Hans Hass is dead...

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Thanks for the information, but I'd like to know your sources. Under the circumstances, this discussion may be deemed inappropriate for this area, please feel free to PM me.

Wayne

I wrote a paper on early modern diving history when I was in school -- we used typewriters then... LOL. Google is your friend.... I'm sure all this stuff is out there.... You will not find any bombshell articles titled "Hans Hass was a closet Nazi" or the like -- but if you research things like German diving programs during WW2, Drager's history, O2 rebreather development, early Caribbean recreational diving -- specially Bonaire and Capt Don Stewart, etc... you will find plenty of interesting reading.

Your're right..... trashing a recently dead guy is probably inappropriate regardless of any truths... so I will respectfully shut up now.
 
I wrote a paper on early modern diving history when I was in school -- we used typewriters then... LOL. Google is your friend.... I'm sure all this stuff is out there.... You will not find any articles titled "Hans Hass was a closet Nazi" or somesuch -- but if you research things like German diving programs during WW2, Drager's history, O2 rebreather development, early Caribbean recreational diving -- specially Bonaire and Capt Don Stewart, etc... you will find plenty of interesting reading.

When you said what you did, I looked. It would appear that the Internet has conflicting stories about the topic, but I wouldn't hang someone out to dry because of what gets repeated on the Internet without references to the source.

Draeger made its first production diving rebreather in 1912, although the model 10 wasn't made until 1941. I can find no "referenced" sources that confirm that Hans was involved in any research in the war other than academic. I'm reasonably aware of Draeger's history. Up until my retirement 2 years ago, they were a Client of mine (Draeger saturation systems).

Hans was mainly a free-diver. I'm aware about the Goliath Groupers story and where it came from. As I personally know some of the history behind this; I don't believe it.

Your're right..... trashing a recently dead guy is probably inappropriate regardless of any truths... so I will respectfully shut up now.

Me too.
 
When you said what you did, I looked. It would appear that the Internet has conflicting stories about the topic, but I wouldn't hang someone out to dry because of what gets repeated on the Internet without references to the source.

Draeger made its first production diving rebreather in 1912, although the model 10 wasn't made until 1941. I can find no "referenced" sources that confirm that Hans was involved in any research in the war other than academic. I'm reasonably aware of Draeger's history. Up until my retirement 2 years ago, they were a Client of mine (Draeger saturation systems).

Hans was mainly a free-diver. I'm aware about the Goliath Groupers story and where it came from. As I personally know some of the history behind this; I don't believe it.



Me too.

The Goliath Groupers story on its face sounds like BS. He and his crew alone forced the extinction of the Goliath Groupers by eating them? I know they had a lot of help. I remember the old SMG speargun ads with pictures of 600+ lbs Jew Fish, Goliath Groupers before the name change, in the back of Skin Diver mag. They had plenty of help. Remember JYC stating the seas are limitless we couldn't deplete them? I remember. Old Hass didn't act alone.
 
Old Hass didn't act alone.

... or at all. Where do you put that much fish on your boat? Marine Biologists/Zoologists with Ph.D.'s aren't know for their extermination of species on reefs that they've traveled thousands of miles to study are they?... :)
 
DoNotDstrb, hard to find any reason to believe what you have written is accurate when you cannot even spell the name Cousteau!

Not everyone who fought for Germany in WWII was a Nazi, in fact, most weren't.
 
I know I said I'd shut up.... but.... I think its pretty sad how some people like to ignore obvious historical fact just because it creates inconvenience to a certain narrative..............

Everything I said can be easily researched...... and as to the comment regarding wanton fish butchery by science types being hard to believe....... Watch Cousteau's iconic Le Monde du Silence (Jacques Cousteau - Le Monde Du Silence - YouTube) for a great, well shot, full-color illustration of how scientists treated our oceans in the 1950s. My favorite part begins around 21:30 when some scientists dynamite a reef to conduct a fish survey. They even drag all the dead and dying fish onto the beach so they don't have to get wet while documenting. Later on, after running over an immature whale with their ship, they massacre all the oceanic whitetip sharks that show up for a free meal in a bizzare orgy of rifle fire, gaffing, and clubbing.

I digress......

Here's some tidbits of info regarding Hans Hass' work with Drager in 1941/2. Trust me, there was not a whole lot of recreational diving going on in Germany between the Battle of Britain in 1940 and Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. Drager was a state controlled enterprise at the time and 100% dedicated to Hitler's war effort. This was no secret in Germany and Mr Hass was no idiot... he knew exactly what the technology he was helping advance would be used for.

Hans Hass
Modell 138 the Hass rebreather

@clownfish: Spell-check? Really.... what are we? 12? You are, however, right about one thing... not everyone that fought for Germany was a Nazi...... Certainly, OTOH, everyone that fought for Germany when they had a choice was a Nazi. Mr Hass clearly had a choice. He could travel freely and often did. He even owned a ship at a time when most of Europe was in flames and owning a pot to piss in was considered a luxury for most people. If he was not supportive of the Nazi regime, he could have easily fled to England or America like so many other scientists and engineers did. The Allies would have welcomed his skills and expertise. Lack of employment would not have been his problem. Instead, he chose to stay in Germany and work with Drager and the Kreigsmarine. The "conscription" story was told later to make it seem like he was some poor chump that was simply drafted into the army. Every other ex German soldier was telling the same story in the late 1940s and 50s. Pure bull****, that is.

Re the groupers: Page 237 quotes Hass in his own words taking pleasure in spearing and killing fish purely for fun... fish that by his own admission are too large to haul out:

The Unnatural History of the Sea - Callum Roberts - Google Books

Don Stewart, a man who commands real respect and coincidentally DID NOT contribute to the most evil enterprise this side of the middle ages, is widely quoted as blaming Hass, crew, and those who followed his example (of course he didn't do it alone!!!) for decimating marine life in Bonaire. There is nothing to believe or disbelieve here; this is not religion. It simply happened!!

I'm done....... continue your idolizing, if you will.....
 
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I maintain all Dr. Hass's American published books. All inscribed to me. (Also a few in German-not inscribed)

Diving to Adventure-1952- inscribed by Dr. Hass
(he had not met Charlotte Beierl (Lotte) when he published the book in German- they were married in 1950)

Manta -1953-inscribed by Dr. Hass & Lotte

Men and Sharks -1954-inscribed by Dr. Hass & Lotte

We come from the sea- 1959-inscribed by Dr. Hass & Lotte

Challenging the deep -1973Diving to Adventure-1952- inscribed by Dr. Hass

Men beneath the sea -1975-inscribed by Dr. Hass & Lotte

GERMAN

Ich tauchte in den Meeren -1954

Wir Kommen aus dem Meer-1957

Vorstob in die Tiefe-1972

Hans Hass: Ein Leben lang auf Expedition-1994- inscribed by Dr. Hass & author Dr. Micheal Jung


The Complete Goggler inscribed to me-Both the American and the English edition- Dr. Hass was the last person alive to be mentioned in the book



The 1959 third annual Underwater film festival program inscribed to me- very few if any of these remaining. My copy is mint!

(this event was where I met Dr. Hass and his wife "Lotte" for the first time-54 + Years ago)

The 1998 Santa Barbara Underwater film festival honoring Hans and Lotte Hass both inscribed to me.

The Historical Diver fall 1996 inscribed to me

Sport Diver Vol.1 Nr.1 Hans Hass article

And Berliner Zeitung, December 1942 with Hans picture on front cover-

Son of a GUN!
 

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