Das Boot (The Boat) (1981)
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98% of critics liked it
(43 reviews) -
94% of users liked it
(43,403 ratings)
Das Boot is one of the most gripping and authentic war movies ever made. Based on an autobiographical novel by German World War II photographer Lothar-Guenther Buchheim, the film follows the lives of a fearless U-Boat captain (Jurgen Prochnow) and his inexperienced crew as they patrol the Atlantic… More Das Boot is one of the most gripping and authentic war movies ever made. Based on an autobiographical novel by German World War II photographer Lothar-Guenther Buchheim, the film follows the lives of a fearless U-Boat captain (Jurgen Prochnow) and his inexperienced crew as they patrol the Atlantic and Mediterranean in search of Allied vessels, taking turns as hunter and prey. There's very little plot, so the movie's power comes from both its riveting, epic battle scenes and its details of the boring hours spent waiting for orders or signs of the enemy. With the exception of one staunch Hitler Youth lieutenant, none of the crew is particularly loyal to the Nazis, and some are openly hostile toward their Fuhrer; this allows viewer sympathy with the men as they perform their laborious, monotonous duties in cramped, filthy quarters, or await death as depth charges explode all around the sub. Prochnow is excellent as the nerves-of-steel commander, and many of the supporting actors -- all German -- are solid as well, although the characterizations border on war movie clichés (the young crewman who has left behind his pregnant girlfriend, the Chief Engineer whose wife is seriously ill). The real star, however, is cinematographer Jost Vacano, who makes the sub's grimy, claustrophobic interior come to vivid life, as his camera follows the crew through hatches, up ladders, into bunks, and under pipes, creating a palpable sense of claustrophobia while injecting it with movement. Originally edited by writer/director Wolfgang Petersen as both a two-and-a-half hour theatrical release and a six-hour German miniseries, Das Boot was re-released in a restored version in 1997 with nearly one hour of added footage which made it even more suspenseful than before. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi
- Rating, Runtime
- R, 2 hr. 25 min.
- Directed By
- Wolfgang Petersen
- Genres
- Drama
- In Theaters
- Sep 17, 1981 Wide
- On DVD
- Dec 10, 1997
- Studio
- Columbia Pictures
Critic Reviews
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Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
The film has no qualities beyond its formal polish.
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Todd McCarthy, Variety
Agripping, impressively detailed account of one harrowing voyage by a German U-boat during World War II.
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Janet Maslin, New York Times
Das Boot is yet another moving testament to the wastefulness of battle.
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Jeff Millar, Houston Chronicle
The film reaches right out to grab us by the neck and squeeze hard.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Wolfgang Petersen's direction is an exercise in pure craftsmanship.
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James Berardinelli, ReelViews
This film takes all of the drama and suspense inherent in a submarine-based story and delivers it in a near- perfect package, establishing Das Boot as not just a terrific adrenaline rush, but one of the best movies ever made.
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, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Gripping and authentic.
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Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews
Few war films are more potent than Das Boot...the ultimate submarine movie. [Blu-ray]
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Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
It is unlike any other war film in that it confines the audience in a confined submarine where we digest the fear and panic of the human beings on screen. In short, "Das Boot" is a religious experience.
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Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Just as good, some say better, than the original classic.
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Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Petersen's shooting style displays a breathtaking, if impersonal and faintly academic, virtuosity comparable to that of Lean or Coppola.
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Scott Weinberg, DVDTalk.com
THE submarine movie. No other sub-flick even comes close.
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Consistently riveting and intensely claustrophobic, the Oscar-nominated Das Boot is one of the most thrilling submarine pictures ever made in any language, and still is Wolfgang Petersen's best film by far.
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Michael A. Smith, Nolan's Pop Culture Review
One of the best war films ever.
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Jurgen Fauth, About.com
The greatest submarine movie ever made.
Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Featured Audience Ratings
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Randy T
Speaking as a U.S. submarine veteran of both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets, this is by far the grittiest, most realistic sub movie I've ever seen. Cinematically speaking, it's about as close as you'll ever get to knowing what the silent service is really like.… More
Speaking as a U.S. submarine veteran of both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets, this is by far the grittiest, most realistic sub movie I've ever seen. Cinematically speaking, it's about as close as you'll ever get to knowing what the silent service is really like. *<i>Note</i>: Skip this one if you're claustrophobic. -
Dan S
An extraordinary well-made, politically savvy submarine movie concerning a group of German soldiers during WW2 who have doubts concerning the direction of the Nazi regime, but have no say in the matter when they are ordered to go out sea and search for enemy vessels. One has to give… More
An extraordinary well-made, politically savvy submarine movie concerning a group of German soldiers during WW2 who have doubts concerning the direction of the Nazi regime, but have no say in the matter when they are ordered to go out sea and search for enemy vessels. One has to give director Wolfgang Peterson a ton of credit for being so bold in attempting to get the audience on the side of a group of Nazis, a task which he does successfully through the use of subtly showing their doubts and uncertainty that they are fighting for the right cause. The twists and plotting that are on display here are something you could not script any better, as Peterson's shrewd camera work coupled with his ability to gauge when to hold his audience in suspense or deliver the excitement in bundles proves to be captivating. The final, devastating twist single-handedly pushes this movie into "elite" status, as it is one that is so emotionally ravaging and unexpected that it will leave you stunned upon conclusion. Without question one of the best foreign films constructed, and one that demands repeat viewings over one's lifespan. -
Thomas J
Wolfgang Petersen did something I felt was impossible... I actually found myself kind of rooting for the Germans in this WWII set film. Great performances from all of the cast and it is good to see that even the enemy is just doing what they also think is right. -
Kevin k
Grade A (95%) This is a great submarine movie I have seen since "The Hunt for Red October". Das Boot (also known as The Boat) is a thrilling experience. Directed by Wolfgang Petersen (who was nominated for Best Director in 1981), Das Boot takes us into a World War II… More
Grade A (95%) This is a great submarine movie I have seen since "The Hunt for Red October". Das Boot (also known as The Boat) is a thrilling experience. Directed by Wolfgang Petersen (who was nominated for Best Director in 1981), Das Boot takes us into a World War II German U-Boat where its mission is to sail the ocean and basically sink as many enemy ships as they can. Unfortunately, it's not that easy. The one thing that I never learned from the film "The Hunt for Red October" was how hard it is to maneuver in a submarine. In many moments of the film, the submarine with have to descend deeper into the ocean to take the least damage possible from over head Destroyers who are dropping bombs from the sides of the ship. While most of these hits occur on the sides of the U-boat, the damage can still be critical. What Das Boot does best is the suspense. Most of the movie is filmed inside the U-boat where the story is the same throughout: find enemy ships, sink them, dodge attacks, repeat. Sometimes the action is unexpected and sometimes the beeps sounding faster and faster to represent a Destroyer's range of the U-Boat is suspenseful. The movie works in every way. The film has violence that comes with some disturbing images for younger audiences but nothing to be worried about (i.e. - a bolt from a pipe bursts and strikes a man in the arm but no close us detail of the wound). The acting performances are good enough to keep you well into the film and actually like the characters. For a foreign film, Das Boot succeeds. It does everything an American film does that makes it terrific. The violence is fantastic, the direction from Mr. Petersen is amazing, and the suspense is present throughout the film. NOTE: I watched the Director's Cut which was 3 hours and 30 minutes long. Das Boot is a thrill ride, I would watch it again. -
Jeff "
If there's a war film that truly represents the realistic submarine warfare of World War II, Das Boot would be it. Wolfgang Peterson has crafted his masterpiece with this film. A film so realistic that when you watch it, you feel like you're part of the war itself. Some… More
If there's a war film that truly represents the realistic submarine warfare of World War II, Das Boot would be it. Wolfgang Peterson has crafted his masterpiece with this film. A film so realistic that when you watch it, you feel like you're part of the war itself. Some people have considered U-571 the best World War II submarine film, an entertaining film, but very flawed and about 15% Accurate. While this film is superb and it blows every Submarine film out of the water, this film is a definite must watch if you love war films. The cast is great as well. You feel claustrophobia as most of the action happens under water in a German U boat. Das Boot is a one of a kind film, a unique war film that touches on the small details and it really makes all the difference in the end. This is a film for people appreciate cinema and if you're claustrophobic, you may not want to watch it as 85-90% of the film is set in the U boat. But if you're tempted into watching it, you'll witness one of the greatest war films ever put to film. Das Boot is a masterpiece. -
Jens S
The blueprint of a submarine film, pretty much quoted and copied ever since, still remains the masterpiece of the genre. It also takes the WW2 issue on a whole new level by showing the little men, the young ones, who didn't give a damn about political ideologies and were thrown… More
The blueprint of a submarine film, pretty much quoted and copied ever since, still remains the masterpiece of the genre. It also takes the WW2 issue on a whole new level by showing the little men, the young ones, who didn't give a damn about political ideologies and were thrown to waste into the battlefields below the Atlantic. The movie takes its time to introduce those round and realistic characters you're soon stuck with for the next three hours under very claustrophobic conditions. The acting is superb, maybe even the best that was ever produced in Germany. The atmosphere of constant threat from above and around you is almost physically tangible. Especially the final hour is outstanding and will leave you moved, thrilled and breathless. A masterpiece among the war epics. -
Jani H
"Das Boot" is a truly amazing, outstanding and perfect. Ok, all of those words pretty much mean the same but the film is the best navy themed film ever made. It's long as hell but never dull. The cast is perfect and they all do a great job putting their characters to… More
"Das Boot" is a truly amazing, outstanding and perfect. Ok, all of those words pretty much mean the same but the film is the best navy themed film ever made. It's long as hell but never dull. The cast is perfect and they all do a great job putting their characters to life. The claustrophobic atmosphere inside The "Boot" is well made and photographed to the screen. "Das Boot" features probably the best theme song ever made. The overall sound of the movie is great and highly recommended for home theater viewing. Forget about all the other lame WW2 submarine attempts. "Das Boot" is the ultimate film in its own genre. -
Pierluigi P
Harrowing epic tale of courage and despair, claustrophobic odyssey under the sea. It's pure and simple sympathy for the devil. -
danny d
one of the great war films of all time, this 4 hour epic is slow and dragging and the film is stronger for it. the slowness of the story is to illustrate the reality of life at sea in a u-boat. purposeful and brilliant in its delivery it was interesting to see a film from the german… More
one of the great war films of all time, this 4 hour epic is slow and dragging and the film is stronger for it. the slowness of the story is to illustrate the reality of life at sea in a u-boat. purposeful and brilliant in its delivery it was interesting to see a film from the german perspective of the war. i never caught myself symathising with nazi's, but i did sympathise with the individuals because this film does a great job of showing the plight of a soldier while never making the mistake of discussing the politics of war. everytime they looked doomed i hoped they werent, and then when they finally were doomed i was ok with it. this is an example of a director doing everything right. -
xGary X
Intelligent and extremely claustrophic WWII drama set aboard a german submarine. The characters and performances are extremely believable which makes for an extremely harrowing three hours! -
Mike S
Best submarine movie to date. Also a plus that the movie shows the german perspective, which makes it more interesting and unique. -
Christopher M
Part of my post-war German film course. This is an interesting film to watch when you think about how it shows the emergence of some American ideas of filmmaking within German cinema. Its an entertaining thrill ride and has its low points and high points. High points: unsurmountable… More
Part of my post-war German film course. This is an interesting film to watch when you think about how it shows the emergence of some American ideas of filmmaking within German cinema. Its an entertaining thrill ride and has its low points and high points. High points: unsurmountable tension, some striking images, very successful at recreating the type of claustrophobic conditions German submarine operators would be in. Low points: Few standout actors, almost too linear plot, no clearly definable style. An early, entertaining war thriller that despite its flaws, definitely has its place in film history. -
Tom E
To get the view of the war from the OTHER side! -
Steve K
One of my absolute favorite war movies. The use of models makes it even better to me. -
Sarah G
Brilliant. The ending is totally unexpected. Plus a incredibly realistic submarine drama! -
Chris W
One of the best anti-war films I know of. I have a great amount of respect for this because it shows World War II from the German point of view, and paints a very gripping and sympathetic portrait, instead of showcasing the Germans as being psychotic, ruthless monsters like their… More
One of the best anti-war films I know of. I have a great amount of respect for this because it shows World War II from the German point of view, and paints a very gripping and sympathetic portrait, instead of showcasing the Germans as being psychotic, ruthless monsters like their precious Fuehrer. -
Mike N
'Das Boot' - Probably the greatest war movie I've ever seen. Simply incredible. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who likes movies at all. So good... Earthworm Jim 2 was an absolutely hilarious game! I even bought Earthworm Jim 3D for the Nintendo 64, and that… More
'Das Boot' - Probably the greatest war movie I've ever seen. Simply incredible. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who likes movies at all. So good... Earthworm Jim 2 was an absolutely hilarious game! I even bought Earthworm Jim 3D for the Nintendo 64, and that was a winner as well. Haven't played a more humorous game in my life. That, and it's fun. Such immense creativity! I have a deep appreciation for games like this. :fresh: Mr. T. He gets a 6/10 if only for his cereal back in the late 80's/early 90's. But, his B.A. Brackas character in "A-Team" was pretty cool too. -
Cameron J
"- Rock das boot! - don't rock das boot, baby - Rock das boot! -, don't tip das boot over - Rock das boot! -, don't rock das boot, fräulein!" ...Hey, it's either that or, "We all live in a German submarine, German submarine, German submarine!"… More
"- Rock das boot! - don't rock das boot, baby - Rock das boot! -, don't tip das boot over - Rock das boot! -, don't rock das boot, fräulein!" ...Hey, it's either that or, "We all live in a German submarine, German submarine, German submarine!" Man, I feel like I actually do live in a German submarine... or U-boat, or whatever they're called, because of all the versions of this film that I could have watched, I didn't watch the theatrical cut that runs two-and-a-half hours or the director's cut that runs "three"-and-a-half hours. No, I watched the "uncut" version that runs just under [b]"five"[/b] hours! Well, all I have say is this: Seriously, how many "running-through-the-inside-of-the-boat" shots can you have? Well, aside from that, all I have to say is das ist mehr als genug Deutsch für eine Weile. Seriously though, this film is a pretty darn good, but one of the greatest war films ever it is most certainly not, because no matter how much Wolfgang Petersen keeps this ship afloat, it can never drift away from its undeniable flaws. I don't know if its the fault of the editor - such as you can be when you're working with an "uncut" version - and his trying figure out some way to tack on almost two-and-a-half hours to the theatrical cut, or if they were there to begin with, but eitherway expect a couple of cuttable scenes, as well as as some repetition here and there. Don't get me wrong, you'd be surprised to see how much material they can suck out of a story that's about not much more than a bunch of Germans sitting around on a U-boat and occasionally getting into an explosive battle, especially when you can drag it out to five hours and "still" have enough material to cover that, but with something that long, you're bound to get some trimmable fat around the edges. However, surprisingly, you don't get as many scenes that should be cut as you would expect, but that doesn't mean that the scenes aren't trimmable, nevertheless, especially when that's precious time that they could be using for some immediate development, because I think it's more than just language barrier that keeps me from figuring out who these people are. Come to think of it, I don't even know if the characters are so much underdeveloped, as much as they are developed in too familiar of a fashion, that it takes a little while to determine how unique they are, yet even then, we're still getting the occasional familiar spot. Yeah, yeah, I know y'all don't want to hear it, and lord knows I don't want to say it, but the occasional cliche is not terribly far from this film's reach, which is admittedly something that you can say about most every war film of this type, but that doesn't make it any less of an issue, and one exacerbated by some moments of, well, something I'm going to no doubt get heat for: some moments of cheese in the aura, whether it be during an almost overwhelming goodbye sequence between one of the characters and his wife, or even during some tension-killing comic-relief, some of which isn't even all that funny. I'm not going to sit here and lie by saying that I got what everyone promised, because I didn't; just familiarity and looseness that, if flared up a bit more by Wolfgang Petersen, could have made this film magnificent, but as it stands, it's not quite a full-on masterpiece, let alone one of the greatest war films of all time, like most everyone's been saying it is. However, as much as I'd be lying if I were to tell you that I loved the film, I'd be even less honest with myself if I didn't say that I genuinely enjoyed it, because although it's not a knockout, the film boasts much competence, which build with the film, making it darker and more meditative as it progresses, and while that slows the film way down for most the rest of its running time, what ever it may, it gives us tension and grit, but no matter how competent and effective this film becomes, it needs to build up those blocks before it tears them down, and let me tell, Petersen knows how to build his blocks. Now-a-days, when you hear Wolfgang Petersen, you think "Who?", because his mantastically phenomenal name that his parents deserve to immortalized in stone for isn't quite as big as it should be, but those that do know him, know that he knows a think or two about action, and sure enough, while this is certainly more drama-oriented than your more recent Petersen films, whenever action rolls in, it's staged sharply and explosively, complimented by sharp sound design and genuine essence, creating action that's not only entertaining, but rather emotional. However, it's the non-action-oriented tension in the film that's the most effective, as Petersen is really able to capture the claustrophobia of the environment and the steadily breaking humanity of the characters. All of that is certainly complimented by some excellent and gritty cinematography that, on top of emphasizing the tone of the film, is just plain good-looking and uniquely used, which isn't to say that you don't get tired of those same-old-same-old "running-through-the-inside-of-the-boat" shots after a while, but in spite of that, this is some top-notch shooting, and it really adds to the energy of the film, which is already paced well enough. Granted, this film isn't like a then-future project of Petersen, "Troy", which had such a silky smooth pacing that the over-two-and-a-half hour runtime - or over-three hour runtime, in the case of the director's cut - just breezes by, but the pacing on this film is still slick enough for you to be rather comfortable, no matter what grand length the version you're watching runs. Don't get me wrong, the film reallys slows down once comradery turns into fatigue, but more often than not, that slowness is with purpose and convey the sense of tedium and discomfort felt by the crew, without "actually" getting tedious. True, after this film, Wolfgang Petersen didn't make the smartest films in the world, but he's still smarter than people give him credit for, even now, when he's still getting solid performances out of people (Except maybe Eric Bana in "Troy", because he's utterly irredeemable), so one can only imagine what he did with these people back then. Well, the thing is, the performers... kind of... kill it dead, starting off as not much more than sharp charismas that do a fine job at building comradery to combat tedium, but as the months pass and danger unravels, they transform entirely, becoming anguished, tortured souls that are not only challenging tedium, but death, and watching each and every member of the cast sell that transformation to sharply and compellingly really powers this film through all of its lows, and while that's not quite enough to fully redeem the film for its moderate underwhelmingness, it certainly helps in making it as good as it is. Insgesamt, due to some familiarity in the script and some forcing of length - especially when darkness first comes in and leaves the film to drift along in a meditative and quite slow fashion -, the film stands as far from as wunderbar as the majority say it is, but Wolfgang Peteresen still keeps the film compelling, all while being supported by handsome cinematography, often boomingly intense action sequences and a wide cast of excellent performers that's chemistry, individual charisma and steady, heartbreaking transformations into the "true" victims of war throw in an extra kick of life to this story, leaving "Das Boot" to stand as a generally enjoyable and compelling epic that's well worth seeing, whether you see greatness or just the still fairly strong goodness that I see. 3/5 - Good -
Bryce I
It's beautifully directed, shot, acted, and written. There is nothing to not enjoy about this movie. It's intriguing for both a suspenceful war drama, as well as an action packed war adventure. No matter how you look at it, it's a masterpiece. -
Ivan D
Claustrophobic and tense, "Das Boot" is an epic human study of survival set in the less-explored battlefields of the great second world war: the vast nothingness of the oceans. We know the stories of war zones: Stalingrad, Iwo Jima, Normandy. All has been said about those… More
Claustrophobic and tense, "Das Boot" is an epic human study of survival set in the less-explored battlefields of the great second world war: the vast nothingness of the oceans. We know the stories of war zones: Stalingrad, Iwo Jima, Normandy. All has been said about those places: heroism, tragedy, casualties, you name it. But then there lies, beneath the watery abyss, the untold lives and existence of U-boat crews, the tension, anticipation, disappointments, camaraderie. Who would have surmised that a film out of these would be conceived? And even more so, the Germans, the much-dreaded stereotypical villains of the war genre, as chief protagonists? Director Wolfgang Petersen broke the boundaries of the genre and presented the said race not as ideological ethnocentric monsters, but as vulnerable individuals that still cowers on the face of imminent danger. Jurgen Prochnow was unforgettable as the U-boat's captain, having the required experience and strength of character for such position, but still mentally encapsulated by endless insecurities and anxiety about the military hardware and capabilities of the Nazi regime. There were sequences of supreme technicalities always obligatory on the war genre, but ultimately surpassing it and boasts not of the loud explosions and hard clashing of metals, but its brilliant foreshadowing of tension, its perfect balanced criss-cross between the narrow, sweaty confines of the U-boats' interior, and the turbulent expanse of the perilous waters. Some complain about its long running time, but I think its the right approach to the film: To thoroughly maintain the distress throughout the film, bombard audiences' senses with relentless suspense, and create a credible bond and affection between the characters. Adolf Hitler is on his podium, reciting reasons of the Aryan race's supremacy and yelling preposterous ideologies. But deep down the unforgiving bowels of the seas, lies the men to whom the world he promised; disillusioned, desperate, and hungry for home, they don't care about global conquest, they just need the 'silent run' and the 'surface'.
Cast
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Jürgen Prochnowas The Capt. -
Herbert Grönemeyeras Lt. Werner/Correspondent -
Klaus Wennemannas Chief Engineer
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Hubertus Bengschas First Lt. /Number One -
Martin Semmelroggeas 2nd Lieutenant -
Bernd Tauberas Chief Quartermaster
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Erwin Lederas Johann -
Claude-Oliver Rudolphas Ario -
Jan Fedderas Pilgrim
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Ralf Richteras Frenssen -
Heinz Hoenigas Hinrich -
Martin Hemmeas Bruckenwilli
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Lutz Schnellas Dufte -
Oliver Stritzelas Schwalle -
Otto Sanderas Thomsen in "Bar Royal"
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Rita Cadillacas Monique -
Edwige Pierreas Nadine -
Joachim Bernhardas Preacher
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Günter Lamprechtas Capt. of the Weser -
Martin Mayas Ullman -
Uwe Ochsenknechtas Boatman
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U.A. Ochsenas Chief Bosun



