These postcards and photographs were generously provided by Armin Rühl, son of Obermaschinenmaat Friedrich Rühl of U-858 |
A prewar photograph of the training vessel Horst Wessel - after the war she was taken as a war prize by the United States and became the US Coast Guard Cutter Eagle (WIX-327) |
A prewar photograph of U-36 (Type VIIA) which served as a training vessel until the outbreak of war - she was sunk by the British submarine Salmon on December 4, 1939 |
A prewar photograph of the pocket Admiral Graf Spee - she was scuttled by her crew on December 17, 1939 after a battle with the British cruisers HMS Exeter, Ajax and Achilles |
Recruits underwent 8-12 weeks of training at one of the Kreigsmarine's 20 or so recruit training facilities (Rekrutenausbildung) followed by preliminary naval training at a manning depot. During this training recruits were selected for one of the 17 branches or career paths ("Laufbahnen") of the German Navy. Below are a series of postcards of preliminary naval training |
Graduation photograph |
The front gate at Marineschule Wessermunde which offered technical training in the various career paths of the German Navy |
The next series of photgraphs were taken at Pillau (now the Russian city of Baltiysk) where the Kriegsmarine established the 1. Unterseeboots-Lehrdivision (First U-Boat Training Division or 1. ULD for short). Here all ranks received training in general matters relating to U-Boats and specialists received training in the equipment they would operate in U-Boats. Trainees lived and received much of thier instruction in depot ships. |
Trainees relax aboard a depot ship in Pillau (probably the Robert Ley) |
A party aboard a depot ship (probably Robert Ley) in Pillau |
Graduation photograph for the Third Company 1. ULD |
Perhaps leave in Aarhus Denmark |
An aerial view of Glückstadt where the The Kreigsmarine conducted training for prospective petty officers. This training would have taken place after at least a year of service at sea and would be followed by additional technical trainining |