Świnoujście: Remains of the cruiser Lützow found at the bottom of the channel

Divers working at the bottom of the Piastowski Channel managed to find the remains of the German heavy cruiser Lützow. The vessel sank during World War II as a result of damage sustained during Allied air raids.

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During the Second World War the SMS Lützow was moored at what is today known as the Karsiborska crossing. It is here that a group of divers has been combing the bottom for several days. So far they have managed to find a considerable amount of ammunition, which was probably thrown out from the damaged cruiser.

History buffs hope that, in addition to ammunition, the finds will also include items of equipment or personal belongings of the crew, which could enrich the museum’s collections.

Heavy cruiser type Deutschland entered service on 1 April 1933 and remained in service until 4 May 1945. The crew consisted of 1150 seamen. Ship measured 186m in length and 21,6m in width. The whole was powered by 8 Man diesel engines with a total power of 52000 hp. This translated into 28.5 knots. The ship’s range was approximately 8900 Mm at an economic speed of 20 knots.

As befits such a colossus, the Lützow was well armed. On its deck were 6 280 mm guns, 8 150 mm guns, 6 105 mm plot guns and 10 20 mm plot guns. In addition, 8 533 mm torpedo launchers and 2 Arado Ar 196 aircraft were available.

From 1941 till the end of the war the SMS Lützow served as a training ship in the Baltic Sea. After the war the Soviets partially scrapped the unit (armament) and turned the stripped hull into a training target for their aircraft.

There is also an interesting story connected with the unit, concerning its name. Before Lützow became Lützow, it bore the proud name Detutschland. However, at the express wish of Adolf Hitler, the name was changed to reduce the propaganda potential of the whole situation in case of sinking.

Source: swinoujskie.info