U-Boote westwärts
Encyclopedia
U-Boat Westwards was a 1941
German war film promoting the Kriegsmarine
. It concerns a U-boat
mission in the Second Battle of the Atlantic.
ship spots them and tries to torpedo them, but the U-boat ends up sinking it.
It also glamorizes death in battle: the British ship was torpedoed even though it had German POWs, and one dies, speaking of the honor of dying for the fatherland.
1941 in film
The year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...
German war film promoting the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
. It concerns a U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
mission in the Second Battle of the Atlantic.
Plot
The film follows the crew of a U-Boat, from their life the day before they ship off - meeting their family and sweethearts, spending a last night at a club, etc. Then they ship, soon boarding a Dutch merchant ship, which they inspect for contraband. The boarding of the ship is shown being done professionally and non-confrontationally. While they are boarding the ship, a Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
ship spots them and tries to torpedo them, but the U-boat ends up sinking it.
Cast
- Herbert Wilk: Kapitänleutnant Hoffmeister
- Heinz Engelmann: Olt. zur See Wiegand
- Joachim Brennecke: Lt. zur See v. Benedict
- Ernst Wilhelm Borchert: Olt. Griesbach
- Karl JohnKarl John (actor)Karl John was a German film actor. He appeared in 50 films between 1933 and 1977.He was born in Cologne, Germany and died in Gütersloh, Germany.-Selected filmography:* Neues vom Hexer...
: Matr. Ob. Gefr. Drewitz - Clemens HasseClemens HasseClemens Hasse was a German actor and synchroniser.-Biography:Hasse was born in Königsberg, East Prussia to a public official and attended his stage education at the Preussisches Staatstheater in Berlin...
: Masch.-Maat Sonntag - Ilse WernerIlse WernerIlse Werner was an actress and singer. She was born to a Dutch father and a German mother and was a Dutch citizen by birth...
: Irene Winterfeld - Karl DönitzKarl DönitzKarl Dönitz was a German naval commander during World War II. He started his career in the German Navy during World War I. In 1918, while he was in command of , the submarine was sunk by British forces and Dönitz was taken prisoner...
: Karl Dönitz
Motifs
The British are shown as cowardly and duplictious, with only decent act performed by a British sailor in the entire film.It also glamorizes death in battle: the British ship was torpedoed even though it had German POWs, and one dies, speaking of the honor of dying for the fatherland.