A number of front-facing Kriegsmarine eagles still exist today:
- Example 1: Swastika removed
- Example 2
- Example 3
- Example 4
- Example 5: Eagle from the Erich Giese
- Example 6
- Example 7
- Example 8
- Example 9: Nyboder School in Copenhagen
- Example 10: Karlsruhe Battleship
Other examples:
Example 1: Swastika removed
Example 5: Eagle from the Erich Giese
This is the bridge eagle from German destroyer Erich Giese, now located in the Narvik War Museum (http://www.ww2museums.com/article/14720/War-Museum-Narvik.htm ). The Erich Giese (Z12) was built by Germania Werft, Kiel and launched on 12 March 1937. She was scuttled at Ofortfjord on 13 April 1940 during the 2nd Battle of Narvik.
The eagle, weighing 70kg, was originally attached to the wheelhouse of the 120m long German destroyer Erich Giese. The exploration team came across the find at a depth of 67m, less than 200m from the shoreline. The search and retrieval operation lasted 4 days and involved 2 technical divers and 2 support divers. The eagle was lifted from the seabed at night. It was located 10-15 metres from the main wreck which may have saved it from being found earlier by divers.
An excellent slideshow of the retrieval can be found here (opens window)
Note the photo showing a Reichsbahn front facing adler alongside the Kriegsmarine front facing adler
Size: 125cm x 65cm.
Weight: 20kg
This eagle was originally placed over the entrance of Nyboder School in Copenhagen, one of the headquarters of the German Wehrmacht during the occupation of Denmark. It now resides at the museum in Denmark (Bunkermuseum in Hanstholm ).
The museum is built around one of the largest German bunkers on the Danish west coast from the 2nd World War. It boasted four 38 cm guns of the same type that were used on the battleship Bismarck.
Example 10: Karlsruhe Battleship
This German warship was sank by the British and has been found 80 years after the event. It was found after a power company stumbled across it while inspecting their underwater lines. The Karlsruhe was returning from the Nazi invasion of Norway in 1940 when it was torpedoed by HMS Truant, forcing the Germans to scuttle the sinking ship.
The ‘Karlsruhe stands firmly 490 meters below sea level with the eagle still attched.
