The Kampfschwimmer Company and the beachmaster company were both assigned to and integrated into the newly established Maritime Battalion (Seebataillon) on 16 December 1988. (The original Seebataillon had been disbanded in the 1960s.) On 1 April 1989 the Company celebrated its 25th anniversary. Six months before the fall of the Berlin Wall and the, Read More
The 1970s would be a decade marked by terrorism, and this would have great significance for the Kampfschwimmer Company. On 5 September 1972, eight members of the Palestinian terrorist organization Black September entered the Olympic Village in Munich. They took eleven hostages. All hostages died during the course of a rescue attempt by the, Read More
On 1 July 1963 the Kampfschwimmer platoon was relocated as a detached unit from Borkum to the Carlshöhe naval barracks (Carlshöhe Kaserne) in the town of Eckernförde on the Baltic Sea. Commander at this time was Oberleutnant zur See (O-2, equivalent to US Navy Lt. j.g.) Bernd Kielow. The Naval Chief of Staff’s official, Read More
The Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) was founded on 23 May 1949 out of what had been the three western zones of occupation. The new federal government soon came under increasing pressure to rearm. The catalyst was a conflict taking place 15,000 kilometers southeast of German territory: the Korean War. The Western powers, Read More
Formation and training of a Kampfschwimmer unit during World War II was an act of despair. For years the German war machine, with its ultra-modern heavy weapon systems and cutting edge equipment, had enjoyed an unbroken record of success. This provided the proponents of conventional warfare who dominated the command staff no incentive for, Read More
With the transition of the Armed Diver Group (Waffentauchergruppe) into the new organizational framework of the Specialized Operational Forces of the Navy (Spezialisierte EinsatzKräfte der Marine) or SEK-M in July 2003, the German navy formed a unique battalion. The SEK-M supports the operational freedom of the German maritime forces in the face of developing, Read More
Many special operators acquire specialized skills. Here are some examples of skills commonly found in SOF teams. Teamführer/Stellvertretender Teamführer – Team Leader/Deputy Leader While not specialized skills per se, these vital functions deserve mention here. The team leader is an officer who leads the team both in training and during operations. The deputy team, Read More
After three years of training, the time has come: certification as a Kampfschwimmer. In a simple ceremony the new naval commando receives his insignia, his certification papers, and his unique Kampfschwimmer serial number. He is officially inducted into the Kampfschwimmer community – a community which still numbers a mere 300 members 55 years after, Read More
The German navy’s Kampfschwimmer naval commandos are among the best Special Operations Forces in the world. The are trained for triphibian operations. They are at home on land, in the water and in the air. From the Air Kampfschwimmer commandos also use the air for covert approach and mission execution. This includes conducting static-line,, Read More
