50 books
—
73 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Iron Coffins: A Personal Account of the German U-boat Battles of World War II” as Want to Read:
Iron Coffins: A Personal Account of the German U-boat Battles of World War II
by
The former German U-boat commander Herbert Werner navigates readers through the waters of World War II, recounting four years of the most significant and savage battles. By war's end, 28,000 out of 39,000 German sailors had disappeared beneath the waves.
Paperback, 388 pages
Published
June 6th 2002
by Da Capo Press
(first published November 30th 1968)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Iron Coffins,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Iron Coffins
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of Iron Coffins: A Personal Account of the German U-boat Battles of World War II
This book is an incredible true story about a U-boat captain who survived the entire war, one of about two dozen to do so. I had previously read Das Boot by Lothar-Günther Buchheim many times, which describes the German point of view of the Battle of the Atlantic circa late 1941. Iron Coffins completed the picture, and showed both the early phase of the battle, when the U-boats nearly swept the Allied convoys from the Atlantic, and the end-game phase of the battle when most U-boat crews were
...more
An amazing memoir of Captain Werner's experiences in the German U-boat campaigns of World War II from its early glory days to its near anhilation by wars end. His writing is so vivid and engaging that you feel like you're in the U-boat with him fearing for your life listening to the screws of the Allied destroyers and depth charges that are searching to sink your sub and send you to your grave in an iron coffin. You can almost feel and smell the damp moldy foul air of a sub that has been out at
...more
When I was a boy of about 13 a Royal Navy submarine came to the port where I lived. This was unusual as it was a commercial and fishing port rather than a naval port. There was an open day and it was possible to go aboard the submarine. I was fascinated and have remained fascinated by submarines ever since.
Because it was a port my home town was heavily bombed and my generation (post-war baby-boomers) grew up with empty, derelict spaces in the streets where bombs had fallen. Largely because of ...more
Because it was a port my home town was heavily bombed and my generation (post-war baby-boomers) grew up with empty, derelict spaces in the streets where bombs had fallen. Largely because of ...more
The best war story of all times. A story by a man who was a german submarine captain and survived... it is more then a story of the war: it is a story of challenge, accomplishment, love, complete loss, and discovery .. at the setting of an immanent death.
Brilliant first-hand account of German submarine warfare in World War II. A must for anyone who has ever seen DAS BOOT!
One of my faves. Authentic, first hand, chock full of useful catch phrases to bandy about the house, such as, "Get those eels out of those tubes!" As with most German memoirs, it is exceedingly well written.
Interestingly, this Uboat captain, an ace, ended his career being depth charged to the surface by an American destroyer. Half a lifetime later, he's selling his sailboat I think in Florida, and the man who comes to buy it turns out to be the officer from the destroyer that captured him. How ...more
Interestingly, this Uboat captain, an ace, ended his career being depth charged to the surface by an American destroyer. Half a lifetime later, he's selling his sailboat I think in Florida, and the man who comes to buy it turns out to be the officer from the destroyer that captured him. How ...more
Absolutely phenomenal, amazingly written and such a page turning story. Truly one of the best memoirs I have ever read. A no holds barred look at the U-Boat war from the happy times to the last desperate gasps. Highly recommended.
Memoirs are a difficult beast, and many a historian does not use them, particularly memoirs written by those in high places who often pick scapegoats for their failures. All of that said, those by soldiers, slaves, and others on the lower rung are treated far kinder. What about men such as Herbert Werner, who are basically the middle management of the Nazi war machine?
Iron Coffins is an impressive read. There is an honest earnestness to it. Werner talks about his feelings freely. He does not ...more
Iron Coffins is an impressive read. There is an honest earnestness to it. Werner talks about his feelings freely. He does not ...more
This was a very well-written and interesting account of the wartime experience of a U-boot officer. Werner starts us out in the "Happy Time," when the U-boots were decimating the lend-lease convoys and the Kriegsmarine had the upper hand. Then in the middle part of the book "Disaster from the air," the tide starts to turn. Not only are the crash dives and tactical back-and-forths amazing, but we also see the mental gymnastics that the U-boot men go through to maintain faith in their cause.
...more
This is decent read, but take some parts with a grain of salt. For example, he claims to taken part in the attack on Convoy SC122 and says that U239 sunk several ships. But U230 not recorded as having sunk anything in this convoy. In fact, there is no record of U239 actually attacking the convoy, though he peripherally took part in the operation. "Iron Coffins" contains less details about life on U Boats than about his travels on leave through France and Germany. I would have liked to see more
...more
Recently I decided to take the dive into submarine warfare again and in doing so I decided to read this classic; honestly this was my first time reading it though I've known about since I was a kid in the 70s. Of all books on submarine warfare in WWII this is the gold standard. Leutnant ser See Wener's personal account from induction and service as a junior officer through being a captain of his own boat to capture is truly a great book, worthy of 4.5 stars. The honesty he shares with us about ...more
What a hard book to read - not that it isn't eminently readable, because it is. But it also drew me in to the point of hoping the narrator (a U-boat commander in WWII) would be safe...even though he was sinking Allied ships! This book helped me see what it was like for an ordinary German serviceman during the war (although every time he was upset with "the enemy" I muttered, "You guys started it!"). Werner explained how obedience and duty are ingrained in the German people; so when the U-boats
...more
A very complete book of the various stages of the Battle of the Atlantic from the perspective of a U-boat captain that survived. As with many WWII books, various aspects of training, equipment capabilities, and tactics are presented throughout the book. What I was unaware of was how intense the attacks on U-boats by Allied forces were during the last stages of the war. It was a miracle for any U-boat just to make it out to sea and return to base safely.
Excellent book following Werner throughout the war from the highs of the German uboat campaign int he eary years of the war to the disaster to the uboat service by eventual Allied air and naval supremacy. Another great read.
My favourite submarine book, written by a man who was one of the few to survive the war serving on German U-boats during World War 2. A very honest and frank depiction of one mans war.
Shocking. Fascinating. An inconceivable true story of a U-boat commander who lived against enormous odds. Highly readable, engaging, fast-paced and eye-opening: Werner brings his incredible experiences to life.
Have read this book four times. It is one of the most amazing tales I have ever read. Cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Commander Werner may have been one hell of a submarine captain, but he's not that great of a writer. That's not to blame the man - I don't expect him to be a brilliant novelist as a sidejob - but it makes Iron Coffins a little tough to go through. The book tells an unbelievable story that sticks with you and makes you think about right and wrong in the face of war and evil, and you keep wondering how Werner and his crew get through all the shitstorms and survive them all as one of the very few
...more
This was an incredible book. Hearing the story from someone that was on the loosing side of a war (Is there really a "winning" side?), makes the account much cleaner. There is no posturing, no propaganda, It's simply a soldier's story of how he believed in his country and how he believed he was fighting the good fight and victory would be Germany's because they were the "good guys" just like Britain was convinced that they were right and noble.
As the war drags on though, Werner begins to see ...more
As the war drags on though, Werner begins to see ...more
The Authors purpose for writing this book is informative. I was thinking that reading this book would be like reading a text book. It was more like reading a good story that wasn't a real life story. This is about how the people where working on the German U boats and the ridiculous things that the German Generals would tell them to do. The author wrote this book along the lines of historical fiction. The main character was a person who was inside the German U boats. He was on his boat on D-Day
...more
This book is 'the' book about life inside a U-boat during the Second World War.
It is written by Herbert A. Werner and documents his rise from cadet to U-boat commander and recollects his experiences in this titanic struggle from the early 'happy years' to the turning of the tables and ultimate demise of the U-boats.
The book captures the grimness of operating in a submarine perfectly and give the insider a great insight to the theatre - ideal for historian yet 100% accessible and enjoyable for ...more
It is written by Herbert A. Werner and documents his rise from cadet to U-boat commander and recollects his experiences in this titanic struggle from the early 'happy years' to the turning of the tables and ultimate demise of the U-boats.
The book captures the grimness of operating in a submarine perfectly and give the insider a great insight to the theatre - ideal for historian yet 100% accessible and enjoyable for ...more
Regardless of your religious beliefs, it's hard to read this book through and not believe that some higher power was watching over Herbert Werner. If the facts weren't well documented, this tale would be completely unbelievable. Every ten pages I would have to stop and share with someone what had just happened; the man went from one incredible exploit or near-disaster to the next. Not only is his story extremely compelling, but his writing style is easy and enjoyable as well. You get an
...more
Simply amazing. In a league with Remarque and Juenger... probably superior to them both if one actually sits down and reads their works and compares them to Werner. Nevermind what apprehensions one might have about reading a war memoir, especially one entitled "Iron Coffins"; Werner's book is a moving story of survival and heartbreak both at sea, in port, and on the homefront. The number of times Werner cheated death and escaped from the Allies defies belief. The descriptions of life in port in
...more
This is an excellent personal history of the German U-Boat war during World War II. Much of their operational technique is discussed and in that regard it is very enlightening. Their early successes where they seem to sink Allied shipping at will is matched by their very rapid demise beginning in mid 1943. Their staggering losses after that are such that the reader is amazed their crews continued to leave port.
While the book is entirely about the service of a single German sailor, the book ...more
While the book is entirely about the service of a single German sailor, the book ...more
Engrossing, particularly toward the end when it becomes increasingly clear that the Axis is getting pummeled and the author is being ordered to undertake what amount to suicide missions. And the post-surrender chapter, which deals with prison camp life and his escapes, is fascinating.
I would have preferred less nostalgia about the bordellos and more description of what day-to-day life on the boat was like. (I was expecting the book to be more like Das Boot in this respect.) Thirty to sixty days ...more
I would have preferred less nostalgia about the bordellos and more description of what day-to-day life on the boat was like. (I was expecting the book to be more like Das Boot in this respect.) Thirty to sixty days ...more
Wow! What a classic. I have read U-boat commanders accounts from WWI, but this is the first from WWII.I knew that the Allies put a beat down on the German Navy, but I had no idea that the German U-boat Fleet was almost totally annihilated. This mans story was truly enthralling. I can see why this book had been read so much that some of the pages had to be taped to stay in. If you are even mildly interested in WWII history, this is a book you should read.
My co-worker, Jay, recommended this book to me and I enjoyed it very much. Herbert Werner was an amazing person, and this book succeeds because of his matter-of-fact voice combined with his experiences as a U-Boat captain and his survival. Mr. Werner doesn't embellish his experiences, but lets them stand on their own merits. One of the best books I've read about the experience of war by those who have fought it.
No matter what you think of the Germans during WW II most did not belong to the Nazi party and served as soldiers on both side. This was true of most of German navy. This story from one of the few who survived the entire war serving in submarines is riveting. The story of his life both during mission and between them and the close calls and the sad reality of seeing almost everyone he knew die on subs and in the cities.
An account of WWII's war of the Atlantic from the perspective of one of the few surviving German U-Boat captains. Filled with evocative descriptions, action sequences, a slice of history I have not seen described anywhere else. This has been a favorite book of mine for 25 years, and it has lost none of its power over time.
I read this one after reading Shadow Divers.
It made me look at war and the people who fight wars in a whole different way.
By the end of this book I found myself cursing the British and American forces, and had to remind myself which side I was on.
This story could have been written about any sub crew from either side of the war. Wonderfully written and enlightening
It made me look at war and the people who fight wars in a whole different way.
By the end of this book I found myself cursing the British and American forces, and had to remind myself which side I was on.
This story could have been written about any sub crew from either side of the war. Wonderfully written and enlightening
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodreads Librari...: Please add spanish synopsis | 3 | 10 | Jun 15, 2019 01:59AM |
Readers also enjoyed
Herbert Werner was a Kriegsmarine naval officer who (by his own reckoning), was one of only about "two dozen captains still alive" at the end of World War II. He served in five U-boats, as an Ensign, Executive Officer and Captain in the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel, the North Sea, the Baltic, the Norwegian Sea and the Mediterannean.
He survived the sinking of U-612 in the Baltic and the loss ...more
He survived the sinking of U-612 in the Baltic and the loss ...more
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
