Die "Erfindung" des Ubootes und seine Entwicklung bis zur Einsatzreife zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts

As has been the case with other trailblazing innovations, several "inventors" claimed to have been the first to come up with the idea of the underwater vessel. Many of their theories have come down to us, theories that were never put into practice or developed to the point of usability. The experiments carried out by the Dutchman Cornelius van Drebbel (1624), David Bushnell (1742), Fulton (ca. 1800), Wilhelm Bauer (1850) and Horace Hunley (1863) are, for example, worthy of mention. Until the last quarter of the nineteenth century, however, the development of submarines was subject to limitations, due not least of all to the fact that the primary problem - the economic incentive for surface/subsurface movement- could not be solved by technical means. The various initial experiments with submersible craft nevertheless led to a number of significant findings: The designers knew what prerequisites had to be fulfilled for submerged running, they had tested the diving and surfacing functions of their craft and gained insight into the effects of subsea movement on the crew. With regard to the tactical application of these vessels in maritime warfare, it was known that underwater craft were a promising means of approaching an enemy ship unrecognised and carrying out an underwater detonation. Between 1875 and 1900, the systematic development of usable underwater vessels advanced quickly, due both to the introduction of suitable construction materials and developments in the area of engine and arms technology: This period saw the invention of the battery-powered electric engine for subsea movement and the torpedo as the submarine's primary weapon. While the United States and France played a leading role in the systematic development of the submarine, Germany waited and made use of experience gained by other countries. Through the introduction of technical improvements in the weaponry as well as the steering, locating, and propulsion functions - particularly the installation of torpedoes and the design of diesel engines that could be used in connection with electric drive - the submarine finally underwent concrete application in all navies at the beginning of the twentieth century