Imperial German U- Boat, U-20   On May 7 with the coast of Ireland in sight, German U-boat, U-20 commander Kptlt. Walther Schwieger, torpedoed Lusitania. She sank in 18 short minutes taking 1195 lives - 123 of them American. Although America did not immediately declare war on Germany, that would occur in April 1917, her sinking contributed to the mood that turned the tide of American public opinion against Germany and led the United States to join the Allied cause in World War I.    During WW-I U-20 made 7 war patrols and had sunk 36 merchant ships adding to 144,300tons, on November 4, 1916 she was grounded of the Danish coast at 56.33N, 18.08E blown by her crew the next day.   Specifications, U-20, Mittel U/U-19 class: The boat was laid down on November 7, 1911, at Kaiserlicher Werft, Danzig; launched December 18, 1912; and commissioned August 5, 1913. Displacement (srf/sub tons): 650/837             Dimensions (L*B*D meter): 64.15*6.10*3.58 Propulsion: 2*850hp diesel engines, 2*600hp electric motors for submergence, driving two shafts Speed (srf/sub knots): 15.4/9.5 Range (srf/sub n/miles@knots): 7,600@8/80@5 Diving depth (feet): 164 Complement: 35 officers and enlisted Torpedo: 2*bow torpedo tubes, 2*stern torpedo tubes, total of 6 torpedoes Mines: none Armament: 1*105mm main deck gun Construction Only 4 boats were built in this class, U-19 to U-22, by Kaiserlicher Werft, Danzig, between 1910-13.   Back to History Index