Tirpitz polarurkune question

[NOR_collector]

Hi.

I got a really great lot from a soldier that served on tirpitz. With the lot it also was a copy of the original polar urkunde that I have. It has a stamp on the backside. Can anyone tell me what this is?

Thanks.

Best regards,
André

[NOR_collector]

Here is the copy.

[Hank C.]

Here is the copy.

It certifies that it's an official copy, made on the date shown.

Hank

[NOR_collector]

Thanks Hank.

hehe.. Kind of funny actually. Then I'm 100% sure that I have a original copy of the original document.

Regards,
André

[Simon O.]

Could well have been done in connection with an official claim of some sort that required evidence of service.

[NOR_collector]

It could be, but I have several award documents from the same soldier and this is the only one that is copied like this. It could of course be that the other copies are lost over the years.

[Br. James]

Hi André,

Let me be the first to admit that neither the Kriegsmarine in general nor the Battleship Tirpitz in particular have been focused areas of study for me -- I am primarily an NSDAP political and social student -- but I thought it might be helpful to know, historically, whether the ship could have traveled to the polar region on the dates stated on this document -- 12 March to 5 May 1943 -- or whether she was known to have been elsewhere during this period. According to the Battleship Tirpitz website (www.kbismarck.com/tirpitz.html), here is the listing of facts presented for this period:

24 February 1943: Captain Hans Meyer takes over command of the ship.

11 March 1943: Leaves Trondheim and sails back to Bogen in Narvik, where she joins the Scharnhorst and the heavy cruiser Lützow.

23 March 1943: Tirpitz, Scharnhorst, Lützow and six destroyers are transferred to Altafjord where they run trials until July.

06 September 1943: Operation Sizilien. Tirpitz, Scharnhorst, and the destroyers Z27, Z29, Z30, Z31, Z33, Erich Steinbrinck, Karl Galster, Hans Lody and Theodor Riedel, leave Altafjord under the command of Admiral Kummetz, to attack the allied installations on the island of Spitzbergen.

From these dates, it seems at least possible that Tirpitz could have visited the polar region for maneuvers during the dates shown on the document.

Hope this is helpful. Cheers,

Br. James

[NOR_collector]

11 March 1943: Leaves Trondheim and sails back to Bogen in Narvik, where she joins the Scharnhorst and the heavy cruiser Lützow.

You do cross the polarcikle when you travel from Trondheim to Narvik.
All the polarurkunde I have seen has been dated March 12th 1943 si it makes sense.

I have crossed the polarcirkle when I was in the navy.

Regards,
André

[Simon O.]

I lived within the polar circle for 12 years ;-)

[NOR_collector]

Nice. You should give yourself a polarurkunde each day for all those 12 years! hehe

[monty]

Tirpitz

Here are 2 photos from an album I own from the Tirpitz probably taken on that same voyage in 1943. They are titled "Im Eismeer" which of course is the Artic Ocean.