Hello from Fritzlar, Germany

Discussion in 'User Introductions' started by Bomber Ink, Jul 28, 2018.

  1. Bomber Ink

    Bomber Ink Member

    Hello All!

    My name is Jens Becker, I go by Jens which is pronounced Yens (like Japanese money with an s at the end!). My forum name is Bomber Ink. The reason for this is that I recently acquired a personal storage box from a WW2 U-Boat commander out of which I am going to make wooden pens and fountain pens. Originally I was going to make them for myself, but since I've started that project I thought it would also be cool to keep making pens out of other WW2 items, so I thought Bomber would be a fitting name and the Ink is a play on words for Inc.

    I am 29 years old. My grandparents were young children in the war and my great Grandpas were both POWs, one was in the USA and the other in France. My interest of late has been Uboats, and battles fought around Kassel, Germany. Since I have always heard war stories, including the story of my Berlin born Grandpa who watched Hitler speak, it's always been of interest to me, but never really that much. That changed with my recent purchase of this commanders footlocker. I started researching his name, found out all the places he had been, etc and that has led me to read other personal accounts of happenings like memoirs and letters. It's quite a fascinating and emotional subject.


    Home right now is Fritzlar, Germany. Although I have spent quite some time in North America so I can speak English and German fluently.

    Although I have collected some War memorabilia over the years, like gas masks and belts I can't say it's been a hobby. Though now doing some pen making related to WW2 is turning into a hobby. I used to be a carpenter so I like working with wood and something like a pen is a useful tool and being able to have one with a special, personal story to it is even cooler.

    Unfortunately my grandpas aren't around anymore and I never thought of showing them a forum on the internet, I'm sure they would have loved it. I do still know some older people with war stories so as things come up, maybe I'll be able to help someone on here find answers to their questions.

    I think that's it for me!

    Jens
     
    Lindele, SDP, stolpi and 1 other person like this.
  2. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Hi.
    Where did you research the U boat captains details? Post a pic of the box !
     
  3. Bomber Ink

    Bomber Ink Member

    Hi Alex, his name was Heinrich Hasenschar, the U Boat he was on was U628 which was sank in the Bay of Biscay in 1943. A large part of what I found was here: U 628 – U-Boot-Archiv Wiki (it's in german)

    Here's a pic I took two days ago of the box. The name is on top and on the metal plate on the front, at least what's left of it. I think I'll make a build thread for the project, just have to find which subform would be best!

    [​IMG]

    Jens
     
    Lindele likes this.
  4. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Cool.
    Have you ever used the Bundes Archiv ? ( in Munich I think ) to research any German WW2 units?
     
  5. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

  6. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Here is the skipper of the U 628 lost with all hands in the Bay of Biscay.It appears that the boat was lost two days into its fourth patrol....sunk by a No 224 Squadron Coastal Command Liberator 111, FL 963 out of St Eval (S/L PJ Cundy DFC).

    I think the Liberator must have caught the boat on the surface as the Liberator suffered flak damage but was able to return to its base at St Eval.

    Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Hasenschar - German U-boat Commanders of WWII - The Men of the Kriegsmarine - uboat.net

    Hasenschar and his crew should be found remembered on the Kreigsmarine U Boat memorial in Hamburg
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2018
  7. Lindele

    Lindele formerly HA96

    Servus Jens,about time we have another German on board. Felt a bit lonly lately.

    Stefan, Biberach
     
  8. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Jens, welcome to the forum.
     
  9. Bomber Ink

    Bomber Ink Member

    I didn't know about the Bundes Archiv or the memorial in Hamburg, though I heard of a U-boat memorial elsewhere, where they also have a U-boat on display I believe. I also found this spanish page which has a picture of the Iron Fist that was drawn on the boat. U628

    It is based on Götz von Berchlingens Iron Fist, in the 1500s he apparently coined the term "Kiss my A**"
     
  10. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

  11. Bomber Ink

    Bomber Ink Member

    Right, I had heard of Laboe, which is nearby. One day I'll visit the memorials there. Thanks!
     

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