U -Deutschland Postcard

[Gildwiller1918]

Here is an unused period postcard for the U -Deutschland arriving in New London, Connecticut in November of 1916. This was the second and last voyage before war with the US started. During this trip, she carried gemstones, pharmaceuticals and other valuables which was traded for raw materials and over 6 tons of silver. The idea was that Germany would have a fleet of these blockade runner style U-Boats to help alleviate the British blockade, however only 2 of the 7 were finished and used for this purpose. In January of 1917, relations with the US got worse, mainly in part to the resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare, the U -Deutschland was converted by the German Navy to a wartime vessel and named the U-155.