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Wilhelm Bauer, a German engineer, drew inspiration to create the Brandtaucher during the German-Danish War after witnessing the American navy’s strategic superiority on the Prussian coast. He studied shipbuilding and hydraulics, observing the movements of seals to inform his submarine’s design. Despite facing challenges with funding and modifications to the original design, Bauer, alongside engineer August Howaldt, successfully constructed the Brandtaucher.
The Brandtaucher, manufactured in 1850 by Wilhelm Bauer, stands as an exciting testament to early military technology and underwater navigation. The oldest surviving submarine in the world is located in the German Military History Museum in Dresden. It was designed for attacking enemy ships by diving underneath their hulls and operated by two sailors steering with hands and feet. However, during its first and only dive in 1851, the Brandtaucher developed a leak and sank to the bottom of the harbor.
Undeterred by this setback, Bauer went on to build a second submarine, Seeteufel for Tsar Alexander II of Russia. This submarine made 133 successful dives before ultimately sinking on its 134th dive. However, Bauer’s persistence and advancements in submarine technology paved the way for future innovations in underwater navigation. Today, we can see a miniature model of Seeteufel at Deutsches Museum in Munich while we can marvel at Brandtaucher’s wreckage displayed at German Military History Museum in Dresden.
Bauer’s innovative approach led him to develop a submarine that could break the siege and challenge enemy ships. His contributions to early submarine development and exploration have had a significant impact on modern naval warfare.
