U-Boat Story

German submarine U-534 is a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II. She was built in 1942 in Hamburg-Finkenwerder by Deutsche Werft AG as yard number 352. She was launched on 23 September 1942 and commissioned on 23 December with Oberleutnant zur See Herbert Nollau in command. U-534 is one of only four German World War II submarines in preserved condition remaining in the world, albeit cut into sections unlike the others, these being the IXC boat U-505 in Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, the VIIC/41 boat U-995 at the Laboe Naval Memorial near Kiel and the XXI boat U-2540 in Bremerhaven. U-534 was used mainly for training duties; during her service she sank no ships. A Royal Air Force bomber sank her on 5 May 1945 in the Kattegat 20 kilometres (11 nmi) northeast of the Danish island of Anholt. U-534 was salvaged on 23 August 1993 and was moved to Woodside Ferry, Birkenhead to form the 'U-Boat Story' museum. This attraction opened on 10 February 2009 and closed in 2020. In October 2021, ownership of U-534 transferred to Big Heritage, operators of the nearby Western Approaches Museum.