Berliner Zinnfiguren/Books & Media/Books/Naval/Germany products

Kobelt, Hartwig: Spione zur See. Schiffe und Boote der deutschen Abwehr 1938-1945. Volume 2: Nordatlantik und Nordmeer, Schwarzes Meer, Mittelmeer, Afrika, Süd- und Mittelamerika 26,95 €

Sat, 30 May 2026 07:50:09 +0200

World War II: In the shadow of the great naval battles and submarine wars, a largely unnoticed yet highly dangerous arm of the German war effort operated the maritime espionage of the Abwehr (German military intelligence). Disguised as harmless fishing cutters, sailing yachts, or civilian supply ships, inconspicuous vessels traversed the world's oceans, transporting agents, gathering information, and securing secret communications across continents. The two-volume work "Spies at Sea" presents, for the first time, a comprehensive overview of the secret operations of the Abwehr under Admiral Canaris and the naval commandos during World War II. While previously only the legendary voyages of individual ships such as the "Anni Braz Bihen," "Kyloe," "Passim," or "Soizic" were known, this work reveals the full extent of these operations: A total of 252 ships and boats served the Amt Ausland/Abwehr (Foreign Intelligence/Counterintelligence Office) including numerous civilian fishing vessels from the occupied territories of Europe. The second volume is dedicated to 88 of these units in detail. He takes the reader out into the icy waters of the North Atlantic and the Greenland Sea, where weather observers operated under extreme conditions, as well as into the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, where reconnaissance and surveillance were part of everyday life. But the focus is on the spectacular long-distance missions: clandestine crossings to Africa and to South and Central America, during which agents were infiltrated, networks were established, and covert operations were prepared. This volume illuminates not only the missions themselves, but also their planning, execution, and the often improvised structures behind them. It shows how civilian captains became informants, how unassuming boats evolved into tools of espionage, and how a global network operated in secret.

Kobelt, Hartwig: Spione zur See. Schiffe und Boote der deutschen Abwehr 1938-1945. Volume 2: Nordatlantik und Nordmeer, Schwarzes Meer, Mittelmeer, Afrika, Süd- und Mittelamerika 20,95 €

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 08:33:45 +0200

Kobelt, Hartwig: Spione zur See. Schiffe und Boote der deutschen Abwehr 1938-1945. Volume 1: Norwegen, Nord- und Ostsee und die westeuropäischen Küstengewässer 20,95 €

Wed, 20 May 2026 07:05:11 +0200

This two-volume work presents, for the first time, a comprehensive overview of the ships and boats used by Admiral Canaris's Abwehr and the Naval Special Operations Commands during World War II, and their operations within Abwehr I (Secret Intelligence Service) and III (Counter-Espionage and Counterintelligence). This pioneering work fills a gap in the map of naval historical research. A wider audience is likely only familiar with the spectacular voyages of the "Anni Braz Bihen," "Kyloe," "Passim," and "Soizic." Saint-Loup commemorated these ships more than 40 years ago with his book on "Hitler's Ghost Ships." But it wasn't just these handful of boats, commanded by experienced ocean-going sailors, that undertook spectacular voyages, sometimes spanning continents, in service of the Abwehr (German military intelligence). The book "Spies at Sea: Ships and Boats of the German Abwehr 1938-1945" documents the deployment of 252 ships and boats serving the Foreign Intelligence/Counterintelligence Office within the High Command of the Wehrmacht. Among these were at least 138 registered fishing vessels. Only in a minority of cases were these vessels crewed by Germans. The majority were civilian fishing vessels from countries occupied by the German Reich. Their deployment was made possible because a crew member, often the captain, could be recruited by the Abwehr as an informant. This first volume focuses on the deployment of 164 ships and boats serving the Abwehr, including 101 fishing vessels, in Norway, the North and Baltic Seas, and Western Europe, particularly the coastal waters of Western Europe. The presentation of numerous planned, executed, or failed operations to land agents and saboteurs in Great Britain is a key focus, as is the monitoring of the blockade between Great Britain and Sweden and the constant efforts to obtain the weather forecast data crucial for warfare.

Kaack, Ulf/Winkler, Achim: Schulschiff Deutschland und die Ausbildungseinheiten der Bundesmarine 34,90 €

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:12 +0200

The training ship "Deutschland" was, after the "Gorch Fock," one of the most important and, at times, largest ships of the German Federal Navy. From 1963 to 1989, it undertook 68 training cruises, visiting approximately 80 countries and over 300 ports, and served as a diplomatic ambassador. Under eleven commanding officers, it covered more than 700,000 nautical miles. Numerous high-ranking guests, including heads of state, came aboard. Over 3,000 officer candidates were trained on the ship. For many crew members, this period remained formative, which is why a close connection persists to this day. This book expertly recounts an important piece of German naval history.

Blumenthal, Stefan: Das kurze Leben des U-Bootkommandanten Eberhard Hoffmann 13,95 €

Wed, 27 May 2026 07:00:07 +0200

The life of a young man, from sailor in 1933 to U-boat commander in 1940, can be traced through his voyages above and below the sea. Eberhard Hoffmann's handwritten logbooks take us along on the maiden voyage of the popular "Gorch Fock" into the Baltic Sea and on a circumnavigation of the globe aboard the cruiser "Karlsruhe." The cruiser's "goodwill tour" led through the Suez Canal to Sri Lanka, onward to Australia, Hawaii, along the west coast of the USA, through the Panama Canal, to New York, and back home. On both ships, he underwent the rigorous training to become a naval cadet. His military career continued with coastal reconnaissance aircraft and culminated in the war with the rank of lieutenant commander. Eberhard Hoffmann first received command of U-146 and then of U-451, with which he initially patrolled the Arctic Ocean. In November 1941, he was ordered to the Mediterranean with U-451. Before reaching the Strait of Gibraltar, he met his tragic end when the submarine sank. The entire crew drowned, except for one man.

Koerver, Hans Joachim: The Kaiser's U-Boat Assault on America 19,95 €

Fri, 01 May 2026 07:45:09 +0200

A thoroughly researched account of the use of German U-boats in the First World War. The focus is on diplomatic and economic aspects as well as the tactical and strategic deployment of the submarines. The book also examines the role of US President Woodrow Wilson and his reaction to the attacks on American shipping by German U-boats, and how this ultimately forced the US to declare war on Germany.

Budgen, Christopher: Hawker's Naval Fighters 39,95 €

Wed, 06 May 2026 06:55:09 +0200

In 1912, Tom Sopwith transitioned from running a flying school to aircraft manufacturing, using his nautical interests to develop designs that were purchased by the British Royal Navy. The outbreak of the First World War solidified the reputation of the Sopwith Aviation Company, whose aircraft, such as the Sopwith Camel, were widely used on ships of the time. After the war, cancellations of government contracts forced Sopwith Aviation into liquidation. However, a new company was quickly established: the H.G. Hawker Engineering Company, named after Sopwith's test pilot, Harry Hawker. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Hawker produced aircraft that continued to be purchased by the Royal Navy and used on the early aircraft carriers as well as the fleet's larger ships. With the outbreak of the Second World War, the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm was utterly unprepared for combat, possessing mainly biplanes and slow monoplanes to counter modern German fighters and bombers. As an interim solution, Hawker further developed the Hurricane into the Sea Hurricane. Later, Hawker developed advanced piston-engined fighter aircraft such as the Fury and its naval counterpart, the Sea Fury, which saw service in the Korean War and the Suez Crisis of 1956. The Sea Fury was superseded by Hawker's first jet aircraft, the Sea Hawk, which marked the Fleet Air Arm's transition to the jet age. The Sea Hawk also served the Indian Navy in its conflicts with Pakistan. Hawker's successful Hunter, although primarily intended for the RAF, was used by the Royal Navy for land-based operations. Hawker's next design, the groundbreaking Harrier, was ordered as the Sea Harrier; it saw service in the Falklands War and later in the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and Iraq. From its earliest days, the Hawker Aircraft Company delivered successful aircraft designs to the Royal Navy and many navies abroada feat few other companies have been able to match.

Braeuer, L.: German U-Boat Base at Lorient, France. Voume 4 39,95 €

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:12 +0200

The fourth volume of this four-volume series presents the fates of the German submarines that were stationed at the Lorient submarine base after August 1943.

Niestlé, Axel: Was war mit Prien? 9,90 €

Mon, 25 May 2026 07:00:05 +0200

For almost 35 years, U 47 and its crew were considered lost after it was discovered in 1991 that the original post-war loss report was demonstrably false. The commander of U 47, Lieutenant Commander Günther Prien, was undoubtedly the most famous German submarine officer during the Second World War. After his spectacular raid on the British naval base at Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands and the sinking of the battleship HMS Royal Oak, he was the first member of the German Navy to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest German medal for bravery at the time, on 18 October 1939. Thanks to the propaganda coverage of this outstanding success in the German weekly newsreels and all print media in the German Reich, Prien soon became a model soldier and the most famous face of the Kriegsmarine. Thanks to intensive research, it has now been possible to clarify the fate of the boat and its crew. To this end, the publication compiles for the first time a detailed account of U 47's last combat mission based on available German and English sources. The result is operational history at its best. In addition, the complicated handling of the loss of U 47 on the German and Allied sides is also discussed. Thanks to the evaluation of Günther Prien's personnel file, which was believed to be lost, the civilian and military curriculum vitae of this outstanding officer is also published in full for the first time in the appendix.

Paterson, Lawrence/Groult, Edouard A. (Illustr.): Kriegsmarine Norway Command 1940–45 18,95 €

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:12 +0200

The invasion of Norway was intended to secure Germany's northern flank and provide access to the Atlantic and important Scandinavian resources. It was the Kriegsmarine's largest, most demanding and most costly amphibious operation, and victory only brought new demands on the beleaguered surface fleet. Here, naval historian Lawrence Paterson examines the presence and operations of the Kriegsmarine in occupied Norway, where the fleet struggled to secure its new waters and launch offensive operations, first against the British and later against the Soviets. This theatre of war is best known as the last refuge of the German battleships and for operations against the Arctic convoys, but the operations covered the entire spectrum of naval warfare. The protection of convoys, the security of the coasts and the blockade were of crucial importance throughout the war and relied heavily on the German outpost boats. Illustrated with rare and unpublished photographs, original artwork, diagrams and maps, this book illuminates the entire history of the Kriegsmarine in Norway. From warships and combat operations to their strategic tasks, complex and confusing command structure, reconnaissance, logistics, security and facilities, it is the first comprehensive history of the German fleet in the far north.

Baker, Casey/Groult, Edouard A. (Illustr.): Royal Navy Mediterranean Fleet 1793-1805 18,95 €

Tue, 12 May 2026 07:00:12 +0200

When war broke out with revolutionary France in 1893, the Royal Navy's Mediterranean Fleet became embroiled in a long and complex war. Operating at some distance from London, the fleet took on the traditional tasks of trade protection, blockade and high seas warfare, but also engaged in diplomatic and counter-revolutionary activities throughout the region. It was the scene of some of the most iconic moments in British naval history, where Horatio Nelson became a legend. However, the reality of the Mediterranean war has long been overshadowed by its famous battles and great personalities. In this book, naval historian Casey Baker draws on his years of archival research to paint a comprehensive picture of the Mediterranean Fleet's warfare its strategic roles, its organisation and decision-making, its combat power and weaknesses, its diplomatic and political tasks, its logistics and manpower, and the battles it fought from the Levant to Cape Trafalgar. With original illustrations, maps and 3D diagrams of little-researched actions, from amphibious operations to maritime commerce raiding, he assesses how the Royal Navy's most active fleet fought and operated in this crucial theatre during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

Knowles, Daniel: Graf Zeppelin 31,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

During the Second World War, the battleship, the most important vessel in any navy, was superseded by a new achievement in shipbuilding: the aircraft carrier. This was to change naval warfare forever. However, when thinking about the Kriegsmarine during this period, it is often overlooked that Germany had also embarked on the construction of an aircraft carrier. The Graf Zeppelin was designed in the late 1930s and was the largest ship ever built in Germany. As the lead ship of its class, it represented the Kriegsmarine's efforts to build a balanced ocean-going fleet capable of projecting German naval power across the oceans. Although it was 85 per cent complete when war broke out in September 1939, the Graf Zeppelin became a white elephant, a ship full of promise but ultimately disappointing. Hitler's war came too soon for the Kriegsmarine, and construction of Germany's only aircraft carrier was never completed. Graf Zeppelin: The Story of Hitler's Aircraft Carrier tells the full story of the Kriegsmarine's monumental efforts and ultimate failure to crown the German fleet with the most coveted asset in the navy: an aircraft carrier.

Paterson, Lawrence/Groult, Edouard A. (Illustr.): Kriegsmarine Southern Command 1941-45 18,95 €

Wed, 20 May 2026 07:00:12 +0200

When Germany and Italy invaded Yugoslavia and Greece in early 1941, the Kriegsmarine established a new operational command whose task was to establish German control over the eastern Mediterranean and coordinate actions with the Italian, Romanian and Bulgarian navies. With the invasion of the USSR in the summer of that year, the Black Sea also became a battlefield, and the Naval Group South was formed. For the first time, naval historian Lawrence Paterson outlines the dizzying variety of Kriegsmarine combat units that fought under Naval Group South S-boats and U-boats, flotillas of escort vessels, landing ships, artillery ships, patrol boats, submarine hunters and minesweepersand how they operated, including their organisation, complex logistics, and vital intelligence and communications services. The fighting was often fast and fierce, ranging from open battles with the Soviet Black Sea Fleet and operations in support of Operation Barbarossa to combat against Tito's partisan naval units off the Croatian coast. Illustrated with rare photographs, artwork of dramatic actions, 3D diagrams and maps, this book examines the little-known naval warfare waged by Germany's smaller ships at the outer edge of German naval power in Europe.

Pantenius, Wilhelm: Wilhelm Büchsel 79,00 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

No naval officer served as Chief of Staff of the Imperial Navy for as long as Wilhelm Büchsel. This deserves special attention in view of the special role played by the German naval forces and their confusing command structure under the rule of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Büchsel found it particularly difficult to deal with the rival Imperial Navy Office and its overpowering State Secretary Alfred von Tirpitz. Both personalities, who began their training as naval cadets together in Crew 65, demonstrate how strongly character traits could influence political and military decisions in the German Empire, which is also evident in the fact that, unlike Tirpitz, Büchsel never received a letter of nobility. Actively supporting his colleague's fleet construction programmes, the reserved and extremely loyal Chief of the Admiralty Staff, with his profound military expertise, later attempted to strengthen the authority entrusted to him so that it could function as an operational command body. Büchsel also wanted to emancipate the Admiralty Staff with regard to the long-term naval strategic planning required for this. This concerned information gathering, financial and personnel resources, and naval officer training. In contrast to Tirpitz, Büchsel's operational plans were more defensive in nature, as evidenced by his prioritisation of small cruisers and his avoidance of a decisive battle with the Grand Fleet in the North Sea. Ultimately, however, Büchsel also failed in the face of his colleague's claim to power ... In his work, the author once again traces historical baselines, this time those of Prussian-German naval history up to the end of the First World War.

Blatt, Roland: Als Mariner in Glückstadt ... oder: Die Mondscheinkompanie 12,99 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:30:23 +0200

It was the height of the Cold War, but no one really thought about war, at least not in the Federal Republic of Germany in the mid-1960s. Nevertheless, armament was taking place, the Bundeswehr was aiming for a strength of 498,000 soldiers, and new ships were being commissioned in the navy, for which sailors were needed. During this time, author Roland Blatt joined the navy as a sailor and underwent basic training in Glückstadt, which was much more than just training for the remaining four years of his enlistment. With the enthusiasm and carefree attitude of youth, he was confronted in Glückstadt with a life very different from what he had been used to. And yet, at least when reading this book, it seems that he almost never lost his good humor. The book takes a look at the German Federal Navy, which no longer exists in this form, and incidentally, this book is also a tribute to Glückstadt and the landscape of the Lower Elbe.

Blatt, Roland: Als Minensucher im Kalten Krieg 15,90 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:30:23 +0200

The coastal minesweeper Koblenz, whose deployment and life on board from late summer 1968 to summer 1970 are the subject of this book, was at that time a unit of the 6th Minesweeper Squadron of the German Federal Navy and was thus involved for many years in clearing mines from World War II in the North Sea. Converted into a minehunter in the late 1970s, the Koblenz took part in Operation South Flank in the early 1990s, during which Iraqi mines from the Second Gulf War were cleared. After almost 40 years of service in the German Navy, the boat was sold to Lithuania, where it was still in service in 2013 under the name Suduvis in the former Memel, now Klaipeda. This book is dedicated to all minesweepers who served during the Cold War in a navy that no longer exists today.

Nelson, K. A.: Killing Shore 25,95 €

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:35:16 +0200

It is January 1942. Six weeks after the United States entered World War II, Imperial Japan is crushing American forces in the Far East, while the Germans are triumphing across much of Europe. Adolf Hitler's troops are poised to attack along the east coast of the United States, but this Atlantic Pearl Harbor would prove far more devastating than the Japanese attack on Hawaii. The wolves are closing in, and few Americans suspect that their beaches and coastal towns will soon witness the worst naval battle in United States history. The Western Hemisphere is the key to victory for the beleaguered Allies, but only if the enormous economic and military resources of North and South America can be transported across the Atlantic by Allied merchant ships. These civilian-manned cargo ships are the backbone of the American war effort and the lifeline that keeps Britain and the Soviet Union alive but Hitler's favourite admiral knows this too, and he has set in motion a plan of unprecedented audacity. The dreaded German U-boats are setting course for the United States. In the fiery months that follow, American soldiers and German U-boat sailors engage in a desperate battle that stains the waters of the East Coast with oil and blood. At the centre of this deadly cat-and-mouse game is a brave group of civilian sailors who man the tankers and freighters that supply the war effort against the Axis powers. Thousands of them lost their lives when hundreds of merchant ships were sunk. Every American coastal state became a battlefield in 1942, and the events off the coast of New Jersey illustrate the dangers and brutality of this forgotten campaign. The seabed along the Garden State is now littered with shipwrecks, bearing witness to the countless deaths that befell friends and foes alike just a few kilometres from the beach promenade. Although these sailors lost their lives, the battle they fought decided the fate of millions of people.

Haarr, Geirr/Melien, Tor Jorgen: The Sinking of the Blücher. The Battle of Drobak Narrows April 1940 24,95 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

This book is a methodical, unbiased compilation of primary sources and archive material. It describes in detail the sequence of events that led to the sinking of the heavy cruiser Blücher, the flagship of the German fleet that was supposed to capture Oslo, from its departure for Norway, through its evasion of British submarines in the Skagerrak, to its sinking to the bottom of the Drobak Strait after the Blücher had been hit by guns and torpedoes from the Oscarsborg fortress. The text, which combines complex reports of the attacks, paints a picture of the sinking and explains the political background to the military operations and the outcome of the sinking, which enabled King Haakon and his government to flee to Great Britain, join the Allies and continue the resistance from there. At the same time, the primary sources describe the sailors and military personnel involved in the sinking on both sides. The text is accompanied by numerous maps and 200 photos, many of which have never been seen before.

Mattesini, Francesco: La Tragedia del Convoglio Duisburg 9 Novembre 1941 34,95 €

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:30:16 +0200

The battle for the Beta convoy, which is covered in detail in this book, represents the second greatest disaster suffered by the Regia Marina during the Second World War, after the Battle of Cape Matapan on the night of 28 March 1941. It describes how the Italian ships, taken completely by surprise by the enemy attack, failed to respond as they should have done for a number of reprehensible reasons. The defeat was received with great consternation in Italy and Germany and led to protests and discontent on the part of the Royal Italian Navy, which attempted to justify the causes to an incredulous head of government and defence minister, Benito Mussolini.

Setzer, Michael: Unterseeboot U 17 13,80 €

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:40:09 +0200

German submarine construction began in 1906 with the U-boat U1. During the First World War, the submarine developed from a small torpedo carrier into a strategic weapon system, culminating in the controversial unrestricted submarine warfare. In the Second World War, the Kriegsmarine deployed over 1,100 U-boats, which initially achieved great success. From 1943 onwards, however, technical advances by the Allies led to effective countermeasures against German boats. Innovations such as the snorkel and homing torpedoes remained largely ineffective in strategic terms. With the founding of the German Navy in 1956, the reconstruction of a German submarine force began initially by repairing older World War II boats, then by building new ones such as the 201 and 205 classes. From 1965, the 206 class, optimised for Baltic Sea operations, followed. These boats were highly manoeuvrable, had a low magnetic and acoustic signature and were equipped with modern sensor technology. A total of 18 units were built, twelve of which were converted to the more powerful Class 206A in the mid-1980s. The booklet provides a detailed overview of the Class 206. It is divided into the topics of technology and armament, training and deployment, decommissioning and succession including the history of the museum submarine U17. The article is illustrated with 81 colour photos, 15 black-and-white photos and 12 technical graphics and drawings.