THE TRAGEDY OF U-110 - Spanish Civil War - Capture of the Enigma Machine - Captivity in Canada

We begin this account with the enlistment of this sailor in 1936 at Cuxhaven and then aboard U-30, illustrated by high-quality photographs. We then turn to a little-known page of history: the deployment of U-Boote during the Spanish Civil War from 1937 onwards, with photographs taken at Cádiz, Seville, Ceuta, Tetouan, and the Canary Islands.

Then the beginning of the war, with a reportage on the U-30 under Kapitänleutnant Lemp. With this submarine, he achieved numerous successes (17 victories) which earned him the Ritterkreuz, awarded on 14 August 1940, one of the first in the U-Boot-Waffe. However, his first engagement and success was marred by a tragic error: the sinking of the liner Athenia, dragging passengers to their deaths, including 22 Americans.
Then comes the engagement with U-110, whose second patrol ended in tragedy. The submarine was attacked on 9 May 1941 in the North Atlantic. Damaged, it surfaced and was evacuated by most of the crew, including sailor Willi Brohm. Kapitänleutnant Lemp remained on board, probably to sabotage the U-110, but British sailors from HMS Bulldog had time to seize the submarine's Enigma machine, which had significant consequences for the course of the war. Fritz Lemp then disappeared with his submarine in the waters of the Atlantic.

As for Willi Brohm, we follow him into captivity in Canada through very rare and exceptional photographs.

A historical album bringing together more than 200 photographs and documents, including 160 previously unpublished photographs from our archives and various documents.