German commando frogmen Germany ' s postwar commando frogman force are called the Kampfschwimmer ( " Combat Swimmers " ) or " Verwendungsgruppe 3402 " ( Usage Group 3402 ) . They are the only special - purpose force of the German Navy . The Kampfschwimmer were set up when Germany joined NATO in 1958 . During the existence of the GDR ( East Germany ) , the People ' s Navy of the GDR also had a commando frogman force , which was stationed in Kühlungsborn . They trained at Prora on Rügen . History . The first German frogman commando unit was formed under the direction of Alfred Von Wurzian during World War Two . Wurzian was initially an artilleryman . He was also an Olympic swimmer . He was originally from Austria . He had to overcome a lot of hurdles to form this specialized unit as many brass types could not buy into the concept of such a specialized unit . The unit ' s name was Küstenjäger - Abteilung " Brandenburg " . Post World War II . The Kampfschwimmer were set up particularly because Germany joined NATO and there was felt to be risk of war with the Soviet Union . A unit was needed which could help to secure the Baltic Sea exits through the Danish Straits . On 1 August 1958 Group 3402 , as these commando frogmen were called by the navy , was set up . It consisted of men without a Nazi past , who had served in World War II in the small combat forces and the naval employment commands . The first Kampfschwimmer were trained first with the " Nageurs de combat " in France . France had developed the role of the commando frogmen further in the Indochina war , to the modern single fighter . The Kampfschwimmer should carry out their tasks both in the water and ashore , like German commando frogmen did in World War II . But now a new dimension was added : Air . This three - role concept of the French became the basis of the commando frogmen of the German navy . On 1 April 1964 , the Kampfschwimmer appeared for the first time as an independent body . In the following years they extended their tasks , but lacked money . Thus e . g . they had to buy their own drysuit undersuit s . Roles . In the Gulf War in 1991 , the whole company was used for security missions on the German ships involved in the Persian Gulf . As a boarding party they were involved in embargo control against the remainder of FR Yugoslavia in the Adriatic Sea . Organization . Since 1974 the Kampfschwimmer have been stationed in the naval base at Eckernförde near Kiel . In October 1994 they were subordinate to the Flotilla of Mine Warfare . In Eckernförde a combat frogman group was set up , it consists of a mine clearance diver company and a commando frogmen company . Allegedly the weapon diver group has 250 men . The commando frogmen company had , according to strength and equipment records , 3 groups , each with 16 men . Of it , approximately 40 men are actively operational . In 2001 the Waffentauchergruppe ( " Armed Diver Group " ) became the Bataillon Spezialisierter Kräfte ( " Specialised Forces Battalion " ) . By a transformation in 2003 the ( " Specialised Task Forces of the Navy " ) was formed . The SEK M was divided further into the Combat Swimmer Company , a mine clearance diver company , and two naval companies for special employments ( e . g . to board ships ) , a training inspection group , and further support elements . Conditions for entry . These minimum requirements must be fulfilled by all candidates , to become certified for training : Training . During the training , it is less about the physical load than the psychological load , which causes many applicants to give up . The physical achievement can be trained , but overcoming the fear is the most important goal of the training . The training includes but is not limited to swimming , diving , navigation , close combat , weapons handling , and parachuting . In the special conclusion exercise their ability and hardness are equally demanded , before they join the circle of the commando frogmen . In further training sections they are trained as team leaders or specialists . Introductory training . First there are four weeks of introductory training . In this time the applicants are pushed hard physically and psychologically by fixed exercises . All exercises have the goal to take away the fear of water and to make the applicant feel safe in the water . One of the exercises is called " gefesseltes Schwimmen " ( = the bound swimming ) . The applicant is placed on the starting block in the full combat suit , with his hands tied behind his back and his feet tied together , and then pushed in the swimming pool . He must stay for 30 seconds alone clearly ; afterwards a safety diver pulls him back up . In the so - called " hate week " the trainees are deprived of sleep . Between the night exercises , there are night runs . Meanwhile the normal routine of the day continues : swimming , diving , and push - ups . They also have to train to exit a submarine through a torpedo tube and must re - enter it through there . At the final examination they have to swim about 30 km with full equipment in the baltic sea to reach the beach after being discharged at the sea .