The Sea and Blücher

The Sinking of the Blücher – New Research, New Perspectives

The sinking of the German cruiser Blücher was one of the most decisive individual events in modern Norwegian history.

During the night of 9 April 1940, several German warships sailed in line ahead into the Oslofjord, without their flanks being secured. It was a daring manoeuvre. The plan was to dock in Oslo and thereby force the King and Government to surrender.

The ship leading the flotilla was the cruiser Blücher. After coming under fire from shore-based guns and torpedoes in the Drøbak Strait, Blücher was severely damaged and sank. The rest of the flotilla turned back. The attack had failed.

Until recently, there was general agreement that the damage caused by the gunfire and torpedoes was the direct reason for the ship’s eventual sinking. However, new research based on the wreck as an archaeological source now reveals a different sequence of events, offering a new understanding of the causes of the ship’s sinking.

Jørgen Johannesen (NMF Conservator) is a maritime archaeologist at the Norwegian Maritime Museum.

Welcome to a lecture in Lille sal, Folkets hus, Løkkeveien 22, on Thursday 5 November, 19.00–20.00.

Illustration: Norwegian Coastal Administration