World
Lost German warship recovered on Norwegian seabed 80 years after sinking
The 571-foot vessel, which still features the Nazi swastika, led the assault on the southern Norwegian city of Kristiansand during the invasion of the country in April 1940.
According to Stutnett, during the operation, it came under fire from Norwegian artillery, was torpedoed by a British submarine, and finally sunk by the Germans themselves.
When World War II broke out seven months ago, in September 1939, Norway declared itself neutral. Hitler ordered the invasion on April 9, 1940, and German forces quickly occupied Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Narvik. With the support of the Allied forces, the Norwegian army resisted, but eventually the Nazis took control in June 1940 until liberation in April 1945.
“Moreover, it was the only large German warship that was lost during the attack on Norway from an unknown position. After so many years, we finally know where the cemetery of this important warship is, ”said Kvalö.
“With a main battery of nine cannons in three triple towers, this was the largest and most formidable ship in the attacking group against Kristiansand.”
The first signs of wreckage were discovered three years ago during inspection work, when sonar discovered a sunken ship 15 meters from an underwater power cable between Norway and Denmark.
This summer, senior engineer Ole Petter Hobberstad conducted additional research from a naval vessel called Olympic Taurus. He and his team used multibeam echo sounders and a remotely controlled vehicle (ROV) to investigate the scene.
“When the ROV results showed us a ship that was torpedoed, we realized it was a warship. When the cannons were visible on the screen, we realized that it was a huge warship. We were very excited and surprised that the wreckage was so large, “Hobberstad said.
Further research on the ship has led to more knowledge of its fate, Statnett said.
In a book published the same year as the Nazi invasion, German Rear Admiral Otto Schenck wrote about the thick fog of the time. He described how the boat came under fire as it entered the fjord near Kristiansand and then was hit by a British torpedo. He was then sunk on the orders of a German captain.
“Finding such special military wrecks is a rarity and additional fun for us in underwater exploration,” said Hobberstad.
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