[PzLdr]

SCHARNHORST and GNIESENAU weren’t too shabby, either. SCHARNHORST is still the only surface warship I can think of that sank an enemy fleet carrier [H.M.S GLORIOUS] in action [June 8, 1940, off Norway].

The two of them sunk something like 115,000 tons of shipping during early 1941 [under Admiral Gunther Lutjens, who died on BISMARCK].

There’s a famous picture of Lutjens and Hitler when the latter inspected BISMARCK. Of everyone in the shot, Lutjens was the only one rendering Hitler a military salute.

[Emperor Palpatine]

Yet in the, (not bad for 1960-the models are very good), movie with Kenneth More, "Sink The Bismarck!" they have Admiral Lütjens giving a pep talk to the crew as they leave Norway to begin their sortie. Lütjens, (played wonderfully by character actor Karel Stepanek), says "You will tell tales of German sea power and stories of Nazi victories. To all of you I say this - never forget that you are Germans, never forget that you are Nazis!"

The historical irony being that the aristocratic Günter Lütjens was an ardent anti-Nazi who thought the Nazis were low-class bully boys and mindless goons. In November 1938 Lütjens was one of only three flag officers who protested in writing against the Kristallnacht.

"Wikipedia" says this about him: "...in the film Lütjens is portrayed as egotistic, overconfident, and a Nazi enthusiast angered over Germany's humiliation and his own lack of recognition at the end of the First World War. In reality, Lütjens was pessimistic of the chance of success of the Bismarck's mission, and did not agree with Nazi policies--he was one of the few officers who refused to give the Nazi salute when Hitler visited the Bismarck before its first and final mission, substituting for it the traditional naval salute. Lütjens also wore by choice the dirk of the Kaiserliche Marine, rather than the more modern Kriegsmarine dirk which bore a swastika."

The postwar German Navy named a guided missile destroyer "FGS Lütjens" (D185), which served until 2003.



I have respect and admiration for the man.