I acquired this stein directly from the veteran who brought it back. While I was I purchasing a Navy dagger and a K98-k I just happened to see the stein which was filled with M&Ms!

He didn’t recall where he got it but he was in Brest after it fell which is where he got the Naval dagger. He and his compadres ‘liberated’ the contents of several lockers that were from U-boat crews that never returned to base because they were sunk, captured or couldn’t return to base because it had been captured by the Allies while they were at sea. He seemed to think the stein was from that raid but couldn’t be sure as time had dimmed his memory somewhat.

Anyway, the inscription could be for a friendship group from the WW2 U-1?
Records indicate that boat was commissioned in 1935 and sunk in 1940 and was a ’school boat’. If it is a friendship group from the WW2 U-1, possibly they met the first time in 1945 (which doesn’t seem likely to me at all with the chaos in Germany at that time).

Could it be a friendship group from the WW1 U-1, if so, why the 1935 date? Possibly they just started meeting in 1925 so the 1935 date could ‘fit’.

Any suggestion on what it is would be appreciated; it may not even be military.

more pics

As the text beneath the name/year says "for 16 years of loyal comradeship", the origin comrade event has been in 1919.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: wotan,

wotan I also had it as a WWI item...the owner said it he thought is said 10 not sixteen...but looking at it more closely...it sure looks like 16...in either case...I think it is a WWI momento...Roland.

I'm sorry for the quality of the picture but it's clearly 10, not 16.

Texasüberalles, thank you for correcting me, looking to fast led me to my mistake. So this puts the event in the Weimar republic era.

The item is sadly not U-Boot related.

What may appear to be "U.1." is part of the abbreviation "U.l.Kam." which stands for "Unserem lieben Kameraden", or "To our dear comrade".

So the entire dedication reads "Unserem lieben Kameraden Hans Rehagen 1935 fuer 10 jaehrige treue Kameradschaft", or "To our dear comrade HR 1935 for 10 years of loyal comradeship"

Unfortunately, there is no indication of unit affiliation.

Thank you Paul...very insightful...never even considered that even though it is there in plain sight...when you are right you are right...Roland.

BTW Paul...where have you been...long time no c? Roland.

Hey Roland.. been around... just not active on the forums much.

Thanks for the information.

I knew it was 'too good to be true' to stumble across a U-Boat inscribed item that was full of M&Ms.........