U96

U96 is a German dance-music project formed by the DJ and producer Alex Christensen and a team of producers named Matiz (Ingo Hauss, Helmut Hoinkis, and Hayo Lewerentz).

Biography

1991–1992: Das Boot

The name of the project comes from the film Das Boot about the German submarine U-96 from the Second World War. The project's first hit, "Das Boot" (1991), is a techno adaptation of the film's title melody, which had been originally composed by Klaus Doldinger. An album of the same name was also released.

1993: Replugged

Its next album, Replugged (1993) was inspired by the electro sounds of the 1980s and by ambient and disco music themes. It was less commercially successful than the first album, but provided a couple of Top 10 hits in "Love Sees No Colour" and "Night in Motion".

1994–1995: Club Bizarre

The follow-up album Club Bizarre (1995) radically changed the group's sound. The album was dominated by a fast-paced Eurodance sound with a significant trance influence. The hit single releases from this album were "Love Religion" (with Daisy Dee) as well as the title track "Club Bizarre" with harmonies, which was reused later by Brooklyn Bounce. Motor Music also released the Club Bizarre Interactive CD-ROM. The audio part of this CD-ROM included several music tracks and the multimedia part featuring a discography, interviews with Alex Christensen, and a game for Mac OS and Windows PC.

German submarine U-96 (1940)

German submarine U-96 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 16 September 1939, by Germaniawerft, of Kiel as yard number 601. She was commissioned on 14 September 1940, with Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock in command. Lehmann-Willenbrock was relieved in March 1942 by Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Jürgen Hellriegel, who was relieved in turn in March 1943 by Oblt.z.S. Wilhelm Peters. In February 1944, Oblt.z.S. Horst Willner took command, turning the boat over to Oblt.z.S. Robert Rix in June of that year. Rix commanded the boat until February 1945.

As part of the 7th U-boat Flotilla, stationed in Saint Nazaire, on the French Atlantic coast, U-96 conducted 11 patrols, sinking 27 ships totalling 180,206 gross register tons (GRT) and damaging four others totalling 33,043 GRT. She also caused one vessel of 8,888 GRT to be declared a total loss. The boat was a member of eleven wolfpacks. On 30 March 1945, U-96 was sunk by US bombs while in the submarine pens in Wilhelmshaven. In her entire career, she suffered no casualties to her crew. The boat was also known for its emblem, a green laughing sawfish. It became the symbol of the 9th Flotilla after Lehmann-Willenbrock took command in March 1942.