Blücher
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Based
on a naval agreement from the 1920s, the limitations
on new navy ships is set to a maximum of 10000 tons.
However, Germany
conclude they need bigger and better ships than France and
England, since they will not be able to compete in the
sheer number of ships. Therefore they cheat with the
official tonnage and size on many of their new ship
projects, and the heavy cruiser Blücher was no exception.
During the invasion of Norway, Operation Weserübung, she
sailed together with the cruisers Emden and Lutzow and
several other support ships in Kampfgruppe V. The group
was tasked with securing Oslo and capture the Norwegian
government and the king. The plan was interrupted by the
fortress Oscarsborg who opened fire and sunk Blücher. The
battle group also sunk the vessel Sørland, and several houses were hit
in the small city of Drøbak during the fight. It is
estimated that between 600-900 German soldiers went down
with her in the cold water. The historical sources vary
quite a lot on this detail. Several items are later raised
from the wreck and one of the sea planes, an Arado AR 196
can be seen today at Flyhistorisk Museum Sola. One of her
anchors has also been raised and can be seen at Aker
Brygge in Oslo. The wreck rest today upside-down on a
depth of approximately 65 to 95 meter southeast of
Askholmene.
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59° 42' 2" N, 10° 35' 49" E  Picture: Blücher Wikipedia, Public domain 
 Norwegian political poster & Kriegsmarine poster in the 1930s Last updated: January 2021
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