The
U-1206 was commissioned on March 16, 1944 and a type 7C U-boat. This
type U-Boat was equipped with a new type of toilet designed to allow the
submarine to dive deeper and avoid Allied attack. It was a very
complicated high pressure valve system which required special training
to use them.
After being commissioned, under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Günther Fritze, the submarine took part in training exercises with the 8th U-boat Flotilla until July 1944 when it was assigned to the 11th U-boat Flotilla. Command was handed over to Kapitänleutnant Karl-Adolf Schlitt. The boat was then fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus before being released for patrol duties.
For the U-Boat Crews that served on submarines life was not only very dangerous, the life expentency wasn’t good at all, it was also unpleasant. A Submarine isn’t large and the space is mostly filled up with machinery leaving little space for the crew. Typically there were only two toilets (heads) on board and one of them was often used to store food for the (hopefully) long journeys, leaving only one toilet for the entire crew to share.
After being commissioned, under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Günther Fritze, the submarine took part in training exercises with the 8th U-boat Flotilla until July 1944 when it was assigned to the 11th U-boat Flotilla. Command was handed over to Kapitänleutnant Karl-Adolf Schlitt. The boat was then fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus before being released for patrol duties.
For the U-Boat Crews that served on submarines life was not only very dangerous, the life expentency wasn’t good at all, it was also unpleasant. A Submarine isn’t large and the space is mostly filled up with machinery leaving little space for the crew. Typically there were only two toilets (heads) on board and one of them was often used to store food for the (hopefully) long journeys, leaving only one toilet for the entire crew to share.
