Noteworthy Events
24 November 1906
Austria-Hungary puts the construction 2 U-boats (Type “Lake”) for the Austro-Hungarian Navy on order. On 12 March 1907, building order followed for another two U-boats (Type “Germania”), to be built in Germany. On 03 December 1907, building order was given for the two the pre-war U Boats the Austro-Hungarian Navy.
29 August 1909
The U Boat SM U 4 is commissioned, being the first U-boat the Austro-Hungarian Navy.
28 November 1914
5 U Boats ( U 7 to U 11) are sold to Germany, whose construction since 1913 at the Germania Shipyard at Kiel was almost completed on the one side, a transit to the Mediterranean, however, was considered militarily being too risky on the other side.
28 November 1914
Fir engagement an Austro-Hungarian Navy U Boat in World War I was executed by SM U 4 by capturing the Albanian sailship Fiore del Mare.
20 December 1914
The French submarine Curie attempts to sneak into the Austro-Hungarian Naval Base Pola, fails to pass the net barrier and sinks. Eventually, the submarine is lifted on 31 January 1915, repaired and commissioned on 01 June 1915 by the Austro-Hungarian Navy as SM U 14.
21 December 1914
In the Otranto Straits U 12 succeeds in hitting the French armoured cruiser Jean Bart by torpedo causing severe damage to it.
01 June 1915
The Austro-Hungarian Navy commissions U 14, the former French submarine Curie (see 20 December 1914). Her Commanding Officer becomes Lieutenant Baron Georg von Trapp (was before CO U 6 and U 5), who at the end World War I was the mo successful CO the Austro-Hungarian U Boat Force. After the was, he became even more famous as widower (1922) 7 children, who married in 1927 the governess (Maria) his children, when bo converted their family into a “singing” family, that soon entertained a wide audience through many public gigs. When Austria “merged” wi the National-Socialistic Germany in 1938, Baron von Trapp and his family immigrated to the US, to become even more famous over there. The history the family gained unforgettable fame worldwide through two German Movies (“The Trapp Family” in 1956/57) and the well known und much liked Broadway Musical “Sound Music” (1959).
10 June 1915
U 11 sinks the Italian submarine Medusa off Venice.
26 June 1915
U 10 sinks the Italian Motor Torpedo Boat 5 PN off Venice.
18 July 1915
U 4 sinks the Italian armoured cruiser Guiseppe Garibaldi off Ragusa.
08 August 1915
U 5 sinks the Italian submarine Nereide off Pelagosa.
09 August 1915
U 12 hits a mine while attempting to sneak into the Venice approaches, 17 deaths.
12/13 August 1915
U 3 attacks the Italian auxiliary cruiser Città di Catania in the Otrantro Straits and experiences severe damage while trying to ram. Next morning she is discovered by the French destroyer Bisson and sunk by Naval gunfire, 7 deaths.
18 March 1916
U 6 sinks the French destroyer Renaudin off Cape Laghi.
13 May 1916
U 6 runs into a net barrier in the Otranto Straits and is not able to come clear again. When three British destroyers were closing the crew carries out self-sinking its U Boat and was taken PoW by Italy eventually.
23 June 1916
U 15 sinks the French destroyer Fourche in the Otranto Straits.
10 July 1916
U 17 sinks the Italian destroyer Impetuoso off Saseno.
17 October 1916
U 16 sinks the Italian destroyer Nembo north of Corfu. However, while surfacing again she is rammed by the merchant vessel Borminda, which was escorted by Nembo. Eventually, U 16 sinks, 2 deaths, the surviving crew is taken PoW by Italy.
31 January 1917
U 30 leaves for another war patrol, this time in the sea areas between Malta and Crete, but nothing is heard her anymore thereafter. The U Boat sank probably in the Otranto Straits due to hitting a mine or experiencing a fatal technical fault, 21 deaths.
16 May 1917
U 5 hits a mine during a practice run in the Fasana Channel (6 deaths). The U-boat is raised again and re-commissioned.
21 February 1918
U 23 is sunk by the Italian torpedo destroyer Airone with all crew onboard, 21 deaths.
07 June 1918
U 20 is sunk by 2 torpedoes the Italian submarine F-12 in the Tagliamento Estuary, 18 deaths
09 July 1918
U 10 hits a mine off Caorle and is put ashore at the nearby beach. Although the U-boat is towed to Triest later on, it does not reach any status readiness thereafter.
20 September 1918
U 47 sinks the French submarine Circe off the Albanian coast.
31 October 1918
Following the defeat the Central Powers at the end World War I the surviving Austro-Hungarian Fleet is handed over initially to the newly created State Jugoslavia. 1919/ 1920 the U Boats were distributed as follows: : U 1, U 2, U 5, U 10, U 11, U 12 (after salvage), U 15, U 17, U 21, U 27, U 28, U 29, U 32, and U 40 to Italy, U 4, U 22, U 31, U 41, U 43 and U 47 to France.
All U Boats were scrapped eventually, exempt U 14, which was returned to France and re-commissioned as Curie by the French Navy.
The Austro-Hungarian Navy commissioned some 27 U Boats until the end World War I. 7 U Boats, i.e. one quarter the force, were lo during war patrols. According to verified sources the Austro-Hungarian U-boats sank a total 108 merchantmen with 196.093 tons, the sinking further 11 merchantmen with 41.000 tons remains unconfirmed. In addition, some 9 warships were sunk plus 4 more damaged severely (see above listings)