The combat swimmers (1)

For months, the ZDF program frontal has been accompanying Germany's special forces of the Navy: the combat swimmers. One condition: no names and no faces, their anonymity must be guaranteed. The path to becoming a combat swimmer is tough and the training is extreme. Surviving underwater for minutes without oxygen, swimming 30 kilometers with full gear across the Baltic Sea – these are the demands that aspiring combat swimmers must be able to meet. Only a few make it into the company. Are the requirements too harsh? “No. In a real situation, there is no second chance,” says the team leader. 

The three-part series “The Combat Swimmers” gives you insights into the Navy's special forces that you won't find anywhere else. This is the first part of the documentary series.