My Collection of Kriegsmarine Antiques

[Kenny Andrew]

Over 4000 views in such a short time, I think this post deserves to be pinned  

[John R.]

Kenny:

4,000 plus views, I am at a loss for the  words to express my gratitude. Many thanks to everyone. I look forward sharing other pieces from my Kriegsmarine collection with the Forum.

Best regards John R.

                                                                                                                                          

[John R.]

Pictured from my collection of Kriegsmarine antiques is a 7x50 power binoculars manufactured by Ernest Leitz (beh). Binoculars have original protective lens cover, as well as a ranging reticle in right ocular. Binoculars like these are pictured on page 232 in Volume 3 of Die Kriegsmarine Uniforms & Traditions by John R. Angolia and Adolf Schlicht.

 

[John R.]

Pictured from my collection is another set of 7x50 power binoculars, but manufactured by Cark Zeis Jena. The Binoculars have original leather neck strap, as well as a ranging reticle in right ocular. Binoculars like this one is pictured on page 233 in in Volume 3 of Die Kriegsmarine Uniforms & Traditions by John R. Angolia and Adolf Schlicht.

 

 

 

 

 

[John R.]

Pictured from my collection is on more 7x50 power binoculars, but manufactured by  Ernest Leitz (beh). The Binoculars have original leather neck strap, as well as rubber armor. Binoculars like this one is pictured on page 423 and 424 in Deutsche Kriegsmarine Uniforms, Insignias and Equipment of thw German Navy 1933-1945 by Eduardo Delgado.

[John R.]

Pictured from my collection is a masterfully painted oil on board portrait of a Kriegsmarine officer, Leutnant zur See with career designation being Coastal Artillery. Without frame, the art measure 29 inches  (73.66 cm) wide x 39 inches (99.06 cm) tall.  The art is signed  R.G. and dated 1941. 

 

 

 

[John R.]

Picture is a two-piece officer''s visor cover for junior grade from my collection of Kriegsmarine antiques.  The cap has a hand-embroidered gilt wire national emblem and, cockade, as well as gold wire piping. This cap belonged to Werner Wendt (1916-1988), Captain of U-765. The U-765 was sunk in the North Atlantic on 6 May 1944 by depth charges on its first war parol. Werner and 10 crewmen survived, 37 dead.

 

Pictured below is the underside view of the visor cap.

 

Pictured below is the two-piece visor cover disassembled. In this configuration, a white or blue cap-covers could be worn. Because I do not like to take this cover apart, I used a photo taken years ago. 

[John R.]

Pictured from my kriegsmarine collection is an emblem and a badge used by the Ubootwaffe as tradition cap insignia. The emblem for  the National Socialist League of the Reich foe Physical Fitness( left) was worn as an U-Boat cap  insignia by the crew of U-274, as was the Edelweiss gap device of the German Army Mountain Troops (right) by the crew of U-124. Examples of the these tradition badges are on page 77, page 81, and page 83 of 'Torpedo Los! THE FASCINATING WORLD OF U-BOAT COLLECTIBLES' by Gordon Williamson.

 

Pictured from my collection is a U-Boat tradition cap insignia 'Swordfish spearing an enemy sip' for the U-441 being worn by its Commander, Klaus Hartmann (white cap). All 51 hands, including Hartmann, died when U-441 was sunk by Allied depth-charges on 30 June 1944. 

 

[John R.]

Pictured from my kriegsmarine collection is the emblem of the 1936 Olympics rings (top left) that was worn as an U-Boat tradition cap insignia by several crews,  including U-165 and U-995. Also pictured is the insignia for the 9th U-Boat Flotilla 'Laughing Sawfish' (bottom right). Examples of the  these tradition badges are on page 64, page 77, and page 83 of 'Torpedo Los! THE FASCINATING WORLD OF U-BOAT COLLECTIBLES' by Gordon Williamson.

[John R.]

Pictured from my collection is a Kriegsmarine sea mine timer marked dnt M 4598.

 

[John R.]

Pictured from my collection is a stereoscopic range finder manufactured for the Kriegsmarine by Carl Zeiss Jena (blc). This instrument was used to accurately estimate  distance to a target calculated through triangulation, based on the length of the range finder. It can be operated with or without battery. The range finder and all its accessories are kept in a grey painted wood storage box, not shown from collection. A range finder like mine is pictured on page 424 and page 425 of 'Deutsche Kriegsmarine Uniforms, Insignias and Equipment of the German Navy 1933-1945' by Eduardo Delgado.

 

 

 

[John R.]

Pictured from my collection is dome compass (top) with lower binnacle case, type used aboard a Schnellboot. The Eagle, left of the gothic letter M on the bezel, was denazified with black paint, but not damaged. It is visible, just not in this photograph. The compass and sunshade (bottom) are marked C. PLATH of HAMBURG by the maker.

[John R.]

Pictured from my collection is an optical gunsight for a 3.7 cm anti-aircraft gun (Flak M42) manufactured for the Kriegsmarine. The code for this manufacture is 'dow' (Waffenwerke Brunn A.G. (1943 - Opticotechna Gmbh, Prerau Czech.)). The optic has a wide field of view with a ranging reticle. Even though designed to withstand harsh environments, this optic was made to be removed from the weapon system mounted on an U-boat . 

 

 

 

[John R.]

Pictured from my collection of Kriegsmarine antiques is bunker light from the Channel Islands. This light was manufactured by 'dzw' Metalwerke v. Galkowsky u. Kielblock, Finow.  The fixture is original to the period with only wiring and socket mount being replaced by the prior owner years ago.

 

 

 

[phantom]

awesome collection thankyou for sharing 

[John R.]

phantom:

Hello. Thank you very much for the compliment. It is a pleasure to share my collection of Kriegsmarine antiques with the Forum. 

Kindest regards, John R.

[John R.]

Pictured from my collection is a Kriegsmarine short-case 8.8 cm (88 mm) round. This type of round was made for and fired from an 8.8 cm SK C/34 naval gun, which were installed on the deck of Type VII U-boats. This gun fired Armor Piercing (AP), High Explosive (HE), and Illumination (ILLUM) rounds. The 8.8 cm naval gun is not the same as the Heer (Army) Flack 88 mm  gun. The ammo for both are different, the short-case 8.8 cm round was fired from a 8.8 cm SK C/34 naval gun.

 

 

In addition to pictures of my Kriegsmarine short-case 8.8 cm round, the are two other rare examples shown in the below link.

• https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/world-firearms/u-boat-short-8-8cm-round-4275/
• https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/ordnance-ammo/german-88mm-naval-u-boat-round-145076/

 

 

 

 

[John R.]

Pictured below from my collection is a Kriegsmarine 2 cm round fire from a Flak 30 gun. Along with use aboard other vessel types, this gun was mounted on U-boats to primarily combat attacks from aircraft. 

 

Also pictured from my collection is a photo of a Flak 30 mounted on the U-30.

 

[John R.]

Pictured from my collection is a publication from the Kriegsmarine that contains many foldouts, which show technical drawings of their munitions (i.e., 2 cm, 5 cm, 7.5 cm, 8.8 cm, and 10.5 cm ). In this booklet is a foldout of the short-case 8.8 cm round, not shown.

[Gildwiller1918]

Amazing items! 

[John R.]

Gildwiller1918:

Thank you for the post regarding my collection of Kreigsmarine antiques.  It is a pleasure to share my collection with the Forum and you.

Best regards, John R.

[John R.]

Picture from my collection of Kriegsmarine antiques is Heinz Knauer's Wehrpass. He was a crewman onboard the U-718. Heinz and 42 of his fellow crewman died  at sea, 7 surveyed. The U-718 collied with the U-479 in the Baltic Sea  on 18 November 1943. The U-718 was still in training at the time of the collision. According to a entry in his booklet, he was awarded the EKII. Heinz's booklet came with two photographs of himself (not shown), one as a child and the other as a teenager, as well as a newspaper obituary.

[John R.]

Picture from my collection of Kriegsmarine antiques is  Ernst Erchinger's Wehrpass. He served aboard the U-559 for six war patrols and one war patrol with the U-418. It was on the U-418's 25 day at sea that the crew, including Ernst, lost their lives when attacked by a British Catalina aircraft in the Sea of Biscay on 30 May 1943. According to entries in Ernst's booklet, he was awarded the EKII and U-Boat badge. His booklet came with a postcard from his family (not shown).

[John R.]

Pictured from my collection of Kriegsmarine antiques is Willi Hahner's Soldbuch (pay book). He served as a machinist aboard the U-66. Willi was one of the 36 survivors after their U-boat was depth charged, fired upon, and rammed on 6 May 1944 west of ape Verde Islands. 24 of U-66's crewmen lost thier lives at sea as a result of the allied action by  the destroyer escort USS Buckley and two aircraft from the escort carrier USS Block Island . Willi was interned as a prisoner of war (POW) in the United States until the end of WWII. According to entries in Willi's booklet, he was awarded the EKII and U-Boat badge in 1943.

 

See link to view archived photographs  of U-66 POWs aboard the USS Block Island. Willi Hahner is in the bottom photo, first on the left in back row standing: https://www.uboatarchive.net/U-66A/U-66POWs.htm

Link that describes each war patrol conducted by U-66  during WWII: https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/German_submarine_U-66_(1940)

The report regarding U-66 POW: https://www.uboatarchive.net/U-66A/U-66BlockIslandReport.htm

Video of the USS Buckley's fight with U-66: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John R.]

Pictured from my collection of Kriegsmarine antiques is Günther Hilbig's Soldbuch. He served with 1. Schnellboot Flotilla, then 4. Schnellboot Flotilla and was highly regarded as a capable Chief Engineer by his superiors, as documented in  Chapter 9 "The Channel, May 41 - Dec 41" in the book titled "Schnellboote, A Complete Operational History" by Lawrence Paterson. While in the Kriegsmarine, Günther was awarded the EKII, EKI, S-boat badge, War Merit Cross (KVK) II w/Swords,  and KVK I w/Swords.

 

Also pictured from my collection is the ID Card (top) issued to Günther Hilbig. This document is held in a brown leatherette case  (bottom).  Pass provided Günther access to Schnellboot Flotilla Base.