Interview with Adm. Erich Topp Part 1
Interview with Adm. Erich Topp Part 2
Interview with Adm. Erich Topp Part 3
Interview with Adm. Erich Topp Part 4
Interview with Adm. Erich Topp Part 5

This is the 1994 interview we did with Admiral TOPP, and it is the first time it is published anywhere. You may order a copy of this on videotape. Details on our website.

Admiral TOPP:

Today, I have a different opinion, of course about that what happened at that time and my opinion is – but it doesn’t influence the course of events of that time and our attitude and our thinking about our attitude at that time. Because we were convinced that we did follow the right way and therefore now I am very critical with the National Socialist regime and the crimes they did. You read it already when I was critical with my opinion about Dönitz. But there’s a very important difference. We didn’t know anything about the crimes at the time.

Concentration camps – the British had concentration camps and all other nations had concentration camps. In South America, they had concentration camps which the Germans were put in, so our concentration camps – that was nothing that we were judging very critical. Those who were politically of other opinions and those who normally went into prisons – those people went to work in the concentration camps. But we didn’t know anything about those, for instance, the Jews were sent into the concentration camps to be eliminated. We didn’t know anything about that.

But there was a difference between the political leaders and the responsible military leaders. They knew about it and a part of it went into the resistance because they knew about it. But there were others who knew about it and didn’t change their minds. They followed the National Socialists until the end. That is the difference. I often see the public opinion in the world and they say how could the Germans, those Germans with the beautiful culture they have with Beethoven and Goethe and Schiller only to name some of the very important cultural leaders – how could these people follow the National Socialism that did these crimes?

My answer is – the majority of the German people didn’t know of these crimes and they were following the political propaganda that of course, was filtered – you didn’t get the truth, the political truth. They were filtering it as dictatorial propaganda does. And so we thought we were going in the right way.

SHARKHUNTERS:

We have asked a lot of questions of our own about the U-Boat war, is there anything that you would tell us that we have not asked you that you would like to say about the U-Boat campaign?

Admiral TOPP:

I think from my own experience, I have told some parts of it.

SHARKHUNTERS:

Are there any recollections of your patrols off the east coast of the United States?

Admiral TOPP:

No, no. As I said, I didn’t see anything of the coast. I was operating there only for eight days and then I had shot all the torpedoes and went back. It was the least dramatic war patrol that I made.

Many thanks for this information ERICH. This is living history, and is available only through SHARKHUNTERS.

For our Members who would like this videotaped interview, just order Tape H-50, the 1994 interview with ERICP TOPP.

The videotape that was shot on board U-552 with ERICH TOPP in command is: The Red Devil Boot Tape H-27

This tape has a lot of combat action as well as scenes of life on board a combat U-Boat. All tapes are $30 each (plus $5 shipping).

Interview with Adm. Erich Topp Part 1
Interview with Adm. Erich Topp Part 2
Interview with Adm. Erich Topp Part 3
Interview with Adm. Erich Topp Part 4
Interview with Adm. Erich Topp Part 5