[The following is taken from Otto Giese’s memoir, Shooting the War: The Memoir and Photographs of a U-Boat Officer in World War II. In particular, the following events take place in 1943.]
I was given leave to visit home before we went to sea. Since my last leave, much had changed in Bremen. Day and night enemy bombers attacked the town’s ports and shipyards. The craters left by heavy bombs and air mines were countless and much of Bremen looked like a ghost town. The people looked tired and hollow-eyed from little sleep and scarce food. Often when the sirens wailed announcing another attack and my father left for the air-raid shelter, I would stay home, sitting at my father’s writing desk bringing my war diary up to date. Our windowshades were drawn. When I heard the droning of the attacking bombers I would turn the small desk light off and go down to our basement. From there I had a good view of the terrible spectacle.
At the foot of the dykes was a heavy wooden tower with big-caliber antiaircraft guns barking wildly. The night sky was crisscrossed with searchlights seeking out the high-flying planes. The noise of the heavy artillery was deafening and endless thunder rolled from the bombed sites.
The restaurant on the dyke across from our house was hit by incendiary bombs. “Our little restaurant,” where we had spent many happy hours. I went upstairs when the clear signal sounded to peep through the big glass window partly covered with plywood. It appeared that the whole town was on fire. U-boat life was hard and often bitter, but then we were soldiers fighting for our country and this was our lot – it was expected of us. But here were civilians, men, women, and small children who were defenseless. My family and loved ones had not wanted this was and its misery.
Source:
Giese, Otto, and James E. Wise. “Reporting Aboard the U-181.” Shooting the War: The Memoir and Photographs of a U-Boat Officer in World War II. Naval Institute, 2003. 174-75. Print.
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