UB 88

War Journal

Published below is the entire War Journal or Kriegstagebuch (KTB) of UB 88 from 26 January to 16 October, 1918. These documents were scanned from microfilm (T1022, Roll 81) obtained from the U.S. National Archives in Washington D.C.

We are seeking the public's help in translating these documents into English. The majority of the journal is hand written in old German script. I received the following response from a noted U-boat author regarding hand written KTB's:

"I can appreciate your problem having a KTB that is handwritten.  The problem isn't getting it translated, the problem is finding someone who can read old German script. The old script was abandoned after WWI when the German school system went to the modern script that is used today.  A few schools hung on to the old script into the mid-1920s, but they too made the change.  In 1933, the Nazis reintroduced the teaching of old script in the schools, but it did not become universally accepted.  That means that you have to find an old German who went through the Volksschule and/or Gymnasium system prior to 1920."

If you can help us, or know someone who can, we would be grateful for any assistance. Please submit any documents via email to info@ub88.org. Be sure to reference the frame numbers. As translated documents are submitted we will publish them here on these pages.

Thank you.

Gary Fabian

UPDATE: 03/19/07

I would like to give a special thank you to Thomas Krispin for his assistance with translating the UB 88 War Journal. He has been working very closely with someone who can read the old German script and also understands U-boat vocabulary. Thomas estimates that it will likely take many months to translate all of the pages. We're very grateful for their assistance in this difficult endeavor.

Microfilm T1022, Roll 81
Frame 001 - 106