Records trapped underwater on German submarine played for first time in Liverpool

  • Video report by Granada Reports journalist Claire Hannah

A pile of records trapped underwater for 48 years on a German submarine have been played for the first time on dry land.

U-Boat 534 was sunk off the coast of Denmark in 1945, at the end of the Second World War.

It was salvaged in 1993 before being brought to Birkenhead three years later to form the U-Boat story museum.

The records were taken off the submarine and left in storage, but recently experts from Big Heritage, a not-for-profit profit community interest company which connects communities to their history, found them and decided to clean them up to see if they would work.

Incredibly, despite 48 years 220 feet underwater in the Kattegat, they do.

This is the moment they were first played inside the WW2 bunker at Western Approaches museum in Liverpool.

It is believed to be the first time records found in a shipwreck have been played years later, and still work.

Kyle Walker from Big Heritage said: "Under the sea for nearly 50 years - it's remarkable. These records really humanise people involved in the war.

"The guys on the U-Boats were young fellas, the captain was only 29. They were a long way from home and were homesick.

"These records gave them something to listen to.

"I imagine some of the English boats had similar songs on them. Even though they were German composers, everyone loves a bit of Strauss and Bach."

The records are made of shellac Credit: Big Heritage

The records are heavier than typical vinyl discs, with experts at Big Heritage experts explaining they were made of shellac.

Kyle said shellac "was the "main form of material for records until the end of the war and a littler bit after that".

This incredible footage shows the interior of the U-boat when experts from Big Heritage went inside to carry out an inspection.

The irony of the records being played for the first time at the secret WW2 bunker at Western Approaches Museum in Liverpool city centre is not lost on Dean Paton, who is the founder and CEO of the Big Heritage project.

He said: "This building was designed to hunt, track and kill U-Boats in the Second World War.

"I got a very crackly WhatsApp from one of our staff saying 'listen to this'.

"It was a hairs on the back of your neck moment.

"These were records belonging to the enemy now playing in the egg waters of the other side - it's an unusual set of circumstances."

This bunker in Liverpool was used to track German U-boats during the Second World War Credit: Western Approaches Museum

What is the history of U-boat U-534?

The U-534 is a German submarine of the type IXC/40, and one of only two survive.

It was launched on September 3 1942 and used until May 1943 for training purposes and weapon testing.

From June 1943 to May 1945, the ship was active on the front, where it managed to shoot down two British bombers.

On 6 May 1945, U-534 was sunk by enemy aircraft, resulting in the deaths of three of the crew.

It was salvaged in 1993 by a Danish team and brought to Birkenhead in 1996, where it remained as a museum ship.

It is one of only four German U-boats on display anywhere in the world.

The U-boat forms the 'U-Boat Story' in Birkenhead Credit: Big Heritage

The U-boat has been divided into four sections and it includes glass panels that you can look through to see into the interior.

The museum was renewed in 2009, under the name "The U-Boat Story".

It is currently closed for a major refurbishment but some of the artefacts can be seen at the Western Approaches museum in Liverpool, which brings to life the crucial Battle of the Atlantic.

Inside the wreckage of U-534 Credit: Kyle May/Big Heritage

Dean said: "We want to create a ground-breaking Battle of the Atlantic Centre across both sides of the River Mersey – the most fitting location in the world for such an endeavour.

"We are working with some world-class technology companies in the US and UK to create a new immersive digital experience and working with maritime & heritage partners locally and nationally to create a long-term conservation management plan for U-534 and its archives.

"We are hugely proud to be taking on our first permanent site in the place where Big Heritage began 10 years ago in March.

"Birkenhead has an incredibly bright and bold future, and we are excited to be able to play a small part in making this a reality."

From 26 – 28 May 2023, the city of Liverpool will be hosting an extraordinary three-day event to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic.

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