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A German ship sunk during World War II was found lying on the bottom of the water 80 years after its disappearance in April 1940. But it has not been found by historians, archaeologists, diving enthusiasts or treasure hunters. , but employees of the Norwegian public electricity company.
Teams from Statnett, the Norwegian public power grid operator, were in for a big surprise. Off the Norwegian coast, at a depth of about 488 meters, stood a huge German warship: a 174 meter long cruiser called “Karlsruhe” dating from World War II, CNN reports.
The ship was found about 13 nautical miles from Kristiansand, a city that was attacked on April 9, 1940, when Nazi Germany invaded Norway. The ship, which participated in the operation, was hit by a torpedo fired by a British submarine.
No one knew where the Nazi ship had sunk
Frode Kvalø, an archaeologist and researcher at the Norwegian Navy Museum, says the ship “Karlsruhe” was “the only large German warship that was lost during the attack on Norway, but whose position is unknown.” This ship, equipped with steam turbines and nine guns, was mentioned in the history books, but no one knew exactly where it sank.
Before sinking, the “Karlsruhe” was first under artillery fire at Odderøya fortress, the island near Kristiansand, and was later torpedoed by the British submarine Truant. As the ship had suffered significant damage, the Germans themselves decided to destroy their ship, activating another torpedo.
But despite the damage, the ship was incredibly well preserved on the seabed and can be recognized. Even the Nazi swastika remained visible.
The ship did not capsize, but remained “standing”
Frode Kvalø is also in awe of Karlsruhe’s position. Normally a ship of such proportions capsizes when struck. Or, “Karlsruhe” was found “standing up”, with the guns pointing menacingly out to sea.
Although the investigation into the mysterious shipwreck could only be carried out this summer, the first signs of such a discovery appeared three years ago.
How the ship “Karlsruhe” was discovered
During an inspection, a Stattnet sonar found the wreckage of a ship 15 meters from the undersea power cable that connects Norway to Denmark, but the company admits that it did not expect to come across such an important discovery.
This summer, engineer Ole Petter Hobberstad conducted additional research with the help of a remote-controlled robot. “When the results showed us that it was a torpedoed ship, we understood that it was from the war. And when the cannons became visible on the screen, I realized that it was a huge warship, “said the engineer.
Norway, five years under Nazi occupation
When the Second World War broke out in September 1939, Norway declared itself neutral, but Hitler ordered the invasion of the country seven months later, in April 1940. German troops quickly occupied Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Narvik. Supported by the allied forces, the Norwegian army managed to put up resistance, but the Nazis took full control in June 1940, occupying Norway until its liberation in April 1945.
In a book published the same year as the Nazi invasion, the German admiral Otto Schenk recounted the episode of the sinking of the ship. She says it was a thick fog, and “Karlsruhe” was attacked by artillery as soon as it entered a fjord near Kristiansand. It was later hit by a British torpedo. Under these conditions, the German commander gave the order to sink the cruiser.
Editor: Luana Păvălucă
