GOOGLE Maps is an incredible tool for discovering historical sites around the world from the comfort of your own home.
Military history enthusiasts have even found the famous Bismarck wreck location using it. But what was the Bismarck and where can you find it?
What was the Bismarck?
The Bismarck was a battleship in Nazi Germany’s “Kriegsmarine” or navy.
It was named after the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck, and – along with sister ship Tirpiz – was among the largest battleships ever built by the Germans.
Its standard crew numbered 1,962 enlisted men and 103 officers.
On June 8, 1989, the wreck of Bismarck was discovered by Robert Ballard, an American oceanographer who was responsible for finding the Titanic.
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How to find the Bismarck wreckage on Google Maps
Google Maps is an incredible resource, especially if you use some of the best tips and tricks we’ve rounded up.
Thanks in part to Ballard’s discovery, it’s possible to see the point on the map where the wreck of Bismarck currently rests using the satellite technology.
If you open Google Maps, and type in the coordinates: 48°10′N 16°12′W, you’ll be taken to the spot where the enormous ship sits on the sea floor.
However, as the ship is resting over 15,000 feet beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, sadly you won’t be able to see the ship itself.
Who sank the Bismarck?
The Bismarck was deployed by the Germans during World War 2, but was sunk by a combination of torpedo hits, shellfire and scuttling by the ship’s crew.
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On May 27, 1941, it sustained incapacitating battle damage and considerable loss of life during an engagement with two British battle cruisers, and two heavy cruisers.
But the ship wasn’t actually sunk by the British.
In order to prevent the ship being boarded, it was “scuttled” – or deliberately sunk – by the Germans themselves.
It’s thought that the ship would have eventually sunk due to battle damage.
