The voyage of the "Deutschland"

In Short

This non-fiction memoir recounts the historic 1916 transatlantic voyage of the Deutschland, the world's first merchant submarine. Written by her commander, the narrative details the vessel's development, her tense journey from Germany to America through British-patrolled waters, and her victorious return home. Built to bypass the Allied naval blockade, the unarmed sub carries valuable cargo to showcase maritime engineering and preserve international trade lines. It survives as a vivid, first-hand chronicle of early submarine technology, maritime discipline, and the high-stakes naval strategy of the First World War.

The Story

The narrative begins with the birth of a novel maritime experiment. Conceived to break the restrictive Allied naval blockade around Germany during the First World War, the Deutschland is constructed as a massive, unarmed cargo submarine designed specifically for commercial trade rather than warfare. Upon taking command, the author describes the transition from viewing the sub as an awkward technical monstrosity to recognizing it as a responsive, living sea vessel.

Initial trial runs along the coast test the vessel's intricate machinery and the physical limits of the crew. Navigating a sub requires absolute precision; every movement involves managing submersion tanks, depth gauges, and electric engines while plunging into total darkness. The early legs of the voyage test their nerves almost immediately in the North Sea. Attempting to evade surface vessels and unexpected shallow waters, the sub accidentally dives nose-first into the seabed, hanging upside down at an alarming angle. Quick thinking by the engineering crew halts the pounding motors, allowing the crew to right the ship and slip away into the open ocean.

Reaching the open Atlantic offers little relief from the rough weather, but it grants the crew space to maneuver away from enemy outposts. During the crossing, the crew experiments with makeshift disguises, including a wooden funnel burning oiled waste to mimic a ordinary merchant ship, though the attempt amusingly backfires when a nearby vessel misinterprets the smoke and flees in terror.

Upon reaching the American coastline near the Chesapeake Bay, the tension reaches its peak. With enemy warships patrolling the entrance to neutral waters and rumors of hidden explosive nets, the sub must navigate pitch-black channels completely submerged. Slipping past British searchlights under the cover of night, the Deutschland reaches Baltimore, Maryland.

In America, the crew is greeted with massive public fascination. Filming crews, journalists, and local officials swarm the vessel, while meticulous dockworkers unload the precious cargo and reload the ship under strict security. The homeward journey presents fresh perils as the crew dodges heavy ocean traffic, including a close night encounter with a racing Cunard liner. Upon returning to the mouth of the Weser, the crew is met with nationwide jubilation, formal parades, and public celebrations honoring their historic breach of the ocean blockade.

How It Unfolds

The vessel takes form The author assumes command of the Deutschland, taking an oath upon her conning tower as the crew learns to master the complex, delicate machinery of the 2,000-ton submarine during rigorous deep-water trials.

Accident in the North Sea Navigating past enemy outposts, the submarine suffers a terrifying plunge, striking the seabed fore-first and standing nearly vertical in the water until the steering engineer rapidly shuts off the engines.

Sailing the Atlantic The sub pushes into the wide expanses of the ocean, where the captain explains the economic significance of their cargo mission to the crew while experimenting with comical dummy funnels and sail-cloth disguises.

Running the blockade at Cape Henry Creeping toward the American coast, the crew navigates in total darkness, diving to extreme depths and dodging enemy searchlights, rumored explosive nets, and patrolling warships to enter Chesapeake Bay safely.

Arrival and celebration in Baltimore The Deutschland docks at Locust Point under heavy security, where the crew is swarmed by news cameras, honored at political banquets, and tasked with carefully stowing a heavy return cargo.

The triumphant return After slipping past the blockade a second time and making a swift Atlantic recrossing, the submarine arrives on the Weser to a thunderous national reception complete with ringing bells, flying flags, and cheering crowds.

The People

• Captain Paul König – The commander of the Deutschland. He wants to prove that an unarmed merchant submarine can successfully break the Allied trade blockade. He maintains steady control over his crew, manages complex technical crises under water, and carries a deep pride in his vessel's strategic mission.
• First Officer Krapohl – The captain’s trusted second-in-command. Practical and level-headed, he helps plot the sub's delicate navigational courses and maintains a dry, calming humor even when the ship is pinned upside down on the ocean floor.
• Steering Engineer Klees – A quick-witted engine operator whose rapid reaction saves the vessel from destruction when she dives headlong into the sea bottom, instantly cutting the power before the thrashing propellers alert surface destroyers.
• Boatswain Humke – A dedicated crew member who assists with deck operations, brings levity to the Atlantic crossing with improvised disguises, and marvels at passing ocean liners during night watches.

In Its Own Voice

"The music continues, but in a long downward scale, and during these long drawn out, ever-deepening sounds, one has a bodily feeling as of the rushing in and flooding of mighty masses of water."

The captain describes the disorienting, visceral sensation felt by the crew inside the hull whenever the submerging valves flood the tanks to dive.

"Well, they won't get us, any'ow! And so there ain't no sense in the English blockade, as I can see!"

A sturdy German sailor voices the crew's optimistic confidence after learning the strategic trade purpose behind their secret transatlantic mission.

"It was a dark night. The lights from the two capes shone calmly, with friendly eyes on land, while a few miles farther out death lurked in every conceivable form."

The author reflects on the intense danger of slipping past enemy warships and underwater mine traps along the American coast.

What It's Really About

Beneath its adventurous surface, the book is an argument for the unstoppable nature of maritime commerce and technological progress. It frames the merchant submarine not as a weapon of destruction, but as an ingenious instrument of economic self-reliance designed to bypass economic starvation tactics. The text continuously contrasts the silent, scientific efficiency of underwater navigation with traditional surface blockades, arguing that engineering can render international trade boundaries obsolete. It explores how human discipline and industrial innovation interact under the pressure of war, positioning the submarine's voyage as a breakthrough in international sea law and commercial survival.

Why Read It Today

This memoir offers a rare, immersive look into the very early days of submarine navigation from the perspective of the men inside the steel hull. Readers who enjoy naval history, technological oddities, or classic maritime adventure will find it a fascinating historical artifact.

The prose is direct and accessible, capturing both the claustrophobic tension of underwater mishaps and the absurd humor of operational errors, such as burning tar in a fake funnel to trick surface ships. Because it was written in 1916 as a contemporary account, modern readers will easily spot the strong wartime bias, nationalist pride, and period political attitudes of a German commander writing during the First World War. Recognizing these propaganda elements does not diminish the story's historical value; rather, it highlights the intense national stakes behind the journey. What lingers longest is the incredible sense of vulnerability experienced by these early mariners, blind in the deep ocean, relying entirely on brass depth gauges and static mechanical dials to survive.