Research help if you can-

[Digger]

Greetings,

I am writing a short story, fantastic in nature but I am also trying to be historically correct (very tough!)

During the end of the European Theatre of the war (say from May1st on) what islands or countries/provinces in the Atlantic, South Atlantic or Western Africa, were occupied or friendly to Germany?

I am trying to move a U-Boat from Trondheim, Norway, down to Argentina and not even the mighty Type XXI would have the range, it would need to stop and refuel somewhere.

I am researching the option of a Milchcow, but an island or nation would offer more options.

Any ideas??

[Lawrence Tandy]

Spain would be a good start since they were sympathetic to Germany throughout the war.

[David Thompson]

Here are some other fictional possibilities:

(1) Clandestine Nazi "weather station" in Portugese controlled territory like the Cape Verde islands or Portugese Guinea, or in Spanish controlled possessions like Rio de Oro;

(2) Refueling from German-owned (NSDAP Ausland Organisation) fishing vessels in the area;

(3) Refueling from Argentine naval or fishing vessel;

(4) Fuel drop by air at pre-arranged ocean location. or

(5) Specially modified U-Boat.

[SS-Researcher]

Hi!
Your ideas sound cool. They somehow remind me of "Götzen gegen Thule" by Wilhelm Landig, where tow Luftwaffe pilots and one SS-Sturmbannführer are exploring almost the whole world.

Would like to read your story!

Best wishes
Florian

[Heraklit]

The Channel Islands (principally Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Jersey) in the English Channel off the coast of France were occupied by the Wehrmacht from 1940, when the French were defeated, to May 1945. The islands have belonged to Great Britain since the Norman Conquest in 1066.

[Digger]

For all the replies, but for most of all Mr. Thompson, your ideas are invaluable.

I will be more than delighted, when I finish the story, to post it here. It is my first foray into historical fiction and as you are most aware, writing a historically correct story is a most difficult task. Prior to this I have written science-fiction, humor, horror and fantasy. In those settings, one can "wing" the details, as it is difficult to verify, but when history is involved, one must be very exacting.

Cheers!

[ChristopherPerrien]

What you trying to smuggle Hitler or A-bombs?

I would think the bigger fleet subs would make it, what if if they left off torpedoes and and ammo.

[David Thompson]

Thanks and good luck, Digger!

[Digger]

Neither actually, the gist of the story is this:

Preface: I was home sick one day and decided to debunk the "Nazi base in the antartic" story. By doing much recearch on the web, a story idea came to me, which is the following:

May 1- Germany is rapidly falling, it's only a matter of days. At the sub pen(s) at Trondheim, a war-weary commander is summoned to command a Type XXI U-Boat. Contained within are several high-ranking Nazi Officers, scientists and tons of gold. His instructions are to head to the south pole where the Third Reich may build again.

During his flight to the South Pole, his ship is discovered by an American warship and a subhunt ensues. Also during this time a freak storm arises and the U-Boat is caught in the storm. As the U-Boat is sinking, the storm kicks into high gear, which is actually a vortex for time travel and the U-Boat is propelled into the late 1990s.

Unaware of the passage of time, the U-Boat continues on the journey to the South Pole whereupon the find the remains of a Nazi Base, which was actually never completed.

The men are then faced with decisions as to what to do, coupled with the discovery of the real time frame.

My aim in the story was to tie togehter many conspiracy theories about Nazi Germany (Nazi Gold, Leaders escaping, South Pole, Fourth Reich, Time Travel, Nazi UFOs, etc.) into a story, mainly for fun to see if I could pull it off.

[ChristopherPerrien]

Well good, I myself, being a historian, totally hate Historical fiction, I am glad you are putting it more in the realm of fantasy or science fiction.
Still it doesn't hurt to be "Historically" accurate with euipment and such when writing if you can..

That sounds like a hum-dinger multi-level story you got. Good Luck !

[ckleisch]

Hate to bust your bubble on this one there is a novel out there already called the goering papers that uses the same premise only differance is a sunk submarine with a safe containing the Windsor protocols a secret agreement signed by the Duke and Duchess to regain power with German support
I beleive author is Clive Cussler
papers gold and high dignatarys going to Argentina from Norway.

[ChristopherPerrien]

Mayde "Digger" is Clive Cussler, or give the "starving artist" a break!

If you are Clive I have a ship I want to raise!!!!!! . Excellent condition 25ft of water.

[Tom Houlihan]

Go for it! Never mind the nay-sayers! It sounds like the kind of thing I'd read when I need something light hearted, with no research value, just-because-I-feel-like-reading!

[Digger]

There is very little original in the world of writing. I have heard of Mr. Cussler, though I admit not to having read any of his stories. Nonetheless, I will examine his story to see how close mine would be, and make modifications if need be.

I had only planned on my story to be short-length anyway, and not for general publication, I write for fun.

Perhaps soon I will post a shory story of mine in the lounge, if there is interest, it's about the platypus from Mars, humor and sci-fi obviously.

Cheers!