KM painting scored at an antique shop.

[LostDutchman]

I was walking through an antique shop the other day and found this oil painting for next to nothing. I'm not sure if it period or not... and for what I paid it doesn't really matter. I just thought it was neat.

[harryamb2]

looks like the graf spee burning,if so that must be kapitien langsdorff..love it.

[Woolgar]

Its not the Graf Spee imo. She was scuttled, her bridge etc were not alight like that and U Boats were not authorised to enter neutral Montevideo harbour.

Nick

[LostDutchman]

I'm going to remove it from this hokey frame... It looks like it was in another frame before this one... It might just be period... who knows... Maybe I'll find a date and artist under the frame.

[big ned]

I think I may know this one.

I reckon it's a painting of the Battleship 'Bismarck' and U-556. The officer is probably Kapitanleutnant Wohlfarth, the sub's commander.( Then again, it could just as easily be Lindemann I guess!) The easiest way of explaining my reason is by quoting directly the connection between the two vessels from the 'Bismarck's Fourth Gunnery Officer and most senior survivor, Kapitan Burkard von Mullenheim-Rechberg:

"... to us on board the Bismarck, the U-556 was no ordinary U-boat. There was a very special bond between the little boat and the giant battleship. Both were built at Blohm & Voss and in the summer of 1940 they were often neighbours on the ways. When the U-556 was commissioned, the mighty bow of the Bismarck towered over her. Kapitänleutnant Wohlfarth, who was known in naval circles as “Sir Parsifal,” decided that the commissioning ceremony would not be complete without a band and, since a U-boat certainly did not carry one, he would ask the big neighbour (which as Fleet Flagship had a band) his band and thereafter his artistically designed Patenschaftsurkunde (Certificate of Sponsorship) hung in the Bismarck.

Lindemann and Wohlfarth became friends. At the beginning of 1941 the Bismarck and the U-556 were together during gunnery exercises in the Baltic, and once even used the same target. The U-556, which Lindemann had allowed to precede him, damaged the target so badly with ten hits that the Bismarck could not use it that day. Lindemann, however, did not take it amiss and soon dispelled Wohlfarth's fear that he would be greeted with an ill-humored reaction, "I do not begrudge you that in the least. I wish that you may have as much and rapid success in the Atlantic and win the Knight's Cross for it." Relieved, Wohlfarth replied, "I hope we both receive the Knight's Cross in the common struggle in the Atlantic."

On 24 May, 1941, Wohlfarth heard over the radio about the sinking of the Hood during the operation he had just ended against convoys. At first he could not believe it. Now, only two days later, the situation of the Bismarck was drastically different, almost hopeless. What did his Patenschaftsurkunde say? "We, the U-556 (500 tons), hereby declare before Neptune, the ruler of the oceans, lakes, seas, rivers, brooks, ponds, and rills, that we will stand beside our big brother, the battleship Bismarck (42,000 tons), whatever may befall her on water, land, or in the air. Hamburg, 28 January 1941. The commander and crew of the U-556." One of the two sketches on the certificate shows "Sir Parsifal" warding off aircraft attacking the Bismarck with a sword in his thumb. The other sketch shows the Bismarck being towed by the U-556. It almost seemed as though Wohlfarth had the gift of prophecy when he prepared that certificate.

Help against aircraft and torpedoes, and then a tow. That was exactly what the Bismarck needed, and he, of all people, Godfather Wohlfarth, was near her. But he was powerless to help her."



The Patenschaftsurkunde, or Certificate of Sponsorship.

Regards, Ned.

[jimpy]

Whatever it's provenance/subject matter, it's a cracking picture and I'd gladly hang it on a wall in my house.

Great pick-up LD.

Regards etc
Ian D

AKA: Jimpy

[LostDutchman]

Comparing pictures I'd say it's most likely Kapitanleutnant Wohlfarth. Lindeman looks a little more lanky and skinny in the pictures I have seen of him.

[big ned]

Comparing pictures I'd say it's most likely Kapitanleutnant Wohlfarth. Lindeman looks a little more lanky and skinny in the pictures I have seen of him.

And he had such large sticky out ears he looked like a taxi with the doors open.

Wohlfarth witnessed the sinking but could not assist Lindemann as he had fired all his torpedoes earlier in his patrol. He watched a cruiser and aircraft carrier cross his bows on the way to the final action and could do nothing to help.

On his return he was awarded the Ritterkreuz for his actions on this patrol.

[TNcollector]

Nice find! I like paintings like this. Cheers, Robert