“Patrol” in North Germany

Saturday, 27 September we got checked in to our Four Star hotel in Hamburg and in the evening we were joined by our friend Professor BRÜNIG (1943-LIFE-1991), Skipper of U-108 (at right), who joined our group for cocktails.

Sunday 28 Sept. was a busy day. We returned from the Fischmarkt and rested a few hours in our Four Star hotel, then in mid-afternoon we were again at the waterfront, this time for our Hafenrundfahrt or round trip tour of the harbor. We have our own boat for this two hour tour through a really fascinating old German port city past places of history – where BISMARCK was built along with many U-Boats, past old mansions that survived the war, past huge ocean going ships entering and departing this busy harbor and most of all, it gave our group a couple hours together in an informal setting so all could become acquainted with one another. It was on this tour of the harbor in 1988 that we saw the “Lost Bunker” (Elbe II) and that got HARRY COOPER (1-LIFE-1983), JAK MALLMANN SHOWELL (73-1984) & EDDIE PHILLIPS (220-A/LIFE-1986) excited about looking inside for the three Type XXI U-Boats rumored to be interned there. (Hint – they FOUND them…..it’s all on Tape H-5 in your catalog).

The remainder of the day was spent at leisure. Some retired to the hotel to rest. Others went to the shopping areas for souvenirs. Yet others relaxed in the hotel bar, chatting with each other.

Monday morning, our deluxe bus took us to a suburb of Kiel where we were met by three U-Bootfahrer friends at the Navy Memorial. WALDEMAR TRIEBEL (197-LIFE-1986) I.W.O. on U-978; ERNST GÖTHLING (1225-LIFE-1989), he rode U-26; VOLKMAR KÖNIG (5428-1997) Midshipman on U-99 under the great OTTO KRETSCHMER (122-+-1986).

We first toured U-995, the boat of our good friend HANS-GEORG HESS (125-LIFE-1985) and it is the only Type VII-C left in the world. We were allowed to remain in the boat as long as we wanted, and it was a trip into history. This boat is beautifully maintained by the Deutsche Marinebund (DMB) the Navy League. Then we toured the beautiful Marine Ehrenmal (Navy Memorial), a beautiful Memorial to those who did not come back from patrol. The veterans were with us the entire time.

Then it was time for lunch, and we went to our favorite place, the Seeterrassen right next to the Memorial. We have our own section each year, and enjoyed a great lunch with the U-Boat veterans.

After lunch, we departed for the U-Boot-Ehrenmal (Submarine Memorial) where Sharkhunters has sent thousands of dollars in donations, but more about that Memorial further on in this issue. Remember to save your vacation days for 2004 – we will return!

Tuesday morning found us in the magnificent private museum of Peter Tamm. This is probably the finest and most awesome naval museum in the world! There are literally tens of thousands of ship models and artifacts that boggle the mind. One could spend weeks in there – months in fact, and never see it all.

Tuesday mid day – our bus rendezvoused with our dear friend MARIANNE GRAP (213-LIFE-1986) and headed for a plush, beautiful suburb of Hamburg where we stopped for lunch at a quaint little German gasthaus. There were many friends there waiting to enjoy lunch with us including Captain OTTO von BÜLOW (305-LIFE-1987), Skipper of U-404 and one of only 28 Skippers to be decorated with the Knights Cross with Oak Leaf. He brought his son, a retired Kapitän zur See (Bundsmarine) and Professor BRÜNIG (1943-LIFE-1991) was also there.

After a pleasant lunch in which Captain von BÜLOW signed many autographs, we departed for the nearby cemetery to place flowers on the grave of Großadmiral Dönitz, as we always do. MARIANNE made certain that the flower arrangement was red, white and blue for all the Americans in our group. They were beautiful.

Upon departing this beautiful cemetery, our deluxe bus went along the Autobahn which only a scant few years ago, was in the country of East Germany. More friends greeted us in Berlin, helped us get settled into our new hotel, then we all walked perhaps 500 meters to the old gaststube for our dinner – a German treat of Schweinehaxe. Most of the group turned in early, eager for the next day’s adventures.

Here we were in this cosmopolitan capital of Germany, soaking up all the culture. Wednesday morning found our group at the palace of Friederich the Great, named “Sans Souci” which means no sorrow. We toured the palace grounds, inside the palace and through other parts of the grounds.

Then we visited a place just discovered – the ‘Fortress of the Four Princes’. This is a small fortress, fifty or so feet long and no more than two feet tall, initially thought to be a play area for four little princes in centuries past. They have just learned that this was a prototype of a fortress to be built, and this model was made for the King to view and approve. This will not be open for long, as the German Government plans to cover it all with sand to preserve it until money is available to fully restore it. Photos on the website.

After lunch on Wednesday, we were on our own to do whatever we wished in this beautiful, cosmopolitan old capital city.

Some went to the place where Field Marschall Keitel signed the surrender and had their photo taken sitting in that very chair. Others spent their time sightseeing for the afternoon.

In the evening, we went as a group on the “Kudam”, the highest fashion section of Germany and we visited in the most exclusive (and most expensive) shop known as the KaDeWe. We also went in Germany’s largest bookstore where many books on all branches of the Wehrmacht are available. We passed Kafe Kranzler where spies met & spied on each other through WW II and the Cold War.

We had several Members in our group who owned and rode Harley Davidson motorcycles back home and by sheer coincidence, there was a large Harley dealer within 200 meters of our hotel. Trouble was, they opened at 0900 and we were usually gone by 0800. So we spoke with the manager on Wednesday and he agreed to open at 0730 the next day for our group and so there was a large bunch of Sharkhunters making the march to Hog Heaven to buy mobs of Harley Davidson of Berlin souvenirs. All things are possible with Sharkhunters!

Thursday morning – our deluxe motorcoach took us past the barracks of the 1st SS Division – the famed Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler Division. Then we arrived at the Allied Forces Museum where we watched a short film on the occupation and saw many exhibits and artifacts from the Cold War including the actual guard shack from Checkpoint Charlie.

Thursday morning – we continued on to Olympia Park and rode the elevator to the top of the Glöckturm – the bell tower that looked over this field since the 1936 Olympic Games where so much history was made. It was here that American Jesse Owens set world records and won gold for the USA. it was here that a beautiful young Swiss girl named Inga Aarvad sat next to Adolf Hitler as his personal guest…..she was the mistress of the world’s wealthiest man, Swedish multi-millionaire Axel Wenner-Gren. Later, she was the mistress and hot love of a young U.S. Naval Intelligence Officer named John F. Kennedy!

After lunch at what was once the command bunker complex of Großadmiral Karl Dönitz, our bus took us down a road buried deep in the pine forest outside Berlin, to the remains of his hardened command bunker, code named Koralle (Coral). It was here that Dönitz ran the daily operations of the KM. The foundations of the huge radio masts are still there and it was from here that he maintained contact with his U-Boats on the high seas, including those select few at the end of the war that were on their way to……….well, that’s another whole story.

Thursday – we are the first group EVER to visit the command bunker of Großadmiral Karl Dönitz since the end of WW II. We were free to climb all over the walls at will, taking photos & videos as we wished.

Then our guide took HARRY COOPER (1-LIFE-1983), JOHN GESTRICH (3684-2000) and GARY van LOON (5688-2003) down a secret hatch, deep inside the bunker itself. We were about three stories underground where room after room were intact as if the KM Staff had departed yesterday. We went down another level and saw the big diesel engine and electrical generator and in another room, the water distillation machinery and storage tank.

As our journey continued, our numbers decreased. At first we were so crowded that Mary and I had to spend the days behind the sail, and after she died I often spent the nights there too. Daily we saw our companions growing weaker, saw that they had not long to live and then sometimes just found that they were no longer with us. There were some who, despite all warnings, drank seawater and succumbed, and others who became delirious and their cries and rambling speech and their oft repeated pleas for water were terrible to hear. One wondered how long one could remain sane.

Our tongues became hard and dry, and our lips swollen and cracked. Many of us kept our teeth clean by rubbing them with a piece of cloth soaked in seawater. When we talked, our mouths were curiously misshapen and our voices became horse and weak. With our exceedingly small water ration, it was impossible after a few days to eat our biscuits or malted milk tablets. The biscuits blew out of our mouths as we chewed them, and they just would not go down. The Horlick’s tablets stuck to the roof of the mouth and stayed there. I tried to eat my pemmican ration every day, as I had read that it has high food value, but it often took an hour to swallow one teaspoonful. The chocolate dissolved easily and I was able to eat the three little squares daily until the supply ran out.

Some of the men managed to eat at least part of a biscuit by soaking it in seawater. One of the Polish cadet officers was able to eat his biscuit ration in this way until the end of the time, and was only one of the survivors who had no septic sores or boils. He had endured many hardships in his life, which no doubt helped him to be strong in the face of privation, for he remained alert and helpful to the end of the voyage. When we were exhausted, he could always manage to dip up some water from the sea and pour it over our heads and limbs to refresh us and although he could not speak any English, he was most kind and courteous to me and his influence was always for good. His only surviving brother died beside him in the lifeboat.

ENIGMA!

As we were about to board our bus to depart Großadmiral Dönitz’ bunker, our guide showed us his prized possession – an Enigma machine! We each got to touch it and take photos, then we were onto the bus.

Friday morning – with passports in hand we board the deluxe motor coach headed for the Polish border. On the way, we stopped at the museum at Seelow Heights. This was the site of a bitterly fought battle between the advancing Red Army and the defending German Army. We toured the museum and stood at this memorable battleground.

Next stop was the ancient Fort Gorgast, which served as an ammo supply dump in the area during WW II. After touring the fort and the grounds, we settled in to one of the inner chambers of the fort for lunch! Our very tasty lunch was brought in by local women who cooked it just for us. It was great! Haven’t you missed too many of our very special “Patrols” already? Save your vacation days and come with us this September. Check the website for full details.

Friday – as our motorcoach took us closer and closer to the Oder River through the former Communist East Germany, we saw huge mansions, once magnificent and beautiful, standing empty and deserted, falling into disrepair. The DDR certainly fell far short of what they promised their people.

On that Friday, our coach took us to the Oder River, where the Red Army massed on the Polish side, for their final thrust into Berlin. We were in the old city of Küstrin – now nothing more than rubble and only the basements of the homes and shops remain. The armor and artillery battle here was so great that not a stone was left on top of another, and the town has never been rebuilt. We were the first Americans EVER deep into the underground Bastion Phillip and also the King’s Bastion beneath what had once been a castle. When a young Friederich (before he was King Friederich the Great) and his friend left the Army for a life of poetry etc., it was to this castle they were brought after their arrest for ‘leaving’ the army, and it was here where Friederich’s friend was beheaded while the future king had to watch from his window. Pure history here!

Naturally, we had to spend some time (and money) in the Polish flea market in Küstrin. Prices were very nice, so we bought a lot of souvenirs…..and ate at the McDonald’s at the border! Okay, it’s not that we like McDonald’s so much – but to tell your friends that you ate at a McDonald’s in Poland is a conversation starter…..

Okay, maybe the McDonald’s isn’t such a great conversation topic but being there in this place of history – it can’t be duplicated or matched in any way. We’ll be there again in 2004. Don’t miss out!

Saturday, we stopped for a few minutes on the bridge that was the final obstacle for the Soviet troops in their push to the Chancellery building only a few dozen meters away. Once this bridge fell, the HQ of the Reich lay naked before them –we stood on that spot!

Our guide took us through the Reichstag building for a special tour of this newly renovated building. It was badly damaged in the war as a fierce armor battle right in front. Our guide, an attorney, took us to see the new German eagle – white rather than black, and not at all menacing. In fact, the members of Parliament call it the “Fat Chicken”. Soviet graffiti still covers the walls in places from the days of the Cold War and Soviet occupation, now just a chapter in a history book…..and we stood there!

More Comments from 'Patrollers':

During this ‘Patrol’, one of our Members said: “Once again, let me say that I had a great time on the trip. I will tell everyone to take a Sharkhunters tour. Trust me when I say I had a great time – met great people, made new friends…..and I saw, walked and spoke with those who made history. I’ll be back!”

ELLYN PONTON (6627-A-2002) wrote this about her time on our ‘Patrol’ in North Germany.

“I had a fantastic time! What I liked best about this trip was the day in Kiel – the Navy Memorial, the U-Boat Memorial, the view over the Baltic. My best memory was – being there. When I signed on, I had certain expectations – more like hopeful aspirations. This ‘Patrol’ was more than I expected in every way. I certainly hope to go with you again.”

U-Boat veteran ROLF ROSELLEN (2985-LIFE-1993) is now an American citizen and he was on this tour. He writes: “I had a fantastic time! I liked everything about the trip, the way it was organized. Everything went smoothly. My best memories of the tour was the Naval Memorial, the U-Boat-Memorial and the visit to the grave of Großadmiral Dönitz. You outdid yourself – a great trip.”

Cdr. JOHN HOLT (6729-2003), Skipper of USS SENNETT, was in our group and he wrote: “A great big vote of thanks for putting on such a great tour! I had a really great time – you must keep the visits to the Submarine Memorial. My best memory of the trip was the good comradeship and ease of schedule. It was an overall grand job with good guides and an interesting schedule.”

Dr. DAVID WEST (6709-2003) had these comments: “I had a really great time and my best memories of the tour were the bomb shelters of Berlin.”

M/Sgt LARRY KAGAN (5053-C-1996) and his wife Selina wrote this: “We had a fantastic time and what we liked best about the tour was the museums, the people, the history and the food. Words cannot describe what we felt.”

RICH delFAVRO (1495-LIFE-1990) “Just want to say how much fun Colette & I had on the trip to Germany with our fellow Sharkhunters. Every day on the tour was special, but my personal favorite was the Ulrichsbergfest and the special luncheon afterwards. I felt a sense of awe and humility talking with these veterans – and to actually meet them. Wow! thanks for a really great trip. As you can tell, my Membership Pride is really up right now. Thanks again for a great trip.”

Our “Patrol” for 2004 promises to be even better than any before. Save your vacation days! LOOK AT THE WEBSITE for full details. There are already Members signed on for these tours, so don’t be left out! Log onto www.sharkhunters.com then click on TOURS and then click on whichever tour you want to learn about. As you see by the responses, we always have a great time in old Europe and are welcomed by the veterans and are treated as family. Miss it again? You’ll kick yourself!

HOT NEWS!

Okay, you have gotten a small idea of what a fantastic time we had in Germany, Austria and Poland on our two 2003 “Patrols” in old Europe. I hope you have taken the time to look at the website to get an even better idea of these great times.

We ARE GOING AGAIN in 2004, and even more great things have been added to these “Patrols”. Some of those Members who were with us in 2003 have already sent their deposits without even knowing what is on the itinerary – they had that great a time in 2003 and they know 2004 will be even better.

What about YOU? Are you going to let history pass you by again? Don’t miss this great time in old Europe. Go to the website at www.sharkhunters.com and click on TOURS, then let your fingers do the walking. Sign up soon – once we reach 40 people on each “Patrol”, we begin the waiting list. Don’t let that happen to you!