Address: Van-Ronzelen-Strasse, Bremerhaven (See map)
Telephone: +49 (0)471-482070
Website: not available

Shop: shop present
Restaurant/refreshments: not available
Size of the museum/site: small
Year of visit: 2002

Overall rating:

Description: In the harbour of the German Maritime Museum we bumped into a German Submarine. The U-boat Type XXI, of which the Wilhelm Bauer is an example, was built in 1943. It is the last remaining vessel of its kind. The U-boats of this type were ready just before the end of the war but haven't seen any action though.

In 1945 the commander of the submarine ordered the sinking of the U-boat to keep it out of Allied hands. In 1957 the submarine was salvaged and put back into service as a testboat. The boat finally got its retirement in 1982 and in 1984 the museum opened its doors.

When you're walking around inside the submarine (watching your head in the narrow corridors filled with pipes and cranes), it is hard to imagine that during battle 6 officers and 52 of their men lived and worked here. We were starting to get claustrophobic already! Take your time and you'll see a lot of interesting details.

You can buy a ticket at the entrance of the U-boat, so there's no need to visit the German Maritime Museum if you don't want to.

Entrance to the museum at the back of the "Wilhelm Bauer".	The U 2540 seen from behind.
Sideview of the "U-boot" and its conning tower.	The bow torpedo tubes revealing themselves.
The U 2540's periscope.	Bow torpedo tubes seen from the inside of the submarine.
Tubes and wheels...for more information have a look in the manual!	Speed indicator of the ship.
More tubes and (on the right) a glimpse of one of the engines of the Wilhelm Bauer.