The ship, which is 571 feet long and still holds a Nazi swastika, attacked the southern Norwegian city of Kristiansand in April 1940.
During the operation, he was engulfed in fire from a Norwegian artillery, torpedoed by a British submarine and eventually drowned by the Germans, the statement said.
When released seven months before World War II, in September 1939, Norway declared itself neutral. Hitler ordered his invasion on April 9, 1940, however, German troops quickly occupied Oslo, Bergen, Trinheim and Norvik. Supported by Allied forces, the Norwegian army tried to resist, but was eventually taken over by the Nazis in June 1940 until liberation in April 1945.
“Furthermore, it was the only large German warship that was lost during an attack on Norway with an unknown position. After all these years, we finally know where the graveyard of this important warship is.”
“With the main battery of nine cannons in three triple constructions, this was the largest and most terrifying ship in the attack group against Kristiansand.”
Sonar discovered a wreck 15 meters from an underwater power cable between Norway and Denmark when signs of failure were first diagnosed three years ago during the inspection work.
Later this summer, the firm’s senior project engineer, Ole Peter Hobbstad, launched a further investigation into the Olympic Olympic Taurus. He and his team used multi-beam echo sounders and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to investigate the scene.
“When the results of the ROV showed us a ship that had been torpedoed, we realized it was a battlefield. As the cannons appeared on the screen, we realized it was a giant warship. We were so excited and surprised that the wreck was so big, “said Hobbertstad.
According to Statnet, further research into the ship revealed more about its fate.
In a book published the same year as the Nazi invasion, German Rear Admiral Otto Schenk wrote about the Gog fog at the time. He described how the boat, which was entering a fjord near Kristiansand, came under fire and was later hit by a British torpedo. It then sank at the behest of the German captain.
“It’s rare and extra fun for those of us working in underwater investigations to find such a special war catastrophe,” Hobburstade said.
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