View source for German submarine U-534

{{Short description|Salvaged WW2 German U-boat on display in Birkenhead, Wirral, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=U534.jpg
|Ship image size=300px
|Ship caption=''U-534'' at Birkenhead Docks in March 2007
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[Nazi Germany]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Nazi Germany|naval}}
|Ship name=''U-534''
|Ship ordered=10 April 1941
|Ship builder=[[Deutsche Werft]] AG, [[Hamburg]]
|Ship yard number=352
|Ship laid down=20 February 1942
|Ship launched=23 September 1942
|Ship commissioned=23 December 1942
|Ship homeport=
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship identification=
|Ship fate=
*Sunk by aircraft on 5 May 1945
*Salvaged on 23 August 1993
*[[Museum ship]] since 10 February 2009
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=[[German Type IX submarine#Type IXC/40|Type IXC/40]] [[submarine]]
|Ship displacement=
*{{convert|1144|t|LT|abbr=on|lk=on}} surfaced
*{{convert|1257|t|LT|abbr=on}} submerged
|Ship length=
*{{convert|76.76|m|ftin|abbr=on}} [[o/a]]
*{{convert|58.75|m|ftin|abbr=on}} [[pressure hull]]
|Ship beam=
*{{convert|6.86|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
*{{convert|4.44|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull
|Ship height={{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|4.67|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=
*{{convert|4400|PS|kW bhp|abbr=on}} (diesels)
*{{convert|1000|PS|kW shp|-1|abbr=on}} (electric)
|Ship propulsion=
*2 shafts
*2 × MAN (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nuremberg) 9-cylinder 4-stroke M9V 40/46 [[diesel engine]]s with [[Alfred Büchi|Büchi]] superchargers
*2 × [[Motor-generator|electric motors]]
|Ship speed=
*{{convert|18.3|kn}} surfaced
*{{convert|7.3|kn}} submerged
|Ship range=
*{{convert|13850|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn}} surfaced
*{{convert|63|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|4|kn}} submerged
|Ship test depth={{convert|230|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship complement=4 officers, 44 enlisted
|Ship armament=
*6 × [[torpedo tube]]s (4 bow, 2 stern)
*22 × {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo]]es
*1 × [[10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun|{{convert|10.5|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK C/32]] [[deck gun]] (180 rounds)
*1 × [[3.7 cm SK C/30|{{convert|3.7|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK C/30]] AA gun
*1 × twin [[2 cm FlaK 30]] AA guns
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox service record
|is_ship=yes
|label=
|partof=
*[[4th U-boat Flotilla]]
*23 December 1942 – 31 May 1943
*[[2nd U-boat Flotilla]]
*1 June 1943 – 31 October 1944
*[[33rd U-boat Flotilla]]
*1 November 1944 – 5 May 1945
|codes=M 49 357
|commanders=
*''[[Kptlt.]]'' Herbert Nollau
*23 December 1942 – 5 May 1945
|operations=*3 patrols:
*1st patrol:
*8 May – 13 August 1944
*2nd patrol:
*a. 25 August – 24 October 1944
*b. 25 – 28 October 1944
*c. 1 – 2 May 1945
*3rd patrol:
*5 May 1945
|victories=
*No ships sunk
*Two British aircraft shot down
}}
|}

'''German submarine ''U-534''''' is a [[German Type IX submarine|Type IXC/40]] [[U-boat]] of [[Nazi Germany]]'s ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' built for service during [[World War II]]. She was built in 1942 in Hamburg-Finkenwerder by [[Deutsche Werft]] AG as yard number 352. She was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 23 September 1942 and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 23 December with ''[[Oberleutnant zur See]]'' Herbert Nollau in command.
 
''U-534'' is one of only four German World War II submarines in preserved condition remaining in the world, the others being the IXC boat {{GS|U-505||2}} in Chicago's [[Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)|Museum of Science and Industry]], the VIIC/41 boat {{GS|U-995||2}} at the [[Laboe Naval Memorial]] near [[Kiel]] and the XXI boat {{GS|U-2540||2}} in [[Bremerhaven]].<ref>{{citation|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/7230011.stm |title=Engineers breaking-up WWII U-boat|work=BBC News|date=6 February 2008|access-date=5 July 2009}}</ref> 

''U-534'' was used mainly for training duties; during her service she sank no other ships. A [[Royal Air Force]] bomber sank her on 5 May 1945 in the [[Kattegat]] 20 kilometres northeast of the Danish island of [[Anholt (Denmark)|Anholt]]. ''U-534'' was salvaged on 23 August 1993 and was moved to [[Mersey Ferry|Woodside Ferry]], [[Birkenhead]] to form the 'U-Boat Story' museum. This attraction opened on 10 February 2009 and closed in 2020.

In October 2021, ownership of ''U-534'' transferred to Big Heritage, operators of the nearby [[Western Approaches Museum]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The U-Boat Story Liverpool |url=https://www.merseyferries.co.uk/about/u-boat-story/ |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=Mersey Ferries |language=en}}</ref>

==Design==
[[German Type IX submarine#Type IXC/40|German Type IXC/40 submarine]]s were slightly larger than the original [[German Type IX submarine#Type IXC|Type IXC]]s. ''U-534'' had a displacement of {{convert|1144|t|LT}} when on the surface and {{convert|1257|t|LT}} while submerged.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}} The U-boat had a total length of {{convert|76.76|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a [[pressure hull]] length of {{convert|58.75|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|6.86|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a height of {{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, and a [[draught (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|4.67|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The submarine was powered by two [[MAN SE|MAN]] M 9 V 40/46 [[supercharged]] four-stroke, nine-cylinder [[diesel engine]]s producing a total of {{convert|4400|PS|kW shp|-1}} for use while surfaced - two [[Siemens-Schuckert]] 2 GU 345/34 [[Motor–generator|double-acting electric motors]] producing a total of {{convert|1000|shp|PS kW|-1}} for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two {{convert|1.92|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} [[propeller]]s. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to {{convert|230|m}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}}

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|18.3|kn}} and a maximum submerged speed of {{convert|7.3|kn}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}} When submerged, the boat could operate for {{convert|63|nmi}} at {{convert|4|kn}}; when surfaced, she could travel {{convert|13850|nmi}} at {{convert|10|kn}}. ''U-534'' was fitted with six {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s - (four fitted in the bow and two at the stern), 22 [[torpedo]]es, one [[10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun|{{convert|10.5|cm|in|2|abbr=on}} SK C/32 naval gun]], with 180 rounds and a [[SK C/30|{{convert|3.7|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK C/30]] as well as a [[FlaK 30|{{convert|20|mm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} C/30]] anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a [[Ship's company|complement]] of forty-eight.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}}

==Service history==
After commissioning, ''U-534'' was assigned to the [[4th U-boat Flotilla]], based in [[Stettin]], for training purposes and weapons testing until February 1943. She was then reconfigured (main gun removed, flak gun added) and in June 1943 transferred to the [[2nd U-boat Flotilla|2nd flotilla]] "Saltzwedel".

===May 1944===
''U-534'' headed for Bergen and arrived on 6 May 1944. Two days later she left on operational duty, along with {{GS|U-853||2}} and {{GS|U-857||2}}, for weather reporting duty off the coast of Greenland.

Her first war patrol was plagued by an oil leak and bad weather in the North Atlantic.

===August 1944===
On 11 August she was attacked by an aircraft but escaped undamaged. Two days later, she, along with {{GS|U-857||2}} and {{GS|U-437||2}}, was attacked by two [[Handley Page Halifax|Halifax]] bombers. The aircraft, ''E'' of [[No. 58 Squadron RAF]] and ''K'' of [[No. 502 Squadron RAF]] suffered heavy flak damage. ''U-534'' arrived safely in Bordeaux, where she was fitted with a ''[[Schnorchel]]''.

On the second patrol, from 25 August 1944 to 24 October, the boat had to escape the Allied blockade of [[Lorient]] in France and get back to a friendly port. On 25 August ''U-534'' left Bordeaux and the new ''Schnorchel'' was used for the first time. Exhaust gases leaked into the boat and several crew members collapsed. Surfacing for air, she was spotted and attacked by a [[Vickers Wellington|Wellington]] bomber, ''B'' of [[No. 172 Squadron RAF]], which her gunners shot down on 27 August. On 28 October, she arrived in [[Kiel]] where she was transferred to the [[33rd U-boat Flotilla]] and underwent an extensive refit in Stettin, which put her out of action until 1 May 1945.

===May 1945===
In the early hours of 5 May 1945, a partial surrender ordered by Admiral [[Karl Dönitz|Dönitz]] of German forces in Denmark, Germany and other areas came into effect. ''U-534'' was informed by the harbour master at Oresund Elsinore that the ceasefire was in effect south of the 56th parallel.<ref name="ldw">{{citation|url=http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Waffen/Bilderseiten/UBoote/U534.htm |title=U-534|publisher=Lexikon der Wehrmacht|access-date=5 July 2009
}}</ref><ref name="ubn">{{cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/boats/u534.htm
 |title=The Type IXC/40 boat U-534
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=5 July 2009
}}</ref>

==Incidents leading to sinking==
[[File:U 534 under attack 5 May 1945.jpg|thumb|right|''U-534'' under attack by an RAF [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator|Liberator]], from [[No. 86 Squadron RAF|86 Squadron]]]]
On 5 May 1945, ''U-534'' was {{convert|2|nmi|km}} north of the 56th parallel, and Nollau decided to form a convoy with two [[Type XXI submarine|Type XXI]] U-boats, {{GS|U-3523||2}} and {{GS|U-3503||2}}, and continue sailing north on the surface of the [[Kattegat]] sea in an area too shallow for crash diving, when two British RAF [[B-24 Liberator|Liberator]] aircraft attacked (G/86 'George' from [[RAF Tain|Tain]] and E/547 'Edward' from [[Leuchars Station|Leuchars]]). The crew managed to shoot one bomber down, and nine [[depth charge]]s from the bombing runs missed, but then the boat received a direct hit by a depth charge from G/86. ''U-534'' began to take on water as a result of the damage to her aft section by the engine rooms, and sank north-east of Anholt. The shot-down Liberator crashed {{convert|3|nmi|km}} away, and all on board the plane were lost.

''U-534'' had aboard a crew of 52 men; all escaped the sub, 49 survived to be rescued. Five were trapped in the torpedo room as she began to sink, but they managed to escape through the torpedo loading hatch once the boat had settled on the sea bed. They planned their escape the way that they had been trained, exiting through the forward torpedo hatch once the U-boat had settled on the seabed and swimming to the surface from a depth of {{convert|67|m|ft}}. One of them, 17-year-old radio operator, Josef Neudorfer, failed to exhale as he was surfacing and died from damage to his lungs. Two others (including the submarine's radio operator of [[German Argentines|Argentine]] origin) died of exposure while in the water.<ref name="ldw"/><ref name="ubn" />

==Armament==

===FLAK weaponry===
[[File:37 mm Flak M42 LM42U.png|thumb|right|upright|Twin 3.7&nbsp;cm Flak M42U guns on the DLM 42U mount]]
''U-534'' carried the rare Twin [[3.7 cm Flak 18/36/37/43|3.7 cm Flakzwilling M43U]] on the DLM42 mount. This was one of the best [[Anti-aircraft warfare|AA]] weapons of [[Nazi Germany]]'s ''[[Kriegsmarine]]''. The DLM42 mount was used mainly on the [[German Type IX submarine|Type IX]] as it was too heavy for the [[German Type VII submarine|Type VII]] U-boats. The 3.7&nbsp;cm Flak M42U was the marine version of the 3.7&nbsp;cm Flak used by the [[Kriegsmarine]] on [[Type VII]] and [[Type IX]] U-boats.

==Anti-sonar counter-measures==
Just above the propeller shaft on the starboard side was the exit chute of a ''Pillenwerfer''. It could deploy an anti-sonar decoy called [[Bold (decoy)|Bold]], named after Kobold, a goblin in German folklore. This made a false target for the enemy's sonar by creating a screen of bubbles from the chemical reaction of [[calcium hydride]] with sea water.

==Salvage==
''U-534'' lay on the sea bed for nearly 41 years, until she was discovered at a depth of 67 metres in 1986 by a Danish wreck hunter, Aage Jensen. Shortly afterwards, the wreck hunters' group contacted Danish media millionaire Karsten Ree, who sponsored raising the submarine, as rumours of [[Nazi gold]] caused intense media coverage. However, the boat turned out to contain nothing unusual.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.u2359.com/?p=15/|title=U-534 can now be seen in Liverpool|publisher=Diveship Ternen|access-date=5 July 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717134015/http://www.u2359.com/?p=15%2F|archive-date=17 July 2011}}</ref>

''U-534'' was raised to the surface on 23 August 1993 by the Dutch salvage company ''Smit Tak''.

''U-534'' had [[phonograph records]] which were able to be played after conservation and contained music by [[Johann Sebastian Bach]], [[Robert Schumann]], [[Johann Strauss II]], and singers [[Zarah Leander]] and [[Gerhard Hüsch]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Andrew |date=2023-03-30 |title=Gramophone records found in sunk Nazi U-boat played – after 48 years under water |url=https://talker.news/uk/2023/03/30/gramophone-records-found-in-sunked-nazi-u-boat-played-after-48-years-under-water/ |access-date=2023-04-04 |website=Talker UK |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Museum ship==
[[File:U 534 Surfaced u-Boat - geograph.org.uk - 1241994.jpg|thumb|''U-534'' on display]]
Transported to [[Birkenhead]], England, in 1996, the vessel formed part of the [[Warship Preservation Trust]]'s collection at [[Great Float|Birkenhead Docks]] until the museum closed on 5 February 2006. On 27 June 2007, the [[Merseytravel]] transit authority announced that it had acquired the submarine to display at the [[Woodside, Merseyside|Woodside Ferry Terminal]].<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/tm_method=full&objectid=19361329&siteid=50061-name_page.html |title=Woodside Ferry to be new home for rescued U-boat|work=Liverpool Daily Post|date=July 2007|access-date=4 July 2009}}</ref>

For technical reasons and to facilitate economical transportation to its new site, the vessel was cut into five sections, two of which were subsequently re-joined. It is now displayed in sectioned form to allow visitors better visibility without entering the U-boat.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.u-boatstory.co.uk/|title=U-Boat Story|publisher=Mersey Ferries|access-date=5 July 2009|archive-date=9 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609084659/http://www.u-boatstory.co.uk/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Merseytravel said that preserving the hull intact would have created prohibitive transport costs.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2007/10/22/u-boat-s-future-is-secure-64375-19987639/ |title=U-boat's future is secured|work=Liverpool Daily Post|date=22 October 2007|access-date=4 July 2009
}}</ref> Engineers began a month-long operation to divide ''U-534'', using a diamond wire cutter, on 6 February 2008. On 10 March 2008, the sections, each weighing as much as 240 tonnes, were transported over several days by [[floating crane]].

The U-boat Story exhibition opened on 10 February 2009 and closed in 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barnes |first=Ed |date=2023-10-20 |title=Birkenhead U-Boat Story museum plans unveiled |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-67167230 |access-date=2024-04-30 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>

On 24 October 2021 it was announced that the custodianship of ''U-534'' was to be given to heritage charity Big Heritage, operators of the [[Western Approaches Museum]] in [[Liverpool]] who plan to build a new visitor facility to open in 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barnes |first=Ed |date=2024-04-30 |title=Plans for new U-boat museum at Woodside given greenlight |url=https://www.birkenhead.news/plans-for-new-u-boat-museum-at-woodside-given-greenlight/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Birkenhead News |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:U_534_Nautilus_Museum.jpg|''U-534'' at the Historic Warships Museum, Birkenhead, Merseyside
Image:U_534_Hull.jpg|Part of the [[Hull (watercraft)|hull]] and [[conning tower]] of ''U-534''
Image:Uboat534.jpg|''U-534'' in situ at the ''U-534'' visitors centre at Woodside
Image:U-534 Aft Starboard Side.JPG|Aft starboard side showing depth charge damage and ''[[Bold (decoy)|Pillenwerfer]]'' chute (rectangular hole)
Image:U-534 - Forward Port Side.JPG|Forward port side showing hydroplanes & torpedo tubes
Image:U-534 Conning Tower.JPG|''U-534'' conning tower
</gallery>

==See also==
===Surviving U-boats===
* [[SM U-1 (Germany)|''SM U-1'']]
* {{GS|U-505||2}}
* {{GS|U-995||2}}
* {{GS|Wilhelm Bauer||2}} (originally ''U-2540'')

===Other===
* {{GS|U-778||2}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite book|last1 = Busch|first1 = Rainer|last2 = Röll|first2 = Hans-Joachim|translator-last = Brooks|translator-first = Geoffrey|title = German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary|publisher = Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press|location = London, Annapolis, Md|year = 1999|isbn = 1-55750-186-6 }}
*{{cite book
|last1=Busch
|first1=Rainer
|last2=Röll
|first2=Hans-Joachim
|title=Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945
|trans-title=German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945
|series=Der U-Boot-Krieg
|volume=IV
|publisher=Mittler
|location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn
|year=1999
|isbn=3-8132-0514-2
|language=de
}}
*{{cite book
  |last1=Gröner|first1=Erich
  |last2=Jung|first2=Dieter
  |last3=Maass|first3=Martin
  |translator-last1=Thomas|translator-first1=Keith
  |translator-last2=Magowan|translator-first2=Rachel
|year=1991
|title=U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels
|volume=2
|series=German Warships 1815–1945
|location=London
|publisher=Conway Maritime Press
|isbn=0-85177-593-4
|ref=CITEREFGröner1991
}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|U-534 (submarine, 1942)|German submarine U-534}}
* [http://www.u-boatstory.co.uk/ Mersey Ferries: U-Boat Story] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609084659/http://www.u-boatstory.co.uk/ |date=9 June 2012 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080130120951/http://www.atlantik-pirat.com/U-534page2.htm Future of the ''U-534'' article]
*{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/boats/u534.htm
 |title=The Type IXC/40 boat U-534
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=7 December 2014
}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110717210942/http://www.pablum.webspace.virginmedia.com/gaz/index.html ''U-534'' Website Moved 2010-Est 1996 Much information and photos]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080517050407/http://u534.coolfreepages.com/Basis_Frame.htm Raising ''U-534'']
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100401051830/http://www.u2359.com/?p=15 ''Pictures from the raising of U-534'']
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100401093647/http://www.u2359.com/?p=527 ''Items found inside U-534'']
* [http://www.enigma.hoerenberg.com The U-534 Enigma messages]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rq68G5xVOQ ''U-Boat 534'' raised], short video of the recovery of ''U-534''

{{coord|53.3950855|-3.0093312|format=dms|type:landmark|display=title}}
{{German Type IXC/40 submarines}}
{{May 1945 shipwrecks}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:U0534}}
[[Category:German Type IX submarines]]
[[Category:U-boats commissioned in 1942]]
[[Category:U-boats sunk in 1945]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of Germany]]
[[Category:Museum ships in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1942 ships]]
[[Category:Museums in Merseyside]]
[[Category:World War II museums in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Birkenhead]]
[[Category:Ships built in Hamburg]]
[[Category:U-boats sunk by British aircraft]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in May 1945]]