U-185's Commissioning Celebration
U-185 was built at AG Wesser in Bremen and commissioned on June 13, 1942. Traditionally, the U-boat commander would give a short speech followed by the raising of the flag. The crew and representatives of the yard would enjoy a drink inside the boat and a celebration at the festival hall of the yard that evening. |
These photos were generously provided by Klaus-Peter Pohland, who is a friend of the daughter of Niko Clausen.
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Honored guests Mr. and Mrs. Rosiefsky pose with Maus and his crew. Mrs. Rosiefsky and her husband owned the restaurant "Ratskeller" in the mayors house at Bremen. The restaurant was visited by all U-boat officers while staying in Bremen for pre-commissioning training courses at the building yards or for overhauls. There was a round table for officers in the restaurant and Mrs. Rosiefsky developed a close relationship with them. The couple was invited to attend commissioning ceremonies and commissioning celebrations. Mrs. Rosiefsky unofficially adopted several U-boat crews and was known as the U-Boots-Mutti (U-boat Mother). In this photograph, Maus is holding the boat's mascot which was presented by Mrs. Rosiefsky. |
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Group shot of the crew and honered guests. |
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Maus admires the boat's mascot. Niko Clausen is to his right. At the time, Clausen was preparing to take command of U-182. |
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Guests applaud an entertainer. Mr. and Mrs. Rosiefsky are seated at the end of the table. Maus is seated next to Mrs. Rosiefsky. |
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Petty Officers share a toast with the U-Boot-Mutti. |
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Petty Officers enjoy the entertainment with Mrs. Rosiefsky. |
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The Polonäse late in the evening or early morning. The Polonäse is a typical way to end a celebration in Germany. |