Basic gear from the mid-twentieth-century Federal Republic of Germany

[David Wilson]

Time for a new thread about basic diving equipment desitgned and manufactured in Western Europe during the second half of the twentieth century. This country profile will focus on what was then the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), colloquially known as "West Germany" and with Bonn as its seat of government (see map below). In the aftermath of World War II, the FRG arose from the American, British and French Occupation Zones of Germany, while the the Soviet Occupation Zone became the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 ended the GDR and in its territory soon merged with the FRG to create a united Germany.

When West German diving equipment comes under discussion, the name "Dräger" or "Draeger" is likely to be the first point of reference for commentators outside the FRG. Dräger dominated professional diving equipment manufacturing in the mid-twentieth-century FRG in much the same way as its contemporaries Dunlop, Heinke and Siebe-Gorman did in the UK. The key players in the West German recreational diving equipment market, however, were Kurt Ristau and Hans Joachim Bergann, who founded the underwater diving equipment manufacturing and distribution company Barakuda Gesellschaft für Wassersport Ristau & Co (Ristau & Co. Barakuda Watersports company) in 1949 in the West German city of Hamburg after serving as combat swimmers during World War II. Ristau and Bergann's company Barakuda will be the primary focus of this thread, considering the large range of diving products the firm manufactured or imported during its lifetime.

The Wikipedia article about Barakuda at International Aquanautic Club – Wikipedia is worth a look if you can read German. The firm began publishing the FRG's first diving magazine, Delphin, towards the end of 1953 and opened the first German diving school abroad in Elba in 1954. In 1955, Ristau and Bergann demonstrated their ingenuity by filing the first patent for a monofin-like device for swimmers incorporating both feet. The invention was patented in 1961, but it never entered the production stage:

 

[David Wilson]

Let's proceed to Barakuda's range of fins, masks and snorkels. If you want to go straight to the German company's annual catalogues, you're spoilt for choice, because they are posted at a minimum of four online locations: Barakuda, CG-45 - Downloads /downloads/Catalogs/BARAKUDA/, https://personal.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8d6d638a5f6075b5a46a and Cataloghi Completi | BluTimeScubaHistory.

Our starting point will be the fins in the 1953 Barakuda catalogue, which is the earliest edition to be posted online. Let's begin with the "Original", which appears thus in the 1953 catalogue:

Here's a rough translation: The "Original" model is relatively soft and flexible, making it especially suitable not only for long-distance swimming but also for anybody whose first priority is to swim with as little effort as possible. The model is produced in four sizes, in black only.

And here's the 1969 catalogue version:

The caption reads something along the following lines: Model in continuous production for 16 years. Medium-hard, fishtail-like blade, comfortable foot pocket, extremely elastic fixed heelstrap. Combines two rubber blends. All-purpose fin, primarily used in long-distance swimming and water rescue.

Here are some photos of Barakuda Originals:

The close-up image shows the warning message that fins must be wetted or powdered before donning and that running when wearing fins was a no-no.

Note how the fins closely resemble Dunlop Admiralty Pattern fins of the 1950s:

which in turn resembled in shape the Superga fins worn by Italian combat swimmers during World War II:

That's it for today. We've just dipped one toe into the water so far as Barakuda's large product range is concerned and there will be more fins for review next time. Stay tuned!

 

[Sam Miller III]

David
Fantastic information as always
The fins appear to be almost carbon copies of the American fins introduced in 1939 by Owen Potter Churchill and commonly referred to as "Churchills"
Know them well my first fin - ordered from NYC, Abacombre and Finch in 1950
I still have several pairs

It is reported and I believe documented that in WW 11 the Germans used "frogmen in two battles in Holland and on the Rhine crossing at Remagen.

At one time I had a picture of a German frogman captured at Remagen-- I recall he was equipped with a chest mounted rebreather. but I don't recall seeing a mask or fins -- but the "march of time" and I suspect the picture is gone with the wind

Sorry that I didn't have the opportunity to post on the French fins- I knew Rene Cavallaro and his daughter Carole - who ran Champion during the later days. It was a great honor to escort Rene around DEMA for two days during the later part of his very productive life.

The events of those two days could fill a book !

Keep up the great work -- it is certainly appreciated and needed

Sam Miller, III

 

[Akimbo]

At one time I had a picture of a German frogman captured at Remagen

Interesting. I have to wonder what combat swimmers hoped to accomplish against that bridge. From images and descriptions I have seen that bridge was hard to damage even with tons of explosives installed by Nazi combat engineers. Here is a breadcrumb if anyone is interested in digging deeper: Battle of Remagen

"When the Germans sent a squad of seven naval demolition swimmers wearing Italian underwater breathing apparatus, the Americans were ready. For the first time in combat, they had deployed the top-secret Canal Defence Lights[10][11]:410 which successfully detected the frogmen in the dark, and they were all killed or captured.[12]"​

According this this same Wikipedia article the bridge fell before combat swimmers could reach it so they went after the floating bridge: Frogmen dispatched

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks for extra input, guys. Today's contribution from me will focus on a family of Barakuda fins named after the modern inventor of the swim fin: Louis de Corlieu.

Barakuda Cdte. de Corlieu adjustable open-heel fins

The above from the 1953 Barakuda catalogue. I'll paraphrase the caption. This fin is a further development of the "Original" fin (which I reviewed a few days ago). Its most distinctive features are a hydrodynamic shape; protection of the entire sole of the foot, including the heel, from sharp objects; light weight; soft, high-quality rubber material; shoe-like foot pocket; adjustability for a universal fit. The name pays homage to the "father of the modern swimming and diving fin" Commandant Louis de Corlieu, who developed the first usable fins for the crawl stroke, applying the fishtail principle. Every known swim fin of the early 1950s, including the Barakuda "Original" and "Hans Hass" models, is based on Louis de Corlieu's patent, which is licensed in Germany to the Barakuda company. The Barakuda Corlieu fin came in two sizes: EU37-40 and EU 41-45.

The above from the 1954 catalogue. The image shows the same fins from a different perspective, while the captions more or less tells the same story as the one from the 1953 catalogue, emphasising the model's versatility at the end. Note how the position of the buckle (left on the left-foot fin, right on the right-foot fin) provides a handy reminder to the user about which fin goes with which foot. The blades have asymmetrical tips, a not uncommon characteristic of fins of that time, reminiscent of a concave fishtail when a crawl stroke is deployed.

The Barakuda "Cdte de Corlieu" fin remained in production until 1959, when it was billed as a fin for the whole family because of its adjustability and a fin for beginners, children and women because the foot pockets were very comfortable to wear and the blades were relatively soft and flexible to kick.

 

[David Wilson]

In 1960, Barakuda introduced a "Cdte de Corlieu"-Super fin.

Barakuda Cdte de Corlieu - Super open-heel fins

The main enhancement warranting the "Super" moniker was the offset blade (note the level of the foot pocket toe above the blade) that made Luigi Ferraro's 1953 Italian Cressi Rondine design so revolutionary for its time in energy erfficiency. So much so that Fred M. Roberts devoted an entire appendix of his seminal work Basic Scuba (first edition: 1960) to an analysis of the relative performance of the "Straight Blade Fin" and the "Offset Blade Fin".

I'm no physicist, so I'll leave thrust and force for others to debate.

Other conspicuous changes in fin design are the use of ribs to reinforce the blades, which now have symmetrical concave-tipped blades. The foot pocket toe, now elevated above the blade, comes fitted with a soft and comfortable toe cap to reduce pressure on the wearer's toe of the the fin is sized a little tight. The toe cap also leaves the option of being cut away to expose the toes if the fit is too snug. The overall design is reminiscent of the German Democratic Republic's flagship fin "Naiade" and the Soviet Union's Del'fin flagship fin:

 

[David Wilson]

In 1962, the original Barakuda "Cdte. de Corlieu" open-heel fin gained an offset and symmetrical blade, but forfeited its extended foot platform and the "Cdte. de" from its name.

Barakuda "Corlieu" open-heel fins

Otherwise the model remained the same, targeting an identical demographic of families, beginners, children and women thanks to its size adjustability and its blade of medium stiffness. The outline of the fishtail on the blade and the raised toe area makes interesting features.

This version stayed on the books until 1967, when it was offered in a colour choice of blue and ivory:

That's it for today. I'll look at Barakuda's Hans Hass model fins next time.

 

[Sam Miller III]

David
Interesting !
De Corlieu originally called swim fins "Swimming propellers." Fortunately the term did not become popular

According to Owen Churchill and my recollection of a long ago conversation with him he paid De Corlieu either one quarter million dollars or three quarters of a million US dollars to enter into a license agreement to produce dive fins.
I question if abd how much the German companies paid ?

Some where in my collection I have a picture of Churchill & De Corlieu taken in Algeria after WW11.. It was the only known picture of them together

Keep up the great work

Sam Miller, 111

 

[David Wilson]

On to a third Barakuda fin, a model named after an Austrian diving legend. While Charles Dickens' historical novel Tale of Two Cities (above) is set in Paris and London before and during the French Revolution, the story of Hans Hass fins is a "tale of four cities" set in Paris, Vienna, London and and Hamburg before, during and after World War II.

And here is the timeline:

1937. According to Michael Jung Fall 1996 article “Hans Hass: Pioneer of Swimdiving” in Historical Diver 9, pp. 12-19 and at Historical Diver, Number 9, 1996 - Aquatic Commons, Commandant Louis de Corlieu (above) exhibited his “propulseurs de natation” (swimming propellers) at the World’s Fair in Paris in 1937. Hass saw them and purchased a pair.
1938. In 1938 at the tender age of 19, Hass undertook his first expedition to the former Yugoslavia, accompanied by several friends from the University of Vienna. During this expedition, he fished with harpoon and goggles and took his first underwater photographs using a watertight camera housing that he had built. He also used fins for the first time, which enabled him to swim by leg power only, leaving his hands free to operate the camera.
1941. Hass replaced the original goggles he had been using up until this time with a circular diving mask that enclosed the eyes and nose. He had bought the mask when he was in California in 1940.
1948. According to Hass, Hans, he designed Hans Hass fins for manufacture by Austrian rubber concern Semperit.
1949. According to http://www.hans-hass.de/resources/HH-Werks-Verz+A2.pdf, Hans Hass System fins available from Semperit in Vienna.
1951. Hans Hass System fins available from Barakuda in Hamburg and Heinke in London (see below).

So Hans Hass fins were inspired by Louis de Corlieu's swimming propellers at the World's Fair in 1937 in Paris and manufactured by Semperit in Vienna, Heinke in London and Barakuda in Hamburg in the aftermath of the Second World War. A tale of four cities.

 

[David Wilson]

Hans Hass (above, 1924 – 2013) had his prototype fins manufactured at the Semperit Rubber Works in the Austrian capital Vienna in 1949. Here is one early purchaser's experience at Diving Icon Hans Hass 1919-2013 - DIVER magazine: "Met Hans Hass and Lotte Hass in Salzburg during a film screening. Was thrilled by it and ordered the first flippers Semperit Vienna Rubber works made from rubber sheets by hand with two spring steel insert. When I used these Swim fins, the first time both broke apart. Semperit made shortly afterwards the Hans Hass flippers for which paid a dollar a pair. Hans Hass also penned several books about it (among corals and sharks etc). Walking 1951 on Saint Catherine Street in Montreal and looked into the window of the Sports Equipment Store (JOE RICHMAN SPORTING GOODS) I saw flippers that looked more like a tree leaf (not like a fish tail ) and had a retail price of $ 15.00 a pair – I went into the Store and offered the Owner Austrian made ” Hans Hass Fins for $ 4.00 the pair from a Drawing I made and got an order for 400 pairs ( However, it took 6 months to he paid) – This was my first business deal in Canada. Not bad for a young 17 year old Boy . I owe everything to Hans Hass, who gave me the idea for selling and later on making Sports Diving Equipment ."
When I read about post-World War II Vienna, I can't help thinking about The Third Man (videoclip above), that great British film noir based on Graham Greene's screenplay and set in the ruins of the Austrian capital. The zither music immediately conjures up whatever happens to be a cinema-goer's favourite image from the film. It's amazing that one of the most copied early swim fin designs was first hand-made, however imperfectly, at a rubber factory in the same 1940s Central European city where The Third Man was set. By the way, Semperit is still in business as a Viennese rubber goods manufacturer with a product range including bicycle tyres, but sadly no swimming fins, Hans Hass type or otherwise.

The two images above showcase a pair of Semperit System Hans Hass fins that launched a 2012 thread on this very forum. As you can see, these Austrian-made Hans Hass fins have open heels with fixed straps and the iconic centre rib reinforcement on the blades.

The image above is from Fabio Vitale's HDS Italy journal article at https://www.hdsitalia.org/sites/www.hdsitalia.org/files/documenti/HDSN21.pdf. The illustration on the right shows the classic design, while the left-hand version has a 1956 variant, whose "distinctive feature is a strap cut at the rear and fitted with eyelets and buttons to lengthen or shorten the fit. An adjustable moulding is able to protect the heel."