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KMS Bismarck Returns Fire, May 24th, 1941 by Marii Chernev. A tribute by artist Marii Chernev, to the men of the Kriegsmarines most famous ship, the battleship KMS Bismarck and all the navy veterans who fought in the cold waters of the North Atlantic during World War II. The Bismarcks excellent gunnery, improved armour protection and greater speed all contributed to the sinking of the pride of the Royal Navy, HMS Hood. the defeat of the Hood led to the epic sea chase where the entire Royal Navys Home Fleet pulled out all the stops in an effort to avenge the Hood and sink the Bismarck. After an incredibly lucky torpedo hit on her steering gear by Swordfish torpedo planes from the carrier HMS Ark Royal, two battleships and two heavy cruisers of the Royal Navy caught up with the Bismarck on 27th May 1941. The resultant battle ranks as one of the greatest sea battles of all time. Of a crew of over 2200 able bodiedseamen, only 116 survived the momentous battle of 27th May 1941. The senior surviving officer was Burkard Baron von Mullenheim-Rechberg, the gunnery control commander. AMAZING VALUE! - The value of the signatures on this item is in excess of the price of the print itself! Item Code : DHM2208 KMS Bismarck Returns Fire, May 24th, 1941 by Marii Chernev. - This Edition TYPE EDITION DETAILS SIZE SIGNATURES OFFERS YOUR PRICE PURCHASING PRINT Signed limited edition of 300 prints. SOLD OUT (May 2011). Image size 27 inches x 16 inches (69cm x 41cm) Mullenheim-Rechberg, Burkard von + Artist : Marii Chernev Signature(s) value alone : £65 SOLD OUT NOT AVAILABLE All prices on our website are displayed in British Pounds Sterling

Other editions of this item : KMS Bismarck Returns Fire, May 24th, 1941 by Marii Chernev DHM2208 TYPE EDITION DETAILS SIZE SIGNATURES OFFERS YOUR PRICE PURCHASING ARTIST PROOF Previously sold out in 2011, one secondary market prints has become available. It has slight border damage which would be unnoticeable once framed. SOLD..Signed by Berkard Baron Von Mellenheim-Rechberg (deceased), the sole surviving officer of the Bismarck. Mullenheim-Rechberg, Burkard von + Artist : Marii Chernev Signature(s) value alone : £65 SOLD OUT VIEW EDITION... GICLEE CANVAS Limited edition of 10 giclee canvas prints. SOLD OUT. Size 24 inches x 36 inches (61cm x 91cm) none SOLD OUT VIEW EDITION... General descriptions of types of editions :

Extra Details : KMS Bismarck Returns Fire, May 24th, 1941 by Marii Chernev.

About all editions : A photograph of an edition of the print :

Signatures on this item
*The value given for each signature has been calculated by us based on the historical significance and rarity of the signature. Values of many pilot signatures have risen in recent years and will likely continue to rise as they become more and more rare.
Name	Info
Burkard von Mullenheim-Rechberg (deceased) *Signature Value : £65	Burkard von Mullenheim-Rechberg is a former German naval officer, lawyer, and ambassador. Born in Spandau into a family where the profession of arms was an established tradition, he entered the navy of the Weimar Republic in 1929. After service in a variety of ships and as assistant naval attache at the German Embassy in London, he was assigned to the Bismarck in May 1940. A year later he became the senior officer to survive her sinking. In 1952, after spending time as a prisoner of war and earning a law degree, the baron joined the diplomatic service of the Federal Republic of Germany. He served as consul general in Toronto and as ambassador to the West Indies, Zaire and Tanzania. Born in Prussia into a family with an established military tradition, Burkard Baron Mullenheim-Rechberg entered the Navy of the Weimar Republic in 1929. Burkard, like many Prussian officers, was critical of Hitler and his National Socialist Party. However, the regime did not accept criticism, and Burkard was forced to react with impotence or face the difficult fate awaiting dissenters. During his naval career Burkard served as an instructor at the Murwick Naval School, and as an assistant to the naval attachC, at the German Embassy in London. He had plenty of sea duty including time on both cruisers and destroyers. In May of 1940 Lieutenant-Captain Burkard was assigned to the Bismarck. He served as adjutant to Captain Ernst Lindemann, the Bismarck's commanding officer. Lindemann was an experienced gunnery expert, and given the Bismarck's enormous firepower, this background was deemed an asset. Captain Lindemann informed Burkard that the Bismarck would henceforth be referred to as a 'he' instead of the traditional 'she.' In addition to being an ideal duty assignment, serving as the adjutant to Captain Lindemann, provided Burkard insights, into Lindemann's character. The Bismarck was commissioned on August 24, 1940, but was unable to go to sea for several months because a sunken ship blocked the channel. At the time of the Bismarck's demise on May 27,1941, Burkard was Fourth Gunnery Officer, and he was the highest ranking officer to survive the great ship's sinking. He became a prisoner of war, and spent much of the remainder of the war in Canadian prisoner camps. Burkhard earned a law degree after the war and joined the German diplomatic service in 1952. His first assignment was in Iceland followed by posting to Oslo Norway where he was head of the consular section on the German Embassy. He served in a variety of posts. He was Consul General in Toronto, and Ambassador to the West Indies, Tanzania, and Zaire. Burkhard retired from the diplomatic service in 1975. Since that time he has lived with his wife in upper Bavaria. He has authored two books on the Bismarck, and has served as a consultant to movie producers and other WW II authors. In addition to being one of the world's foremost authorities on the Bismarck, and its demise, Burkard has written extensively regarding his reflections on the political nature of the Nazi regime and its criminal misdeeds. Many officers which served their country during the war were unaware of the crimes and atrocities of the Nazis, where others with some knowledge were torn between their loyalty to their country and their opposition to Hitler's misdeeds. He died 1st June 2003.

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