The World War II Submarine That Sank Because Their Toilets Overflowed
Near the end of the war, a German U-Boat met its end just days after entering the water for the first time due to a very unusual problem
World War II was an incredibly bloody conflict, spanning years across the globe. Numerous battles were fought, both on land and sea, with many casualties incurred. However, not all death and disaster was due to outright combat with the enemy. German submarine U-1206 was destroyed due to overflowing toilets — making its demise one of the strangest occurrences in the entire war.
U-1206 began being built in 1943 and was finally seaworthy on March 16, 1944. It was one of 1,162 U-Boats the Nazis built during the war, of which 785 were destroyed before peace was reached. However, this particular sub was in full service for just a matter of days before it suffered catastrophic damage, highlighted by severe plumbing issues that led to the craft being scuttled on April 14, 1945.
Led by 27-year-old Commander Karl-Adolf Schlitt, U-1206 immediately jumped into the war, embarking on its first official patrol on April 6, 1945. There were a number of differences between these newer submarines and those belonging to the Allied powers. One of these differences that…
