Current Date: 26 Nov, 2025
{{entry.title}}

The Amazing Truth About The German U-Boat That Was Sunk By A Toilet

During WWII, a German captain and an engineer flushed the submarine's high-tech toilet incorrectly, causing the vessel to rapidly fill with water. British planes patrolling the sea attacked them as the submarine was brought to the surface. While many members of the crew were killed in the attack, the captain escaped!

The German submarine U-1206 belonged to the advanced VIIC series, which was built to elude detection and effectively destroy enemy convoys.

It was a high-tech machine for its era, equipped with all the newest technology and onboard conveniences, including a cutting-edge bathroom.

German engineers had created a high pressure system that, instead of following the British practice of storing sewage in septic tanks on board the vessel, ejected waste directly into the sea, saving valuable space and weight. The system, however, was only effective when the sub was on or close to the surface, which was not ideal if you were submerged for extended periods of time, which was frequently the case during times of war.

German U Boat That Was Sunk By A Toilet 1
Source: Wiki Commons

Karl-Adolf Schlitt, captain of U-1206, discovered for himself during a fateful trip to the restroom on April 14, 1945, that it was also quite difficult to use.

Just nine days had passed since Schlitt and his crew embarked on U-1206’s maiden voyage when a bathroom trip went horribly wrong.

Captain Schlitt made a call for assistance after being unable to figure out how to use the flush mechanism. Sadly, the engineer who assisted him turned the wrong valve by mistake, causing the cabin to fill with a mixture of seawater and human waste.

German U Boat That Was Sunk By A Toilet 2
The toilet, AKA head, in British submarine HMS Alliance (c.1945–1973) — Source: Wiki Commons

Following the foul cocktail’s leak into the submarine’s battery compartment, which was located directly below, a chemical reaction started that resulted in the release of lethal chlorine gas.

Captain Schlitt, who had no other choice, gave the order to blow the ballast tanks and head for the surface. Torpedoes were fired from the U-boat to increase buoyancy and shed extra weight.

But as U-1206 emerged from the depths, a Royal Air Force patrol spotted it and started firing. Captain Schlitt ordered the U-boat to be scuttled and any classified materials on board to be destroyed as the crew scurried for the dinghies.

Four crew members drowned out of the 40 people on board. The rest were taken as war prisoners. Before being captured, some of the men made it through the dangerous ten miles to the coast of Peterhead.

German U Boat That Was Sunk By A Toilet 3
Karl-Adolf Schlitt — Source: uboat.net

According to Captain Schlitt’s official statement, “I was in the engine room when there was a water leak at the front of the boat. I now know that a mechanic had attempted to fix the forward WC’s outboard vent.

“Despite severe flooding, the engineer who was in the control room at the time was able to make the boat buoyant and surface.

“At the same time, sea water was covering the batteries. The boat began to fill with chlorine gas.

“At that point, neither of us could move nor dive. British planes and patrols eventually found us at this point. I allowed the boat to sink.

A group of divers descended to a depth of 86 meters in May 2012 to examine the U-1206’s wreckage. The submarine, which was discovered 12 miles off Cruden Bay in Aberdeenshire, was said to be in excellent shape despite having been submerged for more than 60 years.

At the age of 90, Captain Karl-Adolf Schlitt passed away in 2009.

Similar Stories
Irena Sendler: woman who rescued Jews during holocaust

Irena Sendler: woman who rescued Jews during holocaust

Irene Sendler was the Zegota resistance group's head of the children's department. She risked her life to smuggle children out of the Warsaw ghetto, place them with Polish families or orphanages, give each child a new identity, and keep records so that they could be returned to their families. In 1943, the Gestapo arrested and sentenced her to death, but she was rescued by Zegota.

Will & William Wests: The puzzling situation of two inmates who are identical but not related

Will & William Wests: The puzzling situation of two inmates who are identical but not related

These are the mugshots of Will West and William West, and they are not related. They were both sent to Leavenworth Prison at the same time, in 1903, and after some confusion, the staff understood they had two different prisoners with the nearly same name, who looked exactly alike. They are part of the reason fingerprints are now used as identification.

The day Iceland's women went on strike

The day Iceland's women went on strike

Icelandic women went on strike for equal rights on October 24, 1975. 90% of women walked out of their jobs and homes, effectively shutting down the entire country. The men were struggling to keep up. The following year, Parliament passed a law requiring equal pay. Iceland elected the world's first female President five years later. Iceland now has the highest gender equality rate in the world.

Why Comedians Failed to Make Sober Sue Laugh in the Early 1900s

Why Comedians Failed to Make Sober Sue Laugh in the Early 1900s

In the bustling vaudeville scene of early 20th century New York, a mysterious performer known as "Sober Sue" captured public imagination not for jokes or songs, but for her unshakable stoicism—she never smiled or laughed. A local theater even offered a tempting reward of $1,000 to anyone who could make her laugh, drawing crowds and famous comedians eager to claim the prize. Despite countless hilarious attempts, Sue remained expressionless, a mystery that baffled performers and audiences until it was revealed that she suffered from facial paralysis, explaining her unchanging demeanor.

Ea-Nasir: world's oldest written customer complaint

Ea-Nasir: world's oldest written customer complaint

This clay tablet, written in cuneiform, is the oldest known written customer complaint about the delivery of poor quality copper ingots. Originally from ancient Babylon, the tablet dates back to 1750 BCE, and it was written by a customer named Nanni to a merchant named Ea-Nasir. It is currently housed in the British Museum.

The Forgotten Story of Semipalatinsk and the Soviet Nuclear Experiments

The Forgotten Story of Semipalatinsk and the Soviet Nuclear Experiments

Between 1949 and 1989, the Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan became the primary location for Soviet nuclear weapons tests, exposing millions of unsuspecting villagers to radioactive fallout. Known as the “Polygon of Suffering,” this remote desert witnessed 456 nuclear detonations that caused widespread health crises, birth defects, and generational genetic damage. This article narrates the chilling legacy of Semipalatinsk, unveiling the human cost of Cold War arms development and the ongoing struggle for healing and recognition in Kazakhstan.