At the German Armed Forces Museum of Military History in Dresden, there is a big fat iron submarine on display. Built in 1850, this pioneering vessel, named the Brandtaucher, holds the distinction of being the first German submarine ever constructed and the oldest surviving in the world. Despite sinking on its very public trial, the Brandtaucher offers a fascinating glimpse into the early innovations of underwater navigation and military technology.
The Brandtaucher, which means "Fire-diver" in German, was designed by Wilhelm Bauer, a German engineer born in Dillingen in the Kingdom of Bavaria. Initially trained as a wood turner, Bauer eventually followed in his father’s footsteps—a sergeant in a Bavarian cavalry regiment—and joined the army. As an artillery engineer during the German-Danish War (1848—1852), Bauer witnessed the ease with which the Danish navy blockaded the Prussian coast. This experience inspired him to develop a submersible ship capable of breaking such blockades.
Photo credit: Jan Rehschuh/Wikimedia Commons
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