| Kriegsmarine (“Nazi German Navy”) battleship Bismarck in the Baltic sea en route to Norway prior to her Atlantic sortie. Photographed from the afterdeck of the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen. Note the angled black and white stripes over Bismarck’s hull as well as the battle flag hoisted on the mainmast. Bismarck passed through the Kiel Canal for the last time on the night of March 7-8, 1941, and entered the floating drydock on March 9-14, 1941 at Deutsche Werke Kiel for repairs to the ship’s hull. From March 14-17, the ship embarked supplies, ammunition, fuel and water, including 2 Arado Ar-196 floatplanes, the 1st of a total of 4. On March 17 she moved to Gotenhafen. On March 18, Bismarck conducted trials in the Baltic Sea with Prinz Eugen. She returned to Kiel sometime around April 2, 1941. Copied from the report of officers of Prinz Eugen, with identification by her 2nd Artillery Officer, Kapitänleutnant Paul S. Schmalenbach (August 21, 1909 – September 26, 1986). In 1970, Schmalenbach identified this photo as part of Prinz Eugen’s war diary. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1833.jpg |
| Image Size | 964.10 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 5692 x 3120 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | Prinz Eugan Propaganda Kompanie |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | March 18, 1941 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | |
| Country | Baltic Sea |
| Archive | Naval History and Heritage Command |
| Record Number | NH 69721 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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