Das Boot

La Rochelle, autumn 1941.

The "Battle of the Atlantic"

grows stronger.

Germany's U-Boats fleet,

with which Hitler...

...hoped to starve Britain,

is beginning to suffer major setbacks.

The British escort freighters with

destroyers, with increasing success.

Nevertheless,

more U-boats are ordered...

...into battle

from their French Atlantic ports.

Of the 40,000 German U-boat sailors

serving in World War II...

...30,000 never returned.

The final night onshore.

We sail at 7 tomorrow morning.

My first assignment on a U-boat...

... with no idea where

they are sending us.

The central Atlantic, probably.

Only a few boats out there.

They reinforced their protection,

it's a bad month.

The tommies learned their lesson.

The aces, there are not many left.

Prien, Schepke, Kretschmer,

all lost during attacks.

They all drowned,

except for Kretschmer.

Kelsch sank off of Gibraltar.

Endrass, with a nervous breakdown.

Our boatswain's mate.

He's on quite a bender.

The street is closed.

Who are those pigs?

The street's free.

Water on!

They call that "fireboat drill."

They're all guys from our boat.

Captain.

Merkel's crew.

They ship out tomorrow as well.

Come on, comrades,

let's explode the whorehouse.

Just don't miss!

Stick some greetings in with it!

See you soon, comrades.

They're chickenshit.

They need that like the grave warriors

the schnapps.

What's going on here?

Okay, ready, fire!

Captain!

My second officer.

This is Lieutenant Werner,

navy war correspondent.

He'll ship out with us.

He'll report on everything

that catches his eye.

Welcome aboard, lieutenant.

Good evening.

Lieutenant, come along

and have a drink with us.

Good evening.

Good evening. Two beers, please.

Of course, captain. Right away.

Those are some meatballs.

It's nice here, isn't it?

Come with me.

Where's Thomsen?

I thought he wanted to celebrate

his Knight's Cross.

Any news from your wife?

They only connect private calls

after 10:00.

Two beers.

It can't get worse than this.

Captain.

I'm reporting back from U-96.

Oil provisions on board and fully armed.

The boat is clear for sea.

Thank you, lieutenant.

One more thing, captain.

On the drive here,

I was molested by some of the crew.

They...

An outrageous event.

They...

Say it already, they peed on you.

Exactly, captain.

Me too.

Come, sweetheart. Let the boy live,

the Führer still needs him.

Prosit, lieutenant.

To the Freichor Tönitz.

First time on a U-boat?

Yeah.

First time. It's gonna be exciting.

Do you have a will?

Excuse me?

Thirteen boats down last month.

Sank with men and mice.

Exciting, huh?

One moment, please.

I'm asking for your attention.

To the newly appointed

Knight's Cross carrier...

...Captain Lieutenant Thomsen!

Three big cheers!

There is Thomsen from the old gang.

Always drunk now.

Quiet in this whorehouse! Quiet!

To our wonderful...

...abstaining...

...and womanless Führer...

...whose career rose gloriously...

...from apprentice painter...

...to the greatest battle strategist

of all times.

He better watch his mouth.

Why? Isn't it true?

He's a great naval expert...

...who took it upon himself...

...in his immeasurable wisdom...

How do I go on?

Who showed

that English bed wetter...

...that cigar-chomping asshole

of Churchill...

...where exactly to go

and stick his stinking cigars!

Don't cry, Françoise, don't cry.

I want to have it.

You know the Resistance.

They make short work of collaborators.

I want to have it.

If you should not come back...

I'll come back.

I promise.

Oh, excuse me.

I'll see you tomorrow.

I have to make a call.

Phillip, this isn't the old gang.

Now it's their turn.

All wet guys.

Bigmouths.

Ass cheeks together,

squeeze the balls...

...and the belief in the Führer

in their eyes.

They, too, will quiet down.

Alarm!

Hello?

Shit.

Lousy eels.

Torpedo failures?

Many.

Sabotage, you can count on that.

Did you hear about Kelsch?

Went down off of Gibraltar.

It was reported.

Not a good year for the old gang.

The tide is turning.

When are you going out?

Tomorrow morning.

Come on, boy.

Show the tommies.

I'll go pee and leave, then.

I still have plans.

Hey! You old pig, you!

Combat! Conquer or die!

Come on. Come on, Phillip, get up!

Come, give me a hand!

I wanted to really...

...screw my brains out...

...but I am not in the condition to fuck.

That'll do.

Sieg Heil!

The Thomsen boat.

Is there a special report

while still in dock?

Starboard propeller blade was bent.

I see.

That explains that whining noise

at low rpm.

New propeller. We've got

a brand-new propeller, captain.

Chief engineer

to the optical workshop.

Call from Germany.

Our boat.

Crew, stand by for inspection!

Attention!

Eyes, left.

Crew is present

and accounted for, captain.

Lower and upper decks clear for sea.

Thank you, Number One.