Three Lost German U-Boats Resurface 40 Years Post-WW2, Buried Beneath a Parking Lot

Long after the war fell silent, these vessels, known as U-boats, which once prowled the oceans, were discovered buried beneath a car park. This intriguing find reveals a chapter from the past that remained hidden for decades.

The Final Stand of the U-boats at Elbe II

During World War II, submarines became a key part of Germany’s naval strategy. These underwater vessels, or U-boats as they were called, posed a significant threat to enemy ships. To protect these crucial assets from air raids, massive bunkers were constructed along riverbanks, like the Elbe II bunker in Hamburg, designed as a stronghold against attacks from the air.

As the war drew to a close in May 1945, the scene at Elbe II was chaotic. The remaining crew, faced with the inevitability of defeat, packed the U-boats with explosives. However, before these plans could come to fruition, the bunker and its contents fell into British hands. The Allies decided to put an end to the threat of these submarines once and for all by using a massive amount of explosives on the bunker. The result was catastrophic for the U-boats, as the explosion caused the bunker’s roof to cave in, trapping them inside.

Despite the interest in salvaging them, the dangerous condition of the collapsed bunker made any salvage operation too risky. Thus, these technological marvels of their time were left to their fate, forgotten beneath the rubble.

From War Machines to Parking Spaces

It wasn’t until 1985, four decades later, that curiosity led researchers Jak P Mallmann-Showell, Wolfgang Hirschfeld, and Walter Cloots to rediscover these lost submarines. The U-boats, namely U-2505, U-3004, and U-3506, had been some of the most advanced underwater vehicles of their era. They had come to Elbe II for final preparations and repairs before their missions. However, history had other plans, and they never left their concrete grave.

The government, years later, decided to repurpose the area. In the 1990s, the decision was made to entomb the U-boats permanently under a layer of gravel and concrete, transforming the site into a car park. What was once a fearsome fortress of war is now a mundane patch of asphalt where cars come and go.

A Submerged Chapter in History

These submarines, which had arrived at Elbe II either for repairs after being damaged in air raids or testing mishaps, faced a quiet end. U-3506, which had not seen combat and was used primarily for training, met the same fate as its companions. Today, to see where they rest, one would need access to the Free Port of Hamburg. However, the submarines themselves remain out of reach, buried under the weight of history and concrete.

Germany had a long history with submarines, beginning in World War I, where they played a decisive role in naval warfare. The nation’s initial fleet of 38 U-boats proved effective against British warships, disrupting enemy supply lines. By the end of World War I, Germany had massively expanded its submarine fleet, only to have it dismantled as part of the peace terms. Yet, by World War II, Germany once again built a formidable U-boat force, marking another chapter in underwater warfare.