Some Schwerin hsf from Tirpitz opinions please

[Simon O.]

Even tho 1000 men died on Tirpitz, the salvage firm removed most of the bodies, they dumped them in some deep part of the fjord (i read)

Tiripitz ain't much of a war grave. It's been to much activity there. Everything is a pile of rubble and if it wasn't for divers, items like these badges would of been gone forever.

Of the 972 that died around 850 have no known grave. Some of the bodies that were recovered were buried either on Tromsø island or on a small island next to Håkøya. It's known that the graves of some for example were built over in the 1970s and are now under blocks of flats.
The fact is, that human remains are still in amongst the wreckage. I myself have found human bones on the shoreline and i know very well what's been found by divers over the years.

You could use the 'if it wasn't for divers' argument for any shipwreck. Imagine the outcry if stuff was being removed from Norge or Eidsvoll in Narvik!

If anything is removed from Tirpitz then it should be done under the supervision of the local defence museum here.

[NOR_collector]

Here are some more pictures of some other medals that was located on only 3meters depth.
The diver does not have any medals or badges for sale at this point
Instead of sending pm's to all of you that has shown interest in these badges I have decided to post the message here. I hope that's ok.

Best regards,
André

[NOR_collector]

2

[NOR_collector]

3

[NOR_collector]

4

[NOR_collector]

5

[Jody]

Tirpitz

Hello,
I find this thread to be fascinating (the early badges is a trip). This is great stuff and I sure would love to own a little something from it.

Regards,
Jody

[ayf]

Medals

Keep them in Norway,give them to the lokal defence museum,this is a part of the Norwegian history.

[NOR_collector]

Keep them in Norway,give them to the lokal defence museum,this is a part of the Norwegian history.

The divers has done that and are still giving items to the Tirpitz museum.

[NOR_collector]

Here are some more pictures.

[NOR_collector]

1

[NOR_collector]

2

[Simon O.]

What on earth are KVK without swords doing on Tirpitz?

The DKiG is particularly interesting, i know these are all unissued and seem to come from the ship's store of decorations, but only a couple of DKiGs were awarded to members of the crew, one being to Kptlt. Alfred Fassbender on the 18.11.44 (6 days after the sinking). He was central to the rescue efforts carried out in the days following the sinking when a a large rescue operation was carried out to try and save those men trapped inside her hull, i believe the last man brought out alive was some 5 days after she capsized. A lot of men remained trapped under the water line and couldn't be got to.

[rudicantfail]

The Tirpitz is not a War Grave! How disgusting is that? So only the victorious Nations can have protected War Graves, anyone else just does not matter! Can you imagine the outcry if a British, American or Norwegian wreck was being picked over by everyone and anyone, with no regard for the dead what so ever....................? The Tirpitz may have been an "enemy" ship in the eyes of many, but the crew were just human beings, some very young. Treat the dead with respect, no matter what country they originated from.

Maybe someone knows for sure what the Norwegian salvage crew members did with the remains they found upon entering the "Tomb" of the Tirpitz? When she sank in November 1944 I presume the German rescuers who cut through the hull to rescue those trapped, also removed some of the dead as well? But in 1947 when the salvage operation started, there must have still been many bodies within the wreck? I do hope that they did the salvage in a respectful way.

Perhaps if it had been made a War Grave, as most wrecks are, the it would have been towed out to deeper water {somehow} and sunk!

[ddbinks]

[QUOTE=rudicantfail;2116412]The Tirpitz is not a War Grave! How disgusting is that? So only the victorious Nations can have protected War Graves, anyone else just does not matter! Can you imagine the outcry if a British, American or Norwegian wreck was being picked over by everyone and anyone, with no regard for the dead what so ever....................? The Tirpitz may have been an "enemy" ship in the eyes of many, but the crew were just human beings, some very young. Treat the dead with respect, no matter what country they originated from.

AGREED. Those men probably weren't much different than you and me. It could have been anyone of us on that ship had we been born in a different place and time...