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Iron Coffins: A U-Boat Commander's War, 1939-1945
This is a story of triumph, disaster and eventual survival - against all odds. Herbert Werner was one of the few U-boat commanders whose skill, daring and incredible luck saw him safely through to the end of the war. His is an epic and chilling description of the fearful havoc wrought by one small U-boat on the Atlantic convoys. But easy success ebbed away in the face of ever-improving Allied detection and attack techniques. The hunters became the prey, to suffer appalling losses. Of 842 U-boats launched 779 were sunk, 'iron-coffins' to 28,000 men.
384 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 1969
92 people are currently reading
3130 people want to read
About the author
Herbert A. Werner
14 books5 followersHerbert Werner was a Kriegsmarine naval officer who (by his own reckoning), was one of only about "two dozen captains still alive" at the end of World War II. He served in five U-boats, as an Ensign, Executive Officer and Captain in the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel, the North Sea, the Baltic, the Norwegian Sea and the Mediterannean.
He survived the sinking of U-612 in the Baltic and the loss of U-415 in Brest harbour.
At the end of the war, he was detained in turn by British, American and French troops before making his way back to Germany in late autumn 1945. He moved to the United States in 1957 and became an American citizen.
He survived the sinking of U-612 in the Baltic and the loss of U-415 in Brest harbour.
At the end of the war, he was detained in turn by British, American and French troops before making his way back to Germany in late autumn 1945. He moved to the United States in 1957 and became an American citizen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
May 3, 2023
This book is an incredible true story about a U-boat captain who survived the entire war, one of about two dozen to do so. I had previously read Das Boot by Lothar-Günther Buchheim many times, which describes the German point of view of the Battle of the Atlantic circa late 1941. Iron Coffins completed the picture, and showed both the early phase of the battle, when the U-boats nearly swept the Allied convoys from the Atlantic, and the end-game phase of the battle when most U-boat crews were slaughtered.
The author's true story is so incredible that at times it makes the book hard to read: one incredible escape after another. He crams the whole war into roughly 300 pages, which doesn't leave much room for either description or his feelings. To be fair, it would be hard to imagine his being able to describe his feelings, after having his family and his country destroyed around him.
This is a tremendous book that deserves to be read, especially because it shows how things were on the other side. The Boat makes a better novel, but that is not what Werner's intentions were to write, and that does not take away from the importance of this book.
The author's true story is so incredible that at times it makes the book hard to read: one incredible escape after another. He crams the whole war into roughly 300 pages, which doesn't leave much room for either description or his feelings. To be fair, it would be hard to imagine his being able to describe his feelings, after having his family and his country destroyed around him.
This is a tremendous book that deserves to be read, especially because it shows how things were on the other side. The Boat makes a better novel, but that is not what Werner's intentions were to write, and that does not take away from the importance of this book.
July 24, 2024
Wiązałem z tą książką wielkie nadzieje, które nie do końca zostały spełnione. Spodziewałem się czegoś na miarę "Na zachodzie bez zmian" a dostałem bardzo solidne i dobrze napisane wspomnienia ubociarza - tylko i aż tyle.
W książce świetnie opisana jest wojenna codzienność. Historia Wernera zaczyna się w momencie opuszczenia przez niego murów akademii morskiej, autor ciekawie opisuje swój szlak bojowy, życie codzienne na łodziach podwodnych i związany z nim strach i znój, portowe "przygody" między morskimi patrolami, czy życie w okupowanej Francji i walczących Niemczech. Werner ma talent literacki, nie jest to suche sprawozdanie czy dziennik, a powieść wojenna pełną gębą.
Zabrakło mi w "trumnach" trochę autorefleksji, bo dopóki Niemcom podwodna wojna żarła, autor nie miał problemów z zatapianiem bezbronnych statków handlowych wraz z załogami, natomiast kiedy Alianci zaczęli wygrywać, przy okazji nalotami bombowymi przesuwając pole walki również do Niemiec i przestało być tak fajnie, Werner rzekomo nadal uparcie wierzył w końcowe zwycięstwo III Rzeszy i był gotowy oddać na nią życie, bo jak pisze: tak został wychowany i wyszkolony, ale nie do końca chce mi się w to wierzyć w niezachwianą niezłomność podwodnych rycerzy Hitlera, ale to już moje odczucia.
Co do faktów zawartych w książce, nie chcę i nie mogę polemizować z autorem, bo nie mam wystarczającej wiedzy na temat wojny podwodnej, warto pamiętać, że to wspomnienia, nie opracowanie naukowe i jeśli tak podejść do tematu to Herbert Werner napisał naprawdę świetną książkę.
W książce świetnie opisana jest wojenna codzienność. Historia Wernera zaczyna się w momencie opuszczenia przez niego murów akademii morskiej, autor ciekawie opisuje swój szlak bojowy, życie codzienne na łodziach podwodnych i związany z nim strach i znój, portowe "przygody" między morskimi patrolami, czy życie w okupowanej Francji i walczących Niemczech. Werner ma talent literacki, nie jest to suche sprawozdanie czy dziennik, a powieść wojenna pełną gębą.
Zabrakło mi w "trumnach" trochę autorefleksji, bo dopóki Niemcom podwodna wojna żarła, autor nie miał problemów z zatapianiem bezbronnych statków handlowych wraz z załogami, natomiast kiedy Alianci zaczęli wygrywać, przy okazji nalotami bombowymi przesuwając pole walki również do Niemiec i przestało być tak fajnie, Werner rzekomo nadal uparcie wierzył w końcowe zwycięstwo III Rzeszy i był gotowy oddać na nią życie, bo jak pisze: tak został wychowany i wyszkolony, ale nie do końca chce mi się w to wierzyć w niezachwianą niezłomność podwodnych rycerzy Hitlera, ale to już moje odczucia.
Co do faktów zawartych w książce, nie chcę i nie mogę polemizować z autorem, bo nie mam wystarczającej wiedzy na temat wojny podwodnej, warto pamiętać, że to wspomnienia, nie opracowanie naukowe i jeśli tak podejść do tematu to Herbert Werner napisał naprawdę świetną książkę.
June 27, 2015
An amazing memoir of Captain Werner's experiences in the German U-boat campaigns of World War II from its early glory days to its near anhilation by wars end. His writing is so vivid and engaging that you feel like you're in the U-boat with him fearing for your life listening to the screws of the Allied destroyers and depth charges that are searching to sink your sub and send you to your grave in an iron coffin. You can almost feel and smell the damp moldy foul air of a sub that has been out at sea for weeks. You can also appreciate his unflinching dedication to his country and extreme craftiness at eluding his enemy even though it was our country and allies he was fighting against. He loses his family and most of his friends and classmates and sees and relates the utter futility of war. His memoirs give the reader an enlightening view from the German perspective of the war.
For an Allied perspective check out Homer Hickman's fine book Torpedo Junction.
For an Allied perspective check out Homer Hickman's fine book Torpedo Junction.
October 30, 2014
When I was a boy of about 13 a Royal Navy submarine came to the port where I lived. This was unusual as it was a commercial and fishing port rather than a naval port. There was an open day and it was possible to go aboard the submarine. I was fascinated and have remained fascinated by submarines ever since.
Because it was a port my home town was heavily bombed and my generation (post-war baby-boomers) grew up with empty, derelict spaces in the streets where bombs had fallen. Largely because of this, WWII is a period of history that fascinates me too.
So, WWII and submarines? It's a winner for me. Yes there may be some slight inaccuracies from a detailed historical analysis, but the many other qualities override this I think.
This is a book that I often dip into again when I've got nothing else to read.
Because it was a port my home town was heavily bombed and my generation (post-war baby-boomers) grew up with empty, derelict spaces in the streets where bombs had fallen. Largely because of this, WWII is a period of history that fascinates me too.
So, WWII and submarines? It's a winner for me. Yes there may be some slight inaccuracies from a detailed historical analysis, but the many other qualities override this I think.
This is a book that I often dip into again when I've got nothing else to read.
July 28, 2008
The best war story of all times. A story by a man who was a german submarine captain and survived... it is more then a story of the war: it is a story of challenge, accomplishment, love, complete loss, and discovery .. at the setting of an immanent death.
March 19, 2024
Memoirs are a difficult beast, and many a historian does not use them, particularly memoirs written by those in high places who often pick scapegoats for their failures. All of that said, those by soldiers, slaves, and others on the lower rung are treated far kinder. What about men such as Herbert Werner, who are basically the middle management of the Nazi war machine?
Iron Coffins is an impressive read. There is an honest earnestness to it. Werner talks about his feelings freely. He does not hide the unpleasant. Although he downplays Nazism, it is there, with him frankly talking about how everyone was in despair upon hearing of Adolf Hitler's death. He is arrogant in that youthful way and can be grating. He is a womanizer, a cheater, and certainly embellishes. Much of the embellishments have to do with combat, a point where memory becomes even more blurry. Being a sailor too, he likely has that twinkle of the story-teller who likes a good "no shit" story.
The book offers a powerful view into the psychology of losing a war. Werner does not have grave misgivings about the cause and victory until D-Day, and he does not really admit defeat until April 1945. Even then, ever the escape artist after having survived so many brushes with death in the Atlantic, he plans to escape to South America. Later he does escape from France if he is to believed.
This memoir stirred me. It had funny moments and weird ones, such as the communist cook. There was a lot of sadness and loss, as friends, family, and lovers die or disappear. More than most, there is a real feeling of slowly grinding despair tempered by duty which finally reaches insanity with order to ram ships and German sailors being shot after the war ends just to avoid a repeat of the 1918 mutiny. Werner gradually accepts defeat in a direct ratio to the frenzied madness of a regime clutching at straws.
There are many criticisms of this book, but the one that rings hollow is that it is overly romanticized. Perhaps the sexual escapades, but much of the rest is a young confidant man watching everything die around him. You see the hunter become the hunted and finally the beaten.
Iron Coffins is an impressive read. There is an honest earnestness to it. Werner talks about his feelings freely. He does not hide the unpleasant. Although he downplays Nazism, it is there, with him frankly talking about how everyone was in despair upon hearing of Adolf Hitler's death. He is arrogant in that youthful way and can be grating. He is a womanizer, a cheater, and certainly embellishes. Much of the embellishments have to do with combat, a point where memory becomes even more blurry. Being a sailor too, he likely has that twinkle of the story-teller who likes a good "no shit" story.
The book offers a powerful view into the psychology of losing a war. Werner does not have grave misgivings about the cause and victory until D-Day, and he does not really admit defeat until April 1945. Even then, ever the escape artist after having survived so many brushes with death in the Atlantic, he plans to escape to South America. Later he does escape from France if he is to believed.
This memoir stirred me. It had funny moments and weird ones, such as the communist cook. There was a lot of sadness and loss, as friends, family, and lovers die or disappear. More than most, there is a real feeling of slowly grinding despair tempered by duty which finally reaches insanity with order to ram ships and German sailors being shot after the war ends just to avoid a repeat of the 1918 mutiny. Werner gradually accepts defeat in a direct ratio to the frenzied madness of a regime clutching at straws.
There are many criticisms of this book, but the one that rings hollow is that it is overly romanticized. Perhaps the sexual escapades, but much of the rest is a young confidant man watching everything die around him. You see the hunter become the hunted and finally the beaten.
November 7, 2016
One of my faves. Authentic, first hand, chock full of useful catch phrases to bandy about the house, such as, "Get those eels out of those tubes!" As with most German memoirs, it is exceedingly well written.
Interestingly, this Uboat captain, an ace, ended his career being depth charged to the surface by an American destroyer. Half a lifetime later, he's selling his sailboat I think in Florida, and the man who comes to buy it turns out to be the officer from the destroyer that captured him. How small is this world? I am badly paraphrasing this but you can find this episode related in Stud Terkel's "The Good War".
The uboat itself is on display in Chicago.
Interestingly, this Uboat captain, an ace, ended his career being depth charged to the surface by an American destroyer. Half a lifetime later, he's selling his sailboat I think in Florida, and the man who comes to buy it turns out to be the officer from the destroyer that captured him. How small is this world? I am badly paraphrasing this but you can find this episode related in Stud Terkel's "The Good War".
The uboat itself is on display in Chicago.
September 10, 2009
This was a very well-written and interesting account of the wartime experience of a U-boot officer. Werner starts us out in the "Happy Time," when the U-boots were decimating the lend-lease convoys and the Kriegsmarine had the upper hand. Then in the middle part of the book "Disaster from the air," the tide starts to turn. Not only are the crash dives and tactical back-and-forths amazing, but we also see the mental gymnastics that the U-boot men go through to maintain faith in their cause. During this time, many captains and crews are lost, leaving only the wiliest and luckiest to continue the fight. The new unexperienced captains enter the fray and uniformly get slaughtered. In the final section "Disaster and Defeat," we see the full-scale decline of the U-boot flotillas, the collapse of the German war effort, and the increasing insanity and perversity of those in command on shore. Desperation and panic led to a huge unnecessary loss of life among the German submariners in the latter stages of the war as the U-boot ranks started to be filled with NSDAP fanatics who sailed out on last-ditch efforts straight into the waiting arms of the Allied destroyers and corvettes. (The U-boot service was the most politically independent and free of Nazi ideology up until the last month or two before surrender.) Finally, in the epilogue, Werner relates his multiple (and eventually successful) attempts to escape from POW camps in France.
Only the tiniest bit of suspense is lost by the realization that Werner obviously survived the war to write the book. I was in near continual amazement at the harsh conditions and emotional stress the the submariners endured.
Only the tiniest bit of suspense is lost by the realization that Werner obviously survived the war to write the book. I was in near continual amazement at the harsh conditions and emotional stress the the submariners endured.
June 9, 2017
Eindrucksvolles Buch über die U-Boot Fahrten und das Leben an Bord eines U-Bootes von Kapitän Werner während des zweiten Weltkrieges.
Leider ist die Schreibe des Autors doch ein wenig trocken, was den Spass am Lesen doch ein wenig trübt. Daher hat es dann doch ein wenig gedauert, bis ich mit dem Buch durch war.
Aber die Geschichte nach seiner Gefangennahme bis zur Flucht nach Deutschland ist sehr spannend geschrieben und der absolute Höhepunkt des Buches in meinen Augen.
Leider ist die Schreibe des Autors doch ein wenig trocken, was den Spass am Lesen doch ein wenig trübt. Daher hat es dann doch ein wenig gedauert, bis ich mit dem Buch durch war.
Aber die Geschichte nach seiner Gefangennahme bis zur Flucht nach Deutschland ist sehr spannend geschrieben und der absolute Höhepunkt des Buches in meinen Augen.
March 27, 2017
Absolutely phenomenal, amazingly written and such a page turning story. Truly one of the best memoirs I have ever read. A no holds barred look at the U-Boat war from the happy times to the last desperate gasps. Highly recommended.
May 5, 2015
Brilliant first-hand account of German submarine warfare in World War II. A must for anyone who has ever seen DAS BOOT!
December 8, 2025
I feel guilty for finishing this on Pearl Harbor Day, but it was pure coincidence.
March 24, 2017
Commander Werner may have been one hell of a submarine captain, but he's not that great of a writer. That's not to blame the man - I don't expect him to be a brilliant novelist as a sidejob - but it makes Iron Coffins a little tough to go through. The book tells an unbelievable story that sticks with you and makes you think about right and wrong in the face of war and evil, and you keep wondering how Werner and his crew get through all the shitstorms and survive them all as one of the very few that do. During the book you're sometimes hit by the realization that you're reading a real account or a real person during a real time in a really hard war, and the historic context of it all is fascinating from start to finish. That said, literary, Werner's account of the years of war are very dry and halfway through start to become almost a chore. Werner was a soldier, and it shows. The book is little more than just an account of what happened. While fascinating, it's nothing more than "so then we went to sea, and we had this battle, and it went like this" - rinse and repeat. Werner gives little to no context about his feelings, how he or his crew deals with the psychology of being in a tin can under the sea, how he feels about escaping death while it's everywhere around him. The thing about U-boat movies like Das Boot of The Hunt For Red October is the claustrophobia of being on a submarine, the disgusting state of having 40 men in one small space for a long period of time... If that's what you look for in a book about subs (maybe I was, naively), then Iron Coffins might not be for you.
March 29, 2014
This was an incredible book. Hearing the story from someone that was on the loosing side of a war (Is there really a "winning" side?), makes the account much cleaner. There is no posturing, no propaganda, It's simply a soldier's story of how he believed in his country and how he believed he was fighting the good fight and victory would be Germany's because they were the "good guys" just like Britain was convinced that they were right and noble.
As the war drags on though, Werner begins to see things happening that he does not like or agree with and conflicting feeling start, but he is loyal and continues to believe that the war must be won. Little by little, the tide turns and Britain, with her allies begin to get the upper hand.
Werner is very detailed and honest about his account and his feelings and he never once talks down about the British or Americans. The Forward for this book is written by an American Navy Captain and it really sets the tone for the telling of this story. They were all fighting for there countries and all felt that it was their duty to defend their nation.
Werner was never a member of the Nazi party, he was never in the Hitler youth. He was one of about a dozen U-boat commanders that somehow managed to survive the war and not be in one of the nearly 800 U-boats that were sent to a watery grave.
If you are looking to read a well-written and unbiased account of WWII, I would highly recommend this book.
As the war drags on though, Werner begins to see things happening that he does not like or agree with and conflicting feeling start, but he is loyal and continues to believe that the war must be won. Little by little, the tide turns and Britain, with her allies begin to get the upper hand.
Werner is very detailed and honest about his account and his feelings and he never once talks down about the British or Americans. The Forward for this book is written by an American Navy Captain and it really sets the tone for the telling of this story. They were all fighting for there countries and all felt that it was their duty to defend their nation.
Werner was never a member of the Nazi party, he was never in the Hitler youth. He was one of about a dozen U-boat commanders that somehow managed to survive the war and not be in one of the nearly 800 U-boats that were sent to a watery grave.
If you are looking to read a well-written and unbiased account of WWII, I would highly recommend this book.
January 1, 2013
This is decent read, but take some parts with a grain of salt. For example, he claims to taken part in the attack on Convoy SC122 and says that U239 sunk several ships. But U230 not recorded as having sunk anything in this convoy. In fact, there is no record of U239 actually attacking the convoy, though he peripherally took part in the operation. "Iron Coffins" contains less details about life on U Boats than about his travels on leave through France and Germany. I would have liked to see more information about the technical operation of the U Boat But from 1942 to the end of the war, as he passes through Europe on his way to his assignments or to visit his family, he portrays Germany's home front as increasingly battered and desperate. This in itself is fascinating glimpse of wartime Germany, and makes the book well worth reading. I recommend Lothar-Gunther Bucheim's "U Boat War" for its fascinating photos; and for a deeper look at U Boat operations, "Operation Drumbeat: The Dramatic True Story of Germany's First U-boat Attacks Along the American Coast in World War II" by Michael Gannon.
June 28, 2015
Recently I decided to take the dive into submarine warfare again and in doing so I decided to read this classic; honestly this was my first time reading it though I've known about since I was a kid in the 70s. Of all books on submarine warfare in WWII this is the gold standard. Leutnant ser See Wener's personal account from induction and service as a junior officer through being a captain of his own boat to capture is truly a great book, worthy of 4.5 stars. The honesty he shares with us about his experience make this book a worthy read. The only reason I call it a 4.5 star book is that while this is an outstanding book it doesn't stand out as well as The Forgotten Soldier or Black Edelweiss did. Because of that I had to call this one 4.5 and round down. I wish I could round up (I love the honesty about what pig boats were like and how extreme it was between being at sea and being ashore) but Iron Coffin's didn't move me as much as the other two did. Having said that, this is a must read for anyone who love WWII naval or wants to understand what true sacrifice is.
May 6, 2015
What a hard book to read - not that it isn't eminently readable, because it is. But it also drew me in to the point of hoping the narrator (a U-boat commander in WWII) would be safe...even though he was sinking Allied ships! This book helped me see what it was like for an ordinary German serviceman during the war (although every time he was upset with "the enemy" I muttered, "You guys started it!"). Werner explained how obedience and duty are ingrained in the German people; so when the U-boats were ordered to do things that would almost certainly lead to the crew's death, they obeyed. This book was full of action and excitement and very well told.
August 21, 2009
A very complete book of the various stages of the Battle of the Atlantic from the perspective of a U-boat captain that survived. As with many WWII books, various aspects of training, equipment capabilities, and tactics are presented throughout the book. What I was unaware of was how intense the attacks on U-boats by Allied forces were during the last stages of the war. It was a miracle for any U-boat just to make it out to sea and return to base safely.
March 16, 2008
Excellent book following Werner throughout the war from the highs of the German uboat campaign int he eary years of the war to the disaster to the uboat service by eventual Allied air and naval supremacy. Another great read.
January 21, 2016
My favourite submarine book, written by a man who was one of the few to survive the war serving on German U-boats during World War 2. A very honest and frank depiction of one mans war.
October 16, 2024
Que buen libro, de 5 estrellas.
Otro libro que puede ser adaptado a una miniserie.
Me encantó la lectura del libro, me emocioné al conocer como fue la experiencia de los soldados/marineros en los submarinos, no se puede comparar con el transporte terrestre o aéreo. Aquí no ves nada de lo que sucede alrededor y que efectivamente el submarino se convierte en tu ataúd de acero.
No esperes leer una situación detallada de la denominada "Guerra del Atlántico", es parte de ella pero de forma vivencial, es el chisme que me gusta leer en un libro. Los personajes fueron reales y conoces a grandes rasgos lo que sucedió como el desembarco de Normandía, el suicidio de Hitler o la rendición y cómo fue entendida y asumida por los soldados de los submarinos.
Me sorprendió gratamente la lectura y si eres fan de la SGM entonces si debes conseguir o leer el libro.
El libro comienza en 1939 cuando inicia el conflicto, las exitosas campañas en los primeros años con las "manadas de lobos" y comienza la debacle y la rendición en 1945 y en el epílogo nos detalla una parte del qué pasó después de la rendición.
Los triunfos, la felicidad de los compañeros y como se va reduciendo la emoción y se incrementa el estrés y la angustia al final y que sobrevivió para relatarnos su experiencia. Este libro es un buen material para una miniserie.
Agrego aquí parte de la introducción
"Mi relato sobre la lucha de los submarinos fue escrito con la ayuda de notas que yo tomé durante la guerra, además de fotografías y cartas que logre salvar del holocausto en el continente y del desastre en el mar. Aunque recurrí mucho a la memoria, mis recuerdos están todavía dolorosamente vivos y así seguirán, me temo, hasta que la presión se alivie con mi muerte. Además, me he asegurado la correcta secuencia de acontecimientos acudiendo a un folleto publicado por Heidenheimer Druckerei und Verlag GMBH, el cual consigna el destino de cada uno de los sumergibles. Todos son mencionados según sus números verdaderos. Las fechas y horas de los acontecimientos están muy cerca de las correctas y a veces con precisión al minuto. Los mensajes de radio, incluyendo las señales enviadas por el Cuartel General como también por los sumergibles, han sido reconstruidos con cuidado. Las tres largas transmisiones del Almirante Dönitz son traducciones exactas. No menos auténticos son ciertos sorprendentes episodios narrados en este libro y que son poco conocidos o que están silenciados durante mucho tiempo. Más de unos pocos oficiales navales norteamericanos pueden atestiguar que buques de guerra estadounidenses, incluyendo los destructores Greer, Reuben James y Kearney, lanzaron ataques contra submarinos ya en el verano de 1941, librando así contra Alemania una guerra aún no declarada. Todavía no he visto publicada ninguna referencia a una chocante orden emitida por el Cuartel General de Submarinos poco antes de la invasión aliada a Normandía.
La misma ordenaba a los comandantes de 15 submarinos que atacaran la basta flota de invasión y que cuado se les acabasen los torpedos, destruyeran los barcos embistiéndolo, es decir, cometiendo suicidio.
Todos los individuos mencionados en el libro fueron personajes reales. Los dos comandantes a cuyas órdenes tuve el privilegio de servir se mencionan con sus apellidos verdaderos. Lo mismo otros capitanes de submarinos y distinguidos oficiales de la flotilla, a muchos de los cuales conocí como amigos. Y también mis más cercanos camaradas en las batallas en el mar y las escapadas en puerto; desdichadamente, la mayoría de ellos están muertos. Para proteger a los vivos he cambiado unos pocos nombres; hubiera sido poco caballeresco revelar los nombres de mujeres que conocí y que desde hace tiempo son las fieles esposas de otros hombres. Pero este libro pertenece a mis camaradas muertos, caídos todos en la flor de su juventud.
Espero que les rinda el honor que ellos se merecen. Si he tenido éxito en brindar al lector la antigua lección que cada generación parece olvidar —que la guerra es mala, que asesina a los hombres— entonces considero que esa ha sido mi obra más constructiva."
Otro libro que puede ser adaptado a una miniserie.
Me encantó la lectura del libro, me emocioné al conocer como fue la experiencia de los soldados/marineros en los submarinos, no se puede comparar con el transporte terrestre o aéreo. Aquí no ves nada de lo que sucede alrededor y que efectivamente el submarino se convierte en tu ataúd de acero.
No esperes leer una situación detallada de la denominada "Guerra del Atlántico", es parte de ella pero de forma vivencial, es el chisme que me gusta leer en un libro. Los personajes fueron reales y conoces a grandes rasgos lo que sucedió como el desembarco de Normandía, el suicidio de Hitler o la rendición y cómo fue entendida y asumida por los soldados de los submarinos.
Me sorprendió gratamente la lectura y si eres fan de la SGM entonces si debes conseguir o leer el libro.
El libro comienza en 1939 cuando inicia el conflicto, las exitosas campañas en los primeros años con las "manadas de lobos" y comienza la debacle y la rendición en 1945 y en el epílogo nos detalla una parte del qué pasó después de la rendición.
Los triunfos, la felicidad de los compañeros y como se va reduciendo la emoción y se incrementa el estrés y la angustia al final y que sobrevivió para relatarnos su experiencia. Este libro es un buen material para una miniserie.
Agrego aquí parte de la introducción
"Mi relato sobre la lucha de los submarinos fue escrito con la ayuda de notas que yo tomé durante la guerra, además de fotografías y cartas que logre salvar del holocausto en el continente y del desastre en el mar. Aunque recurrí mucho a la memoria, mis recuerdos están todavía dolorosamente vivos y así seguirán, me temo, hasta que la presión se alivie con mi muerte. Además, me he asegurado la correcta secuencia de acontecimientos acudiendo a un folleto publicado por Heidenheimer Druckerei und Verlag GMBH, el cual consigna el destino de cada uno de los sumergibles. Todos son mencionados según sus números verdaderos. Las fechas y horas de los acontecimientos están muy cerca de las correctas y a veces con precisión al minuto. Los mensajes de radio, incluyendo las señales enviadas por el Cuartel General como también por los sumergibles, han sido reconstruidos con cuidado. Las tres largas transmisiones del Almirante Dönitz son traducciones exactas. No menos auténticos son ciertos sorprendentes episodios narrados en este libro y que son poco conocidos o que están silenciados durante mucho tiempo. Más de unos pocos oficiales navales norteamericanos pueden atestiguar que buques de guerra estadounidenses, incluyendo los destructores Greer, Reuben James y Kearney, lanzaron ataques contra submarinos ya en el verano de 1941, librando así contra Alemania una guerra aún no declarada. Todavía no he visto publicada ninguna referencia a una chocante orden emitida por el Cuartel General de Submarinos poco antes de la invasión aliada a Normandía.
La misma ordenaba a los comandantes de 15 submarinos que atacaran la basta flota de invasión y que cuado se les acabasen los torpedos, destruyeran los barcos embistiéndolo, es decir, cometiendo suicidio.
Todos los individuos mencionados en el libro fueron personajes reales. Los dos comandantes a cuyas órdenes tuve el privilegio de servir se mencionan con sus apellidos verdaderos. Lo mismo otros capitanes de submarinos y distinguidos oficiales de la flotilla, a muchos de los cuales conocí como amigos. Y también mis más cercanos camaradas en las batallas en el mar y las escapadas en puerto; desdichadamente, la mayoría de ellos están muertos. Para proteger a los vivos he cambiado unos pocos nombres; hubiera sido poco caballeresco revelar los nombres de mujeres que conocí y que desde hace tiempo son las fieles esposas de otros hombres. Pero este libro pertenece a mis camaradas muertos, caídos todos en la flor de su juventud.
Espero que les rinda el honor que ellos se merecen. Si he tenido éxito en brindar al lector la antigua lección que cada generación parece olvidar —que la guerra es mala, que asesina a los hombres— entonces considero que esa ha sido mi obra más constructiva."
September 19, 2020
Iron Coffins is a superb memoir of the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II through the eyes of Herbert Werner, a German U-boat captain. It is a gripping but ultimately tragic story of early successes, apocalyptic defeat, and miraculous survival.
From 1940-1942, the German U-boat war against Allied convoys sent millions of tons of shipping to the bottom of the Atlantic. Britain was utterly dependent on imported goods for survival, such as food, fuel, and raw materials for its factories. If Germany cut Britain off with a successful blockade, Britain would be forced to surrender.
The tactics and technology of the early war gave the U-boat advantages over surface destroyers and merchant ships. The Germans called these years "the Happy Time." Winston Churchill himself said that the U-boat threat was the only German weapon that truly frightened him.
Unlike the nuclear submarines of today, the U-boat was essentially a slow and vulnerable surface vessel that could submerge for very short periods (1-3 days at most, or until its batteries ran out). The vast majority of its time was spent on the surface, either traveling to and from a port or hunting for merchant convoys. When an airplane or destroyer appeared, it would dive and wait until it went away. The U-boat would hunt during the day, then wait until nightfall to fire its torpedoes at unsuspecting merchant vessels.
This worked well in the early years of the war. But technology and tactics progressed very quickly on the Allied side. Soon, British, Canadian, and (beginning in January 1942) American destroyers deployed ever more advanced versions of sonar and radar. More and more aircraft with longer and longer ranges flew U-boat patrols from the UK and North America. These airplanes, assisted by aircraft carrier escorts, finally closed the "air gap" in the mid-Atlantic. The British made extensive use of naval mines and fielded ever more powerful depth charges. American shipyards built faster and more deadly destroyers and launched more than one merchant ship a day, faster than the Germans could sink them. British scientists also broke the German Enigma codes, allowing convoys to avoid U-boat patrols and Allied aircraft to hunt them down. On the German side, little progress was made to the Type VII U-boat, which remained the workhorse of the fleet throughout the war.
This convergence of technologies, production, and tactics led to "Black May" in 1943, when 25% of the U-boat fleet was sunk. The tide of the Battle of the Atlantic swung permanently and decisively against Germany. From then until 1945, the U-boat fleet was almost entirely annihilated, suffering more than 80% losses.
Werner's account is so unique because he was one of the very few U-boat officers to fight the entire war and survive. As an ensign, then an Executive Officer, then a Captain, Werner was both incredibly skilled and incredibly lucky, escaping death multiple times. He was based in Brittany, France, where the Germans built enormous concrete submarine pens which can still be seen.
Iron Coffins is very well written. You really feel like you are right next to Werner as he attacks a convoy or endures 48 hours of depth charges in the North Atlantic. The hardships that these men had to endure were incredible: 8-10 weeks at sea, no privacy, no daylight, filthy conditions, and the psychological pressure of knowing that you are likely going to end up dead at the bottom of the Atlantic in a war that you knew was going badly.
Between patrols, Werner explored France and returned to visit his family in Germany. He describes the ominous deterioration of the war and the increasing Allied bombing campaigns in Germany. From 1944 on, he suffers several family tragedies as Germany is bombed into ruins. Nearly all his classmates who graduated from officer school were killed at sea. You really sympathize with him as he risks his life for a war that he knows he is going to lose.
Although Werner was quite a womanizer, there is thankfully nothing graphic or pornographic in his memoir (unlike most war books today).
When the war ends, he finds himself at a U-boat base in Norway where he is captured by the British and sent to a POW camp in France. He makes several escapes and miraculously makes it back to Germany, which itself is an adventure.
Iron Coffins is a superb war memoir that will give you a greater appreciation for submarine warfare and the brave men of both sides who fought beneath the waves in World War II.
From 1940-1942, the German U-boat war against Allied convoys sent millions of tons of shipping to the bottom of the Atlantic. Britain was utterly dependent on imported goods for survival, such as food, fuel, and raw materials for its factories. If Germany cut Britain off with a successful blockade, Britain would be forced to surrender.
The tactics and technology of the early war gave the U-boat advantages over surface destroyers and merchant ships. The Germans called these years "the Happy Time." Winston Churchill himself said that the U-boat threat was the only German weapon that truly frightened him.
Unlike the nuclear submarines of today, the U-boat was essentially a slow and vulnerable surface vessel that could submerge for very short periods (1-3 days at most, or until its batteries ran out). The vast majority of its time was spent on the surface, either traveling to and from a port or hunting for merchant convoys. When an airplane or destroyer appeared, it would dive and wait until it went away. The U-boat would hunt during the day, then wait until nightfall to fire its torpedoes at unsuspecting merchant vessels.
This worked well in the early years of the war. But technology and tactics progressed very quickly on the Allied side. Soon, British, Canadian, and (beginning in January 1942) American destroyers deployed ever more advanced versions of sonar and radar. More and more aircraft with longer and longer ranges flew U-boat patrols from the UK and North America. These airplanes, assisted by aircraft carrier escorts, finally closed the "air gap" in the mid-Atlantic. The British made extensive use of naval mines and fielded ever more powerful depth charges. American shipyards built faster and more deadly destroyers and launched more than one merchant ship a day, faster than the Germans could sink them. British scientists also broke the German Enigma codes, allowing convoys to avoid U-boat patrols and Allied aircraft to hunt them down. On the German side, little progress was made to the Type VII U-boat, which remained the workhorse of the fleet throughout the war.
This convergence of technologies, production, and tactics led to "Black May" in 1943, when 25% of the U-boat fleet was sunk. The tide of the Battle of the Atlantic swung permanently and decisively against Germany. From then until 1945, the U-boat fleet was almost entirely annihilated, suffering more than 80% losses.
Werner's account is so unique because he was one of the very few U-boat officers to fight the entire war and survive. As an ensign, then an Executive Officer, then a Captain, Werner was both incredibly skilled and incredibly lucky, escaping death multiple times. He was based in Brittany, France, where the Germans built enormous concrete submarine pens which can still be seen.
Iron Coffins is very well written. You really feel like you are right next to Werner as he attacks a convoy or endures 48 hours of depth charges in the North Atlantic. The hardships that these men had to endure were incredible: 8-10 weeks at sea, no privacy, no daylight, filthy conditions, and the psychological pressure of knowing that you are likely going to end up dead at the bottom of the Atlantic in a war that you knew was going badly.
Between patrols, Werner explored France and returned to visit his family in Germany. He describes the ominous deterioration of the war and the increasing Allied bombing campaigns in Germany. From 1944 on, he suffers several family tragedies as Germany is bombed into ruins. Nearly all his classmates who graduated from officer school were killed at sea. You really sympathize with him as he risks his life for a war that he knows he is going to lose.
Although Werner was quite a womanizer, there is thankfully nothing graphic or pornographic in his memoir (unlike most war books today).
When the war ends, he finds himself at a U-boat base in Norway where he is captured by the British and sent to a POW camp in France. He makes several escapes and miraculously makes it back to Germany, which itself is an adventure.
Iron Coffins is a superb war memoir that will give you a greater appreciation for submarine warfare and the brave men of both sides who fought beneath the waves in World War II.
April 20, 2022
The first part of Iron Coffins felt too familiar to many other submarine novels and stories I've read during the years. The excitement of the hunt, crash diving etc. are all very exciting, but for me they were too well known. To anyone who hasn't read Das Boot or other submarine novels/memoirs this might be very good coverage of the subject, but others more familiar might want to even skip these, although they last barely 100 pages.
BUT after 100 pages the book ventured to years barely covered in many of the histories about the battle. The battle of Atlantic is considered won by Allies in may 1943, yet 2/3rds of the losses to Germans were still to come after that date. Werner's second chapter 'Above us, Hell' paints a vivid picture of the gruelling days of the submariner's. The travel from harbor to their slot in Atlantic included dozens and dozens of crash dives with only short respite's on surface when they received the increasing amounts of messages from other U-Boats; "Aircraft, U-XXX, sinking!". There's almost apocalyptic feeling to these ventures in last years of war. Included in the memoir are Werners trips to home and to his family and friends who are escaping from the unceasing bombardment from the sky. The last parts of the book includes Werner's experiences in French prison camps.
There's not much criticism towards anyone apart from some U-Boat leaders, although Werner saw his world crumbling before him. It's not a bad thing because it feels more real and not whitewashed.
BUT after 100 pages the book ventured to years barely covered in many of the histories about the battle. The battle of Atlantic is considered won by Allies in may 1943, yet 2/3rds of the losses to Germans were still to come after that date. Werner's second chapter 'Above us, Hell' paints a vivid picture of the gruelling days of the submariner's. The travel from harbor to their slot in Atlantic included dozens and dozens of crash dives with only short respite's on surface when they received the increasing amounts of messages from other U-Boats; "Aircraft, U-XXX, sinking!". There's almost apocalyptic feeling to these ventures in last years of war. Included in the memoir are Werners trips to home and to his family and friends who are escaping from the unceasing bombardment from the sky. The last parts of the book includes Werner's experiences in French prison camps.
There's not much criticism towards anyone apart from some U-Boat leaders, although Werner saw his world crumbling before him. It's not a bad thing because it feels more real and not whitewashed.
October 18, 2021
I first picked this book up as a teenager in the 1970s, and have reread the memoir more than once since then. It is a well-written history of Captain Werner's experiences during Germany's U-boat campaign starting from his assignment to the U-boat fleet in 1941, a time of glory for the U-boat men, to its horrific annihilation by 1945. His writing is vivid and draws the reader into the U-boat with him. You can feel him, and his men, fearing for their lives as the haunting sounds of Allied destroyers and depth charges search them out. While the reader can smell the trapped foul air in the submarine the reader can appreciate not only Werner's patriotism but also his unwavering faith and sense of duty to country. Throughout the War he witnessed extreme horrors and the loss of so many friends, comrades, academy classmates, and family most of whom met horrible deaths at the hands of not only the Allies but even by other Germans. In the end, this work is a must read for anybody trying to understand the War from the German side.
May 17, 2022
Some incredible stories here. Sometimes fiction movies cram years of incidents into the course of perhaps a single day. This book gave me that same feeling—but it is true! How could one person survive all of this? The author's resolute claims of being apolitical, as he fights for the Nazis, strike me as suspicious, and perhaps I should be equally suspicious of the rest of the book. But it feels real, generally. The book loses some momentum in the second half.
July 23, 2019
Shocking. Fascinating. An inconceivable true story of a U-boat commander who lived against enormous odds. Highly readable, engaging, fast-paced and eye-opening: Werner brings his incredible experiences to life.
August 8, 2017
Have read this book four times. It is one of the most amazing tales I have ever read. Cannot recommend this book highly enough.
January 27, 2021
What an incredible book! While this is told over the entire span of Werner's career in the Kriegsmarine and beyond, it never becomes dry and factual. In fact, it's an absolute page-turner. While the subject is sobering and unpleasant in many ways, it reads like good fiction. The tension runs high from start to finish and I truly had a hard time putting it down.
It's not just an endless series of battles, either. It's the complete arc of a young soldier and idealist becoming a hardened veteran "ace" captain against truly insane odds. It's also the story of the downfall and madness of German command at the tail end of WWII.
There's just enough detail about U-Boat operations to make the action comprehensible, but it's not a highly technical account. I came to this book from an interest sparked by a video game, of all things, but I got way more than U-Boat tactics out of this. Werner's story is amazing and important.
It's not just an endless series of battles, either. It's the complete arc of a young soldier and idealist becoming a hardened veteran "ace" captain against truly insane odds. It's also the story of the downfall and madness of German command at the tail end of WWII.
There's just enough detail about U-Boat operations to make the action comprehensible, but it's not a highly technical account. I came to this book from an interest sparked by a video game, of all things, but I got way more than U-Boat tactics out of this. Werner's story is amazing and important.
December 4, 2025
After well over a YEAR, I finally finished this book.
It's generally an interesting first hand account of life on the German U-boats of WW2, but a few things drags the rating down into the abyss, to join the many wrecks of the war.
First:
The language. I'm not sure if things are screwed up in translation, or if it's this messy in German as well. At times I wonder if I am reading an 8-grader's essay.
If you'd remove all adverbs in this mess, you'd shorten the book by 1/3.
Second:
Stubborn patriotism. I understand that Mr. Werner went through hell during the war, and that he felt hatred for his enemies. But when he keeps going on about how the evil British and Americans 'invades' France, it gets tiresome. Hey, Herbert, we all know who started this thing, right?
Also, I would prefer not hearing over and over about them going to the French brothels and about all his various girlfriends spread around the country. Not interested in the least.
It's generally an interesting first hand account of life on the German U-boats of WW2, but a few things drags the rating down into the abyss, to join the many wrecks of the war.
First:
The language. I'm not sure if things are screwed up in translation, or if it's this messy in German as well. At times I wonder if I am reading an 8-grader's essay.
If you'd remove all adverbs in this mess, you'd shorten the book by 1/3.
Second:
Stubborn patriotism. I understand that Mr. Werner went through hell during the war, and that he felt hatred for his enemies. But when he keeps going on about how the evil British and Americans 'invades' France, it gets tiresome. Hey, Herbert, we all know who started this thing, right?
Also, I would prefer not hearing over and over about them going to the French brothels and about all his various girlfriends spread around the country. Not interested in the least.
January 14, 2023
En 1939 Alemania inicia la campaña naval buscando aislar logísticamente a Gran Bretaña . Si bien, el escalón estratégico privilegiaba el desarrollo del Ejército, la Marina alemana logró hundir casi 3000 buques aliados durante el transcurso de la guerra, empleando el arma submarina. El costo fue muy elevado. La fuerza de submarinos alemana fue el servicio con más bajas porcentuales durante la guerra ( 80% aproximadamente).
Si bien la logística necesaria para sostener el esfuerzo de la guerra para el Reino Unido se vio en real peligro, la cantidad inicial de submarinos requerida no fue la suficiente para lograr una decisión en los primero años. El cálculo apuntaba a más de 300 submarinos operativos. Alemania inicia la guerra con un poco más de 60.
Herbert A. Werner, fue de los pocos submarinistas alemanes que sobrevivió la guerra, logrando contar su historia en este espectacular libro titulado: Ataúdes de acero. Los 3 primeros años, descritos como los años de gloria, marcaron las horas más oscuras de Winston Churchill. Para hacerse una idea , en 2 meses durante 1941 los submarinos se adjudicaban el hundimiento de 141 buques ! Sin embargo durante abril del 43, los alemanes pierden abruptamente el 40% de la flota de submarinos en un par de semanas. En ese periodo comienza el infierno para el autor. El desarrollo,principalmente,del radar, la decodificación de las claves de mensajería alemanas y el arma aérea antisubmarina se transforma en la pesadilla de los lobos alemanes. Como
Si fuera poco , la dirección estratégica alemana comienza a dar órdenes inexplicables, como por ejemplo, chocar buques enemigos cuando se agoten los torpedos, indicativo que la guerra ya era una causa perdida.
Si uno quiere conocer cómo era la vida y operaciones de los submarinistas alemanes durante la guerra, este es el libro indicado. Alejado de cualquier perspectiva política, el autor narra las como la fuerza de submarinos se organizaba , asechaba y enviaba a pique los valiosos cargamentos enemigos necesarios para sostener los esfuerzos de la guerra. En la segunda parte del libro la historia se vuelve desesperante, narrando como los lobos se transformaron en presa y con ello la decadencia exponencial de Alemania.
El libro también hace pensar de la vital importancia del poder naval (mercantes, bases, puertos y la Armada). Alemania , como potencia terrestre, a medida que comienza a decaer en el mar en forma inevitable comienza a perder en todos sus frentes (Guerras Napoleónicas , Guerra del Pacífico, Guerra del Pacífico Sur, Primera Guerra Mundial, Malvinas , etc ) Las líneas de comunicaciones marítimas son por lejos las más importantes y quien controle el mar, inevitablemente terminará obteniendo la victoria en tierra.
Si bien la logística necesaria para sostener el esfuerzo de la guerra para el Reino Unido se vio en real peligro, la cantidad inicial de submarinos requerida no fue la suficiente para lograr una decisión en los primero años. El cálculo apuntaba a más de 300 submarinos operativos. Alemania inicia la guerra con un poco más de 60.
Herbert A. Werner, fue de los pocos submarinistas alemanes que sobrevivió la guerra, logrando contar su historia en este espectacular libro titulado: Ataúdes de acero. Los 3 primeros años, descritos como los años de gloria, marcaron las horas más oscuras de Winston Churchill. Para hacerse una idea , en 2 meses durante 1941 los submarinos se adjudicaban el hundimiento de 141 buques ! Sin embargo durante abril del 43, los alemanes pierden abruptamente el 40% de la flota de submarinos en un par de semanas. En ese periodo comienza el infierno para el autor. El desarrollo,principalmente,del radar, la decodificación de las claves de mensajería alemanas y el arma aérea antisubmarina se transforma en la pesadilla de los lobos alemanes. Como
Si fuera poco , la dirección estratégica alemana comienza a dar órdenes inexplicables, como por ejemplo, chocar buques enemigos cuando se agoten los torpedos, indicativo que la guerra ya era una causa perdida.
Si uno quiere conocer cómo era la vida y operaciones de los submarinistas alemanes durante la guerra, este es el libro indicado. Alejado de cualquier perspectiva política, el autor narra las como la fuerza de submarinos se organizaba , asechaba y enviaba a pique los valiosos cargamentos enemigos necesarios para sostener los esfuerzos de la guerra. En la segunda parte del libro la historia se vuelve desesperante, narrando como los lobos se transformaron en presa y con ello la decadencia exponencial de Alemania.
El libro también hace pensar de la vital importancia del poder naval (mercantes, bases, puertos y la Armada). Alemania , como potencia terrestre, a medida que comienza a decaer en el mar en forma inevitable comienza a perder en todos sus frentes (Guerras Napoleónicas , Guerra del Pacífico, Guerra del Pacífico Sur, Primera Guerra Mundial, Malvinas , etc ) Las líneas de comunicaciones marítimas son por lejos las más importantes y quien controle el mar, inevitablemente terminará obteniendo la victoria en tierra.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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