The Journal of Submarine Commander von Forstner

In Short

This journal offers a rare, first-hand account of early German submarine operations during World War I, written by one of the first U-boat commanders. It details the precarious life aboard a submersible, the technical hurdles of underwater navigation, and the methodical destruction of Allied merchant shipping. Published in 1917, the work is a stark historical artifact, capturing both the mechanical ingenuity of the period and a jarring, detached perspective on the human cost of modern naval conflict, balancing professional duty against the grim destruction of trade and life.

The Story

The narrative begins with the technical realities of life inside a U-boat, where the crew exists in a cramped, artificial environment defined by the constant need for air purification, the management of ballast, and the mechanical hum of electric motors. The commander describes the transition from surface patrol to the "blind" experience of underwater navigation, where the periscope is the only link to the world above. He outlines the arduous preparation required for extended deployments, noting that even the storage of food among munitions is a routine concern for the thirty men cramped within the hull.

As the journal progresses, the focus shifts to the aggressive commercial war against Allied shipping. The commander describes the process of locating, chasing, and eventually sinking merchant vessels that carried contraband to Britain. He recounts these encounters with a cold, almost bureaucratic precision. Whether chasing a fleeing steamer until it exhausts its coal or firing warning shots to force a surrender, the commander treats these episodes as necessary, if sometimes tense, tactical operations. He describes the use of guns and torpedoes to cripple ships, often noting the reaction of the crews as they scramble into lifeboats.

There is a recurring, unsettling theme of "sportsmanlike" detachment. The commander recalls instances where he allowed crews to abandon ship safely before destroying their vessels, sometimes even exchanging pleasantries or sharing a professional appreciation for a well-placed shot with the captains he had just defeated. He records these events with a curious lack of malice, framing his destructive work as the fulfillment of a duty to the Fatherland.

The final portions of the journal delve into the aftermath of these sinkings. The commander reflects on the nature of ship construction, explaining why modern merchant vessels, with their large, uncompartmented holds, are so vulnerable to sinking once breached. He offers an analysis of the permanence of the wreckage, concluding that the majority of the vessels sent to the bottom are beyond salvage, buried in sand or resting at depths that make recovery impossible. The book concludes with a cold realization: the war at sea has permanently altered the ocean floor, leaving behind a graveyard of ships that will never again serve the needs of commerce. Throughout, the voice remains that of a professional soldier, viewing the total interruption of global trade as a strategic success, regardless of the individual tragedies left in the wake of his torpedoes.

How It Unfolds

The mechanical life The narrative opens by demystifying the submarine, focusing on the reliance on potassium chemicals to scrub carbon dioxide and the delicate calibration of ballast tanks. These technical foundations emphasize how fragile and confined the crew’s existence is during long periods of submersion.

The hunt begins The commander describes the transition from quiet patrol to the sudden, frantic excitement of spotting an enemy steamer. He details the tactical calculations required to intercept a target, balancing the need to stay hidden with the risk of being rammed by a desperate merchant captain.

The enforcement of law The middle chapters detail the process of stopping ships, which often involves a high-speed chase and the use of warning shots to force compliance. The commander describes the surrender process as a routine administrative act, emphasizing the efficiency with which his crew conducts the boarding and sinking of vessels.

The aftermath of violence The book closes with an analytical look at the wreckage left in the U-boat's path. The commander discusses the structural vulnerabilities of merchant ships and argues that the sea has claimed these assets permanently, ensuring that the economic impact of his actions will be felt long after the war ends.

The People

The central figure is the commander himself, a man defined by his devotion to duty and his belief in the technical superiority of the German U-boat. He views himself not as a villain, but as a technician of war, someone whose "sentimentality and ferocity" are constantly at odds. He is driven by a cold, unwavering commitment to the German cause, yet he exhibits a polite, almost gentlemanly curiosity toward his adversaries, provided they follow the "rules" of the game by surrendering.

Opposing him are the merchant captains. These men are often portrayed as desperate or defiant, straining their engines and burning extra coal in a futile attempt to outrun the "little beast" of the submarine. Some are depicted as "game" and plucky, earning a begrudging respect from the commander for their courage in the face of certain destruction. However, their ultimate fate is usually the same: they are forced to witness the annihilation of their livelihoods and ships, transitioning from masters of their vessels to observers in lifeboats. The passengers, including a variety troupe and an American reporter, appear as brief, almost incidental figures caught in the machinery of war, their anxiety and fear viewed by the commander with a detached, observational eye.

In Its Own Voice

"There is a large percentage of error in his calculations unless the submersible is extremely close to its target."

This observation, provided by the editor, highlights the inherent technical limitations and danger that defined the early days of submarine combat.

"The English captain had scarcely been on board my submarine a moment when he begged that we might go together and verify the excellent aim of our first shot through the forward part of his ship."

The commander recounts this interaction to illustrate his strange, detached sense of camaraderie with the very men whose livelihoods he was systematically destroying.

What It's Really About

At its core, this journal is a study of the dehumanization inherent in modern warfare. It examines how technological distance—the ability to sink a ship from beneath the waves—allows the operator to view mass destruction through a lens of tactical efficiency rather than moral weight. The text explores the tension between the "sportsmanship" the commander claims to practice and the cold, industrial reality of unrestricted submarine warfare. It questions whether the "freedom of the seas" can ever coexist with the strategic necessity of cutting off an enemy’s supply lines. Ultimately, the book serves as an argument for the profound, lasting environmental and economic impact of naval warfare, framing the ocean as a final resting place for the material wealth and human effort of a world in conflict.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of naval warfare or the psychological development of modern combatants will find this a chillingly effective primary source. It is not an easy read; the prose is marked by the formal, occasionally stiff language of the early 20th century, and the commander’s detached tone can be deeply unsettling. He discusses the sinking of hospital ships and the destruction of civilian transport with the same dry, professional tone he uses to describe the maintenance of an engine.

To read this book is to step directly into the mindset of a man who believed he was performing a necessary, scientific function of the state, even as he facilitated the deaths of hundreds. It is valuable not for the heroism it portrays—which is entirely colored by the author’s bias—but for its stark, unvarnished look at the birth of the U-boat era. You will not find modern reflections on the morality of the war here; instead, you will find the raw, unfiltered justification of a commander who saw the world as a series of targets and technical problems. It is a haunting document, providing a rare perspective on how quickly the line between civilian life and military target was erased at the dawn of the twentieth century's global wars.