shapes and sizes while the outer layer was smooth. Even the propeller blades had rubber sheets riveted on. ‘ALBERICH’ was a character in a German folk story, the Nibelungenlied and he had a magic coat. When he put the coat on, he was invisible. It is doubtful that the rubber coating worked as it was designed; but it did more to help the crew feel safe.