HistoryExtra podcast How grim was life on Hitler's U-boats?
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Jan 26, 2026 
Roger Moorhouse, historian and author of Wolfpack, offers archival insight into life aboard Hitler’s U-boats. He describes cramped, filthy conditions, scurvy and sleep deprivation. He recounts terrifying combat stress, high casualty odds, moments of comradeship and surprising acts of kindness amid brutality.
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U-Boats Were Initially Undervalued
- The German navy initially undervalued U-boats and competed for resources with the army, delaying decisive use.
- By late 1941 Hitler accepted their potential but the early window to strangle Britain had already narrowed.
Conditions Onboard Were Brutal
- Life aboard a Type VII U-boat was cramped, damp, and disease-prone with a crew of about 50.
- Fresh food ran out in two weeks, water was rationed and scurvy, skin infections and chronic seasickness were common.
Survival Rates Plummeted By 1943
- U-boat survival rates collapsed as Allied anti-submarine tactics improved, making patrols statistically suicidal by 1943.
- German naval doctors documented severe combat stress despite official reluctance to acknowledge it.
