Our bosun's mate. Been on quite a bender tonight.
Who are those pigs?
Their fireboat drill. They're all from my boat.
Captain.
Marten's crew. They move out at dawn.
lt's time to find ourselves a little French quail.
Do you know how to flush it out?
They're scared. They comfort themselves in women and schnapps.
- What's going on here? - Ready ... Fire!
- Sir. - My second officer.
This is Lieutenant Werner. War correspondent.
He'll ship out with us, and report the truth about life on a submarine.
- Welcome on board, Lieutenant. - Good evening.
Come and have a drink with us.
- Good evening, Captain. - Two beers, please.
Where's our friend Thomsen? He should be celebrating his medal.
Have you talked to your wife?
No calls to Germany before 10 o'clock.
- Two beers. - Thanks.
Captain.
My report from U96, sir. All provisions and arms aboard.
- Thank you. - One more thing, Captain.
On the way here some of the crew molested me.
lt was ... quite outrageous.
- They stopped me and ... - You were initiated?
- Exactly. - Me, too.
May l have your attention? Silence would be appreciated!
l'd like to call on Lt. Thomsen, our latest hero!
Thomsen is from the old guard. He's always drunk now.
Quiet in this whorehouse!
To our wonderful ... abstaining ... womanless Fuhrer, -
- who rose gloriously from an apprentice painter -
- to become the world's greatest battle strategist.
lsn't it true?
He's a great naval expert. Who, in his infinite wisdom ...
How does it go again?
Our great Fuhrer has been showing their English bed-wetter ...
... the cigar-chomping asshole Churchill ...
... where exactly to go and stick his stinking cigars.
Excuse me.
l'll see you in the morning. l must phone home.
Phillip, the old bunch has gone.
Look at these new heroes. All wind and smoke. Big mouths.
Yeah, yeah ...
Cheeks together. Balls in hand.
And the belief in our Fuhrer in their eyes.
They will know in time.
Combat! Conquer! Order!
Come on, Phillip. Give me a hand. Help me get him up.
l wanted to really ... screw my brains out tonight, -
- but l'm not in any condition to fuck.
That's Thomsen's boat. Find anything wrong with our boat?
- The propeller plate was banged. - l see.
- That explains the whining noise. - We've got a brand new one.
That's our boat.
Stand by for inspection! Attention! Eyes left!
All hands present and accounted for. The boat is clear for sea, Captain.
Thank you, Number One.
At ease.
Well, men ...
- All set? - All set, sir!
We have a guest on board. Lt. Werner.
A war correspondent. He has even brought his camera.
He is writing about war heroes. See you remember your manners.
- Aye-aye, sir! - Harbour stations, men.
Sink them all!
Get those crates out of here! This isn't a vegetable garden.
Fish store, where we maintain and store the torpedoes.
- You're going to be in the papers! - Thank you, men.
Follow me. Here we have the can. Just one for 50 men.
The other one's full of provisions. You can't eat shit. Logical, no?
Here's the Chief Petty Officer's quarters. My home away from home.
- l've brought plenty of books. - You have it really cosy here.
- Where are you, Lieutenant? - l hope you don't get sea sick.
Here's the radio and the hydrophone. The eyes and ears of the boat.
Here's the control room. The boat's command post.
Through here, Lieutenant.
Wake up, you've got company.
Good morning, Lieutenant.
The petty officers' bunk sleeps 12 men.
Two to a bunk. One sleeps while one is on duty.
One man comes off watch and climbs into the other man's stink.
You've got a bunk to yourself since you're a guest on board.
- Here. - This is your escape gear.
- You can use it in the shower. - The mask helps out with the stink.
Of Frenssen's feet!
Come on.
This is our galley. And here's Johann, our phantom.
Johann, everything in order?
- Permission to come up? - Yes, Lieutenant.
lt's better to take photos on our return from the mission.
What do you mean?
They'll have grown beards by then.
The British will be ashamed to see these shaven faces.
Pale-faced kids. lnnocents dragged from mama's skirt.
Sailing with them makes you feel so old.
lt's like a children's crusade.
- Permission to pass, sir. - Carry on.
- Bon appetit. - Thank you.
- From Mexico, aren't you? - Yes. South of Mexico City.
- Good there? - Very nice. Good climate.
- Quite a way. - As a German, l had to come.
- Did you work there? - On my step-parents' plantation.
- You're the boss's son? - You could say so.
- Stand by, first watch. - Excuse me.
Can l get by?
Permission to go on watch, Captain.
A new breed, our Mexican recruit.
A young machine. He follows orders without question.
He's so uptight he could crack nuts with his butt cheeks.
- Permission to come up? - Yes, Lieutenant.
Stand by main vents.
- Shut out main engines! - All hands forward!
All hands forward! Come on, move it.
Come on, move! Move! Faster!
Get a move on, you guys!
lt's an alarm, not a blasted cruise! Get into diving positions!
Blow negative tank.
Stern planes ease to 10 degrees.
Not bad. Practice makes perfect. lt keeps you from getting rusty.
A practice drill.
- Level off, Chief. - Bow up 15. Stern up 10.
Planes on zero.
- Levelled off, sir. - Shut all main vents.
- Main vents shut. - Dive. Let's see how she does.
Bow planes down 15. Stern up 10.
The boat is rated to 90 metres, but of course we could go deeper.
There's a limit somewhere. We can only take so much pressure -
- before the boat will be crushed.
Check all valves.
- The pressure. - Yeah, sure.
Deeper.
140 metres.
- She must take this depth. - 150.
160 metres.
- That'll do for now. Surface. - Bow up 10. Stern up 5.
Ourjournalist is sweating.
Your girl?
French girl?
Do you know the flower shop beside Café A l'Ami Pierrot?
- A l'Ami Pierrot. - Sure, l know it.
The two pretty salesgirls. Jeannette and ...
Francoise.
Nobody knows ... but we're engaged.
Unofficially.
Can l see?
Very pretty. Really.
What's wrong?
She's pregnant.
Don't you know what that means?
lf the resistance finds out? A German baby.
l told her, but she wants to have it.
- She wants a baby. - You've got problems, friend.
Our masters spend all their time finding Churchill new nicknames.
What's the latest?
Drunken pig.
Fat boy.
Paralytic.
For a drunken paralytic he's putting up a damn good fight.
We'll cut the swine to shreds. That is my firm belief.
Listen, smart guy. Mr. Churchill is a long way from shreds.
l'd like to know how many of his ships are getting through -
- while we sit on our behinds waiting for orders.
Our patrol planes. Where are they, Herr Göring?
The British have plenty of them. Talking big is all he's good for.
Big heroes. Nothing but hot air ... all of them.
Put that one down. lt'll make exciting reading in your epic.
The Propaganda Ministry will love it.
Music we need.
Do you think our Hitler Youth leader might put a record on for us?
The ''Tipperary'' song if you have no objections.
- That stuff makes me puke. - Now we're in the Royal Navy.
A record won't make you into the king of England.
- Shut the door, you lazy pig! - Stupid jerk!
They should use him as a doorstop, his rear end's big enough.
One day he'll stick it in the can and he'll never get it out again.
- Good morning. - Good morning, Lieutenant.
- lt stinks in here. - Sweaty feet and hair grease.
Pilgrim's specialty.
Smells just like old socks ... these rotten eggs.
- Baby poo-poo. - Pilgrim needs a chicken house.
Right. Ducks in the bilge. Sweet little ducklings.
We could fatten them up with jam from your filthy feet.
They'd have good fun feeding on Frenssen's toe jam.
Aid to cleanliness, four letters?
Bath.
Thank you.
A desert animal with two humps?
- Camel. - Perfect.
lntellectual starvation l would say.
lt's completed, sir. Signal decoded.
One moment.
lt could just about do it. Five, six, seven ...
- Eight. - New course, sir?
One minute.
What's the signal position, sir?
''Convoy square at AK 22,46.''
''Mean course: 60 degrees. Speed: 8 knots. U-boat 37.''
U-boat 37. That's Marten's boat moving in to attack.
- Too far away. We'd never make it. - Bad luck.
Damn it! When do we get some orders?
Come on, pull it out! Slap more grease on it!
- For yourjournal? - Yes, wonderful stuff.
You there, this way a moment.
lt's nicely greased with vaseline. We're ready to ram it in!
Can you just look this way? Yes, good.
Not quite so fast. This way. Great!
Stay here in the foreground. Let's have some with a different ...
Who did that?
Tell me now ... Have you got any hairs up your nose?
- Why? - l've got some up mine.
Maybe we could knit them together.
''2nd November, 1941. Dear Francoise ...''
''20th day at sea.''
- Alarm! - Alarm!
- Hatch secured! - All main vents open!
- Shadow off the starboard beam. - Take her down 30 metres.
Bring her up easy. Planes on zero.
- Anything on the starboard beam? - Propeller sounds.
1 10 degrees.
Way aft of us.
Contact growing fainter.
Fading fast, sir.
Right ... we'd better stay down now. Steer 120.
A lone ship traveling fast. We have no chance in this light.
''lt's more than superficial to take care in personal appearance.''
''lt denotes that the inner man is wholesome and upstanding.''
''An officer should be unpretentious in his dress and deportment.''
''ln the old days young officers were treated indulgently in this.''
''Knowing they risked their lives, their superiors ...''
lt's comfortable here.
No mail. No telephone.
A well-ventilated boat. Solid wood panelling.
Free food, too. We're in clover here.
Like fresh horse droppings.
They're rolling in clover, too. No need to work.
They're even allowed to smoke.
U-boat special cocktail. Want some?
Stop that!
Our recent triumphs.
''Dived to evade enemy aircraft.''
''Dived to avoid destroyer. Depth charged.''
The British have stopped making mistakes.
Cut off extra supply of fuel to the engines!
Torpedo rooms ... check the gyro-angles.
- Watch out! - Check periscope alignment.
- What's going on? - Here we go, girls.
U-32 has spotted a British convoy. We should be there in 10 hours.
U - 32 is operating againsta convoy. We arejoining in the hunt.
Contact expected any time after 18:00 hours.
These beauties are ready for blast off.
Over 30 freighters.
Berthold is waiting for us to arrive. He's following the convoy.
For me it's the best thrill with U-boats and sailing ships.
Skimming across the sea.
l've sailed on a schooner. Roomy. Holds as big as churches.
- That's a fine way to waste fuel. - Lunatic!
Damn this weather!
We could pass the British completely without seeing them.
We should be within range. Why doesn't Berthold signal us?
Why haven't we heard from H.Q.?
Visibility is nil, sir. lt's useless!
Prepare to dive!
Clear the bridge now!
Diving positions. Stand by main vents.
- Take her down 30 metres. - Bow planes up 10. Stern down 5.
Bow planes zero. Stern zero.
What's up? Why are we diving?
A hydrophone check.
ln bad weather you can hear more than you can see on the surface.
Stern planes up 5. Easy. Both planes zero.
Can't you make a contact?
Nothing?
Captain, come here.
Contact bearing 060. Quite faint.
Depth charges.
They are blasting someone.
What's the bearing from us now.
Moving right. 045 degrees.
Moving away from us.
- Surface. Steer 330. - All ahead two-thirds.
Note this in our log book. Despite bad weather, commencing operation.
Damn this stinking weather! How does it look?
- The enemy should be here. - Freighter on the starboard bow.
- Over there! 040 and closing. - Damn it!
That's no freighter. Oh no! A destroyer!
lt's coming straight at us. Clear the bridge.
Take her down!
Diving stations.
- Come to periscope depth. - All planes up 10.
Steady at 2 metres.
Both planes zero.
Stern down 5.
Come up.
- Stand by battle stations. - Stand by battle stations.
- Out of the way, damn it!
Gangway!
Faster! Faster!
Keep her level, Chief.
- Flood tubes one to four. - Flood tubes one to four.
He wants to attack the destroyer. Crazy in this weather.
- Watch your depth, Chief. - Bow planes up 2. Stern down 2.
Come on.
Both planes come to zero. 13.5 metres.
Open bow caps now.
Enemy's speed: 10. Range: 6,000.
Depth: 2 metres.
Torpedo speed: 40. Spread torpedoes one and three.
Spread shots one and three.
Tubes one through four are ready.
Damn it! What happened to them?
Close bow caps! Dive!
Depth charges dropped.
- Get some fuses, quick! - Check all valves and closures.
No serious damage.
They must've spotted our periscope.
- Control room all secure. - lncredible in this sea.
- ls it getting louder? - lt seems constant. Ahead of us.
280.
280 minus 35 ...
- lt's pulling further ahead. 295. - Left full rudder.
- Rudder is left full. - Steer due north.
- Deeper, Chief. - Bow planes down 15. Stern up 10.
- Pump 200 litres forward. - Steering due north, sir.
- 200 litres forward. - Main motors ahead one-third.
Now it gets psychological, friends.
Easy, men. There's more to come yet.
Kill unnecessary lights.
- Silent speed. - Both main engines at 50 rpm.
Both engines indicate 50 rpm.
Contact coming closer. Starboard bow. Closing fast.
Main engines full ahead. Right full rudder.
Both main engines ahead full.
They're coming straight for us.
- He knows what he's doing. Deeper. - Bow down 20. Stern up 5.
- Destroyer almost above us. - Deeper, Chief. Quick.
DEPTH GAUGE
Don't be afraid. lt's only the pressure.
- Deeper. - Stern up 15.
150 metres.
Hurry!
- Tighten that flange. - Bring her up to 150 metres.
Forward up 20. Stern down.10.
Come on, Frenssen, quickly! Get the damn thing tightened!
Hull valves secured. Both planes read zero.
Level at 150 metres.
Becoming louder. She's turned around. 055.
Go on, get it over.
Contact closing fast.
They are above us ... just above us.
Contact fading to starboard.
22.
- 23. - They are far away.
Contact receding aft.
l can barely hear it.
- Now? - lt has passed us by.
l think that will be all, this time.
- Silent speed. - Both main engines 50 rpm.
- All compartments report damage.
From my private collection.
- How is the engine room? - Smashed up badly.
- Will you be able to patch her up? - l've already started.
Make it good. l've got a feeling we're going to see some action.
Nothing?
- We've waited over an hour now. - l guess we have shaken them off.
Don't be too sure. He could have stopped and be waiting -
- to surprise us when we surface. Not dumb, the British.
Stay on silent speed. When it's dark, we'll surface.
l see better in the dark.
Captain.
Thanks.
- What's it like up top? - lt's dark.
- Go up to 30 metres. - Bow planes up 15. Stern up 5.
90, 80 ...
70, 60 metres.
50. Coming up fast.
- Sound check at 30. - She's level at 30 metres.
Well?
Periscope depth.
Bow up 3. Stern down five.
Zero.
- Surface. - All set to blow.
Cut it out! All this damn noise!
- l've got bad news, men. - What's up now?
Our team is losing.
5-0.
Not a chance of making the finals now.
lt can't be! l don't believe it!
Drop 'em!
You dirty little boy. Crabs!
A whole army of them. They'll eat your winkie down to the bone.
Give him a go with gun powder!
Excuse me, Lieutenant.
This meat needs a shave.
What are those things crawling about on your eyebrows?
- Pardon? - You'd better see the medic.
Crabs by the look of them.
When the creatures begin to surface, it's the fifth stage.
- Get it all in the torpedo room. - You two, give me a hand.
Bosun, do you know where the medic is?
Yeah, in the bow compartment.
- The more the merrier. - Have the crabs got you, too?
- Lieutenant! - What?
Take it easy! Calm down! Have you gone crazy?
Have you heard the latest? Our Dufte is tying the knot.
- The stupid pig. - Half the fleet have tried her.
They should stick you in a zoo with a chimpanzee.
- Here's the pictures of her! - You dirty, rotten swine!
Don't tell me this hag lets you sleep with her.
These boats are built to take it. You should try a sailing ship.
You hardly feel a thing down here.
- Captain. - Compass.
She's heaving to starboard. l can't keep on course.
No cause for concern.
lt's pointless, sir. We're burning up fuel for nothing.
Prepare to dive.
Diving stations. Stand by all main vents.
Nothing exciting out there?
Position reports and very faint SOS calls from enemy freighters.
When the rudder breaks on one of those old tenders ...
... there's nothing to do but pray.
The sea can't sink us, Hinrich. No ships are as safe as our U-boats.
Hinrich.
Put the record on again. You know the one.
Watch out!
Look out!
Man overboard!
Pilgrim!
Hold on!
- Get his legs. - l've got him. Make way!
- His legs! - Hurry, will you? Move!
- Lay him out flat. - Get his hood off quickly.
Pilgrim.
Bring the first-aid kit, damn it!
Prepare to dive.
''Self-discipline is the only road to military leadership ...''
Three ribs cracked and a gash on the head.
He was lucky.
What a rotten month. Absolutely rotten.
Mildew is good for you.
lt's the next best thing to ... fresh-grown lettuce.
Anything that grows on this boat we've got to be grateful for.
lt must be snowing already back home.
Very funny.
lt's been years since l saw snow.
- Can l look? - Sure.
Your wife?
Look! There, in front!
Captain, U-boat on port bow.
lt's one of ours.
A German U-boat! Over there!
You're right.
- Both engines stop. - Bring up the lights.
Look, it's Thomsen!
- All back. - lt's Thomsen!
Good hunting, you old rascal!
My God, Phillip! So they pushed you out to sea again.
Damn it! How can this happen?
12 boats we've got on the Atlantic, from Greenland to the Azores.
But still we almost collide with one of our own.
60 metres. Boat is trimmed, sir.
Something is wrong here.
- Have you checked on our position? - More or less.
More or less is not good enough!
We've not had a sun shot in 14 days. We've been drifting in this storm.
lt's hard to compute.
lf we make an error in our position, and the others do the same, -
- we end up playing collision games. The route is wide open.
The British could shove the whole armada through.
Yeah, yeah ...
Another story in the middle of the ocean, Lieutenant.
l hope you're making notes. Maybe headquarters will listen to you.
- You've more influence than l have. - So ... you believe that?
Have you got your flashlight ready? lt's bound to be a false alarm.
- What's up? - A convoy.
- Permission to come up? - Permitted.
Outward bound convoy. Five columns. Very juicy.
Any escorts in sight? Destroyers?
No, no screen. They have no protection. Nothing.
That's funny.
They could be off chasing one of ours.
That damn moon!
- How many of our boats are here? - Five.
Do we risk it?
lt's worth a try, Captain.
Come left to 180.
Left 5 degrees rudder. New course: 180.
Steady on course 180.
Kriechbaum, what's your feeling?
lt'll work. We've got them.
Prepare tubes one to four for surface firing.
- l'm going in. - Master-sight to bridge.
Tubes one to four flooded.
All ahead full. Left full rudder. Stand by to attack!
Watch the pressure of the lubricating oil.