The messages
By Michael Hörenberg
All these messages (Enigma Nachrichten) were recovered from U534 in 1993. The original ENIGMA M4 key sheets didn´t survive the time under water, because they were printed on water soluble paper. Some original "Schlüsselzettel" had readable handwritten plaintext. You can download these messages here. We try to break 50 messages, but some are in bad condition and/or incomplete.
All interpretations and translations are preliminary. Every improvement or suggestion is welcome. Don´t hesitate to contact us.
There are rumors about irregular ENIGMA machines used on U 534. We disproved this: All messages decrypts on standard M4 Enigma machines.
We found 2 daily keys (Tagesschlüssel) for the naval Enigma machine:
30. April 1945 (Key Potsdam - codenamed “Plaice” by the Allies):
Reflector (Umkehrwalze): C
Greek (Griechenwalze): B
Wheels (Walzenlage): 568
Wheel positions (Walzenstellung): individual for every message
Rings (Ringe / Ringstellung): AAEL / EPEL
Plugs (Stecker / Steckerbrett): AE BF CM DQ HU JN LX PR SZ VW
(Found by Dan Girard)
01. May 1945 (Key Potsdam - codenamed “Plaice” by the Allies):
Reflector (Umkehrwalze): B
Greek (Griechenwalze): C
Wheels (Walzenlage): 438
Wheel positions (Walzenstellung): individual for every message
Rings (Ringe / Ringstellung): AACU / VCCH
Plugs (Stecker / Steckerbrett): CH EJ NV OU TY LG SZ PK DI QB
(Found by Michael Hörenberg)
02. May 1945 (Key Potsdam - codenamed “Plaice” by the Allies):
Reflector (Umkehrwalze): C
Greek (Griechenwalze): C
Wheels (Walzenlage): 528
Wheel positions (Walzenstellung): individual for every message
Rings (Ringe / Ringstellung): AAFB
Plugs (Stecker / Steckerbrett): CP DG EJ FI KT LZ MS NO QU RW
(Found by the Enigma@Home project 20.06.2013)
Only message P1030713 is encoded with this key
The bracket scheme:
(...) original plaintext
[...] interpretation of garbled or incomplete plaintext
"(...)" original brackets --> KK ... KK
Original formatting / abbreviations:
Welle "NB" = The "Funkschaltung". This means a radio circuit for a special area. The "Funkschaltung" determines the radio frequencies and the "Leitnummern" (serial numbers) used in this area. NB = Niobe (1-100) Norwegian coast.
X = Period / Dot
Y = Comma
UD = Question Mark
XX = Colon
YY = Dash/Hyphen/Slant
KK**KK = Parenthesis
J******J = Stress Mark
SSD= "SEHR SEHR DRINGEND" or "EXTREMELY URGENT"
Note: BINE" (or "BIENE") - "MUKE" (or "MUECKE") - and "WESPE" are three codewords that were optionally used as substitutes for the urgency sign "SSD".
UUU = Uboat / Submarine
VVV VON = From
NUL NULL = Zero
EINS = One
ZWO ZWEI = Two
DREI = Three
VIR VIER = Four
FUNF FUENF = Five
SECHS SEQS = Six
SIBEN SIEBEN = Seven
ACHT AQT = Eight
NEUN = Nine