Apprentices become part of German submarine history

The historic submarine U-995 is not just a relic from the Second World War, it’s also a valuable memorial that impresses around 350,000 visitors every year on the beach of the Kiel Fjord. Launched in July 1943, the submarine served in the war before being confiscated in Norway and used as a training boat. It has been moored in Laboe as a technical museum since 1972, where it serves as a reminder of the past and a symbol of the horrors of naval warfare. Maintaining and preserving this important monument is a challenge that the apprentices at thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, in co-operation with the German Naval Association and the U-995 Circle of Friends, have devoted themselves to.

The fight against rust

The German Navy is responsible for repairing the submarine in its capacity as operator. It’s an ongoing challenge – like doing the laundry, it just never ends. The submarine is located directly on the beach of the Kiel Fjord and is exposed to salty seawater and changing weather conditions, so it’s at risk of sustaining corrosion damage. ‘Steel and salt water aren’t exactly the best of friends,’ says Finn-Oliver. ‘Without these measures, the submarine would just rust away.’ The 23-year-old should know. He is one of the thyssenkrupp Marine Systems apprentices working on U-995.

To restore the submarine to its original condition, the association turned to the submarine specialists at thyssenkrupp Marine Systems – and they were all ears. Since autumn 2022, they have been carrying out extensive work to restore the boat to its original condition.

Apprentices restore the U-995

Training instructor Cem Selvi didn’t hesitate for a second, Finn recalls: ‘He realised straight away that we were the perfect partner when it came to submarines. Under the leadership of Cem Selvi, an exciting apprentices project was created in which apprentices were able to play an active part in German submarine history.

The focus of the apprentices’ work is on restoring the 67-metre-long submarine’s tower to its original condition. As the submarine was ‘demilitarised’, the  limited themselves to just the tower’s appearance - the electronics and radio system, for example, no longer work. ‘We mainly take care of the antennas and the radio system and adapt them so that they look like they did originally,’ says the integrated mechatronics degree student.

High expectations combined with a lack of data

But the work isn’t always easy. And expectations are high. ‘Many of the visitors to the museum ship are real experts who can tell exactly when something isn’t in its original condition, not least because they have old photos to refer to. At the same time, the information is not always so clear and simple.’ That’s why the trainees endeavoured to obtain original documents: The trainees received urgently needed documents from the German Naval Association, but also from Blohm and Voss, the shipyard that built the submarine in the early 1940s. Now, the trainees even have the original drawings from the 1940s.

The trainees can rely on the support of their instructor Cem Selvi and thyssenkrupp Marine Systems when it comes to the difficult work. ‘Whether it’s tools or materials, we have everything we need at our disposal,’ says Finn.

The work isn’t just a technical challenge, it also represents a valuable learning experience for the trainees involved. The trainees always work under the expert supervision of Michael Schenk to ensure that everything is shipshape. The senior shipbuilder has been sharing his knowledge and skills with the younger generation for many years.

Appreciation for trainees

‘Our trainees take a lot away from a project like this and learn independent and customer-orientated thinking, time, and project management.’ And Cem is convinced that the learning curve is all the greater when things don't go to plan: ‘Sometimes things don’t work out or you don’t get the costs right. Then you have to readjust and often renegotiate. But that’s what brings your skills and personality to the fore’.

Finn believes that the huge amount of support he receives from his employer also demonstrates an exceptional level of appreciation and a huge, but unusual amount of trust in the company’s trainees. After all, how many trainees can claim to be part of German submarine history?