This study investigates the relationship between Lothar-Günther Buchheim (1918-2007), his bestselling 1973 novel Das Boot (The Boat), and West Germany's Vergangenheitsbewältigung. This is an unprecedented case study depicting how the pre- and postwar times affected writers and others caught in the the drama of the era.

Dean J. Guarnaschelli currently teaches at Hofstra University, USA. His recent Ph.D. in history complements his Masters degree in language teaching, a career spanning almost thirty years. His scholarly interest reflects Northern European affairs, with a special focus on Germany and Scandinavia.

Introduction. Lothar-Günther Buchheim's Das Boot: Memory and the Nazi Past 1. Buchheim and Transcultural Memory Studies 2. Formative Years: From Child Prodigy to War Reporter 3. The novel Das Boot 4. Popular and Critical Reception 5. The Film Das Boot and Transnational Reflections on the Past 6. The "Future" of the Past: Empathy, Honesty, and Truthfulness