Cargo Submarine U-Deutschland Artifacts and Model

[tnbernardjr]

The Fatherland was a weekly periodical originally published during World War I by George Sylvester Viereck in New York City. It was first published in English in 1914 and reached a circulation of over 75,000. Viereck's stated message was "Fair Play for Germany and Austria-Hungary." He was born in Munich and moved to New York City where he received his education.

Viereck was an outspoken advocate of the German cause at the outset of World War I and for this reason some viewed his pro-German zeal as editor of The Fatherland as espousing propaganda. He advocated United States neutrality in World War I, and openly supported the German cause. Viereck was accused of receiving funding from a German propaganda organization in New York and he faced social censure and was investigated but not prosecuted by the Department Of Justice. Nevertheless he continued publishing until 1927 but had subdued the publication's tone of German sympathy at the end.

The digital library at Villanova University has a collection of The Fatherland periodicals from 1914 through 1917 which can be downloaded.

Captain Paul Konig and the story of U-Deutschland were featured in two issues published in 1916.

[tnbernardjr]

Recently I compared copies of both the English and German editions of Voyage of the Deutschland originally published by Hearst in New York in 1916. The paperback edition that I own was printed in Berlin in 1917 by Ullstein Verlag. As pointed out by Dwight Messimer and others, Captain Paul König did not write this book, rather Dr. Ernst Bischof who was a journalist for the German Foreign Office wrote this book at the direction of the German Government. Dr. Bischof boarded the Deutschland at Helgoland on August 23, 1916 when the submarine was returning to Bremen. Dr. Bischof interviewed Captain König which provided him information to begin writing the story.
As noted by Dwight Messimer in his editor’s introduction to the English version published in 2001 by the U.S. Naval Institute, both English and German versions were similar, but there are many omissions and inaccuracies in the text as it is obvious that the Dr. Bischof’s account of the Deutschland’s first voyage has many embellishments. Nevertheless it remains a fascinating subject. What struck me as quite interesting is that there are some original images and photographs contained in the German edition which are superior in quality that the English edition and many are unique to the German edition. These are included in the following threads.
The images above are of the cover of the paperback German edition and the front matter of the book.

[tnbernardjr]

U-Deutschland beginning sea trials. Photograph taken by Krupp.

[tnbernardjr]

Underway by diesel engines.

[tnbernardjr]

Underwater sea trials.

[tnbernardjr]

Inside photograph of the central control or navigation room.

[tnbernardjr]

Control room dealing with ballast.

[tnbernardjr]

Bow view of U-Deutschland with tugs tied up port and starboard. The tug on the starboard side is probably the Timmins at Baltimore.

[tnbernardjr]

Photograph signed by the crew.

[drmessimer]

Tom: Posts #1143 and 1144 are actually photos of the Bremen on her sea trials. If you look at the port quarter on both images, there is no black exhaust skirt painted there. That is where the exhaust stacks exit the engine room, and that part of the hull was painted black on the Deutschland but not on the Bremen. Another identifier is that the Bremen's crew wore white coveralls. Below are two photos of the Deutschland showing those differences. Also below is another photo that was taken as part of the diving sequence in post #1145. In the photo below she is just going under. She was, like the Lake boats, designed to dive on an even keel, which is what is happening here. She was an exceptionally slow diver, requiring at least five minutes to get fully under. In heavy weather it was almost impossible to get her under. The photos I have posted are out of sequence, I don't know why, but they work.
I like your new posts. Dwight