February 12, 2006

A nice bit of salvage...

It isn't as though this ship has been missing, it's location was always known but the shear size and scope of the project is pretty amazing. From BBC News:
Graf Spee's eagle rises from deep
Divers have salvaged a 2m (6ft) bronze imperial eagle from the German World War II battleship Graf Spee that was scuttled in the River Plate.

Three divers had to loosen 145 bolts securing the 300kg (661lb) eagle to the stern of the craft in the muddy waters off Uruguay's capital, Montevideo.

"The eagle is really impressive... it's all virtually intact," said team leader Hector Bado.

The ship was scuttled in December 1939 to stop it falling into enemy hands.

Mr Bado told Associated Press news agency the eagle had a wingspan of 2.8m (9ft) and a special barge with a crane was needed to raise it from the river.
The article talks about a group of people who are raising major chunks of the vessel as a tourist attraction for the city of Montevideo. Very cool -- the Spee was the "symbol" of Germany's might on the ocean but like the rest of the Reich, was seriously damaged, took refuge and was then asked to leave. Her Captain, Hans Langsdorff took her out to sea, scuttled her and then killed himself three days later. It is easy to look at WW-II Germany and see just Nazis but there were a lot of amazing German nationals caught up as well. Captain Langsdorff was an enemy of England and the Allies at that time but history has proven him to be an honorable man. Wikipedia has a nice summary of the sinking of the Spee and a biography.
graf-spee.jpg
Posted by DaveH at February 12, 2006 8:24 PM
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