Tuesday was a day that did not require us to be awake too early, but PHIL WAITE (3011-LIFE-1993), one of the now famous 'Bunker Brigade', was out and gone before 0600 to the 'Lost Bunker'. Unfortunately, tide and time were again against him and the water was high in the 'Lost Bunker'.

Our Tuesday morning was probably the single most impressive part of our tour - the visit to the absolutely awesome museum of PETER TAMM (5649-1998). The museum is housed in a former ultra-elegant hotel, filled with marble and brass. The Crown Prinz stayed here as did other famous personalities like Caruso. It is now the home of probably the finest naval museum in the world. It is not open to the public and can only be visited by invitation.

If we were to show just a few of the more important things in this museum - we'd need about ten more years of KTB Magazines just for this. In addition to all the fantastic exhibits inside, there is a wealth of things to see outside including this gunboat that PETER bought from the former DDR. When he got it, the German Government complained loudly that a private citizen was not allowed to own a gunboat, so PETER asked what was the penalty. He was told that he would have to pay a huge fine - and PETER merely reached for his checkbook! Don't you just love it .....

Donitz' Grave

Tuesday afternoon, guided by our good friend MARIANNE GRAP (213-1986), we visited the grave of GrossAdmiral Donitz. Each time I visit this solemn place I remember how the propaganda told that he was a Godless Nazi -- but here is a huge stone crucifix, and we know that the GrossAdmiral was a religious man and a loving family man. During a war, propaganda flows freely but once the war ends, the lies must be put away. It has not been done this way with the veterans of the German Armed Forces, and that is wrong - that is why SHARKHUNTERS and EAGLEHUNTERS are dedicated to telling the honest story of these veterans. Both his sons were killed in the war and as a father who himself has lost a son at the age of 20, I can tell you that this is an incredible pain! Of his children, only his daughter, URSULA HESSLER (1339-1990) survived the war years. In the photo, we are placing flowers on the grave of the GrossAdmiral.

To make things even worse - some of these same vandals also hit the grave of GrossAdmiral Donitz, splashing paint all over it and painting a swastika on the stone. What a terrible thing.....

We departed in mid-afternoon and headed for our next hotel in Bremen, but with a stop for lunch along the autobahn. We had the opportunity to sample German food at roadside tables.

1999 Patrol in Germany U-Boat Tour

Introduction
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday