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The Sinking of the Laconia

Six hundred miles from the coast of Africa, in September 1942, a German U-boat, U-156, sinks the British troopship Laconia carrying 1,800 Italian POWs, 80 British civilians, and 268 Polish and British soldiers. After realising that there were POWs and civilians on-board, and that they are facing certain death without rescue, U-Boat Commander Werner Hartenstein (Duken) makes a decision goes against the orders of Nazi high command. The U-boat surfaces and Hartenstein instructs his men to save as many of the shipwrecked survivors as they can. Over the next few days U-156 saved 400 people, with 200 people crammed on board the surface-level submarine and another 200 in lifeboats. Hartenstein gave orders for messages to be sent out to the Allies to organise a rescue of the survivors, but they were spotted by American B-24 Liberator bombers which moved in to attack. The Sinking of the Laconia takes a look at the human side of the remarkable events that took place: the friendships that developed, the small acts of heroism, and the triumph of the human spirit in the most incredible of situations.

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Cast & Crew See All

Andrew Buchan
Thomas Mortimer
Ken Duken
Werner Hartenstein
Lindsay Duncan
Elisabeth Fullwood

Season 1 Episode Guide See All

Episode 1

Episode #1.1

Wed, Jan 5, 201186 mins

Part One:- In 1942, the Laconia, an old British cruise liner turned troop ship, is returning to Liverpool from Egypt with civilian passengers and Italian prisoners. Its guns are outdated, its captain, Sharp, lost his last ship and the Italians, unhappy at being caged below the water line, are tormented by their Polish guards. Third officer Mortimer learns that his family have been killed in an air raid and seeks comfort with Hilda Smith, a mysterious widow who seems to have visited Germany recently. At that moment the ship is torpedoed by a German U-boat, whose humane captain, Kapitanleutnant Werner Hartenstein, learning that the Laconia was not a warship, decides to rescue the survivors, bringing some into the submarine and towing others in life-boats.

Where to Watch

Awards

  • 2011 - Golden Nymph - Mini-Series - Best Performance by an Actor - nominated
  • 2011 - BAFTA TV Award - Best Drama Serial - nominated
  • 2012 - German Television Award - Best Miniseries (Bester Mehrteiler) - nominated
  • 2012 - German Television Award - Best Movie Made for Television or Miniseries (Bester Fernsehfilm/Mehrteiler) - nominated

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