Battleship Bismarck, A Survivor's Story

by Burkard von Müllenheim-Rechberg

Originally published to much acclaim in 1980, this is the story of the legendary German battleship that sunk the pride of the Royal Navy, HMS Hood, on May 24, 1941, and three days later was hunted down and sunk by the British during one of the most dramatic pursuits in naval history. Told by a German naval officer who witnessed both sinkings, the book chronicles the brief but sensational career of what was thought to be the grandest weapon of the Third Reich. Burkard Baron von M llenheim-Rechberg, the Bismarck's top-ranking survivor, tells the battleship's story from commissioning to the moment when the captain gave a final salute and went down with his ship.

The epic battle between the two great enemy ships captured the imagination of an entire generation and became a popular subject for movies and songs. With the discovery a few years ago of the Bismarck's sunken hull off the coast of France, worldwide attention has focused again on the famous ship. Reprinted now in paperback for the first time, the work presents the human dimensions of the event without neglecting the technical side and includes information on rudder damage and repair, overall ship damage, and code breaking. The book also provides insights into the author's life as a prisoner of war in England and Canada and the friction that existed between the Nazis and non-Nazis Germans in the camps. Such a personal look at one of the most famous sea encounters in the history of World War II makes absorbing reading.

Genres: World War II, History, Military History, Nonfiction, War, Military Fiction, Germany

1 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

The Highest-Ranking survivor of the sinking of the battleship Bismark.

Reviews

['Aussie Rick' · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having first read this book back in the very early 1990's all I can recall was that it was a well told account of the German battleship Bismarck from one of the officers who survived the sinking. It’s a great account and well worth the effort to read if you can find a copy.

From the publisher:
“Originally published to much acclaim in 1980, this is the story of the legendary German battleship that sunk the pride of the Royal Navy, HMS Hood, on May 24, 1941, and three days later was hunted down and sunk by the British during one of the most dramatic pursuits in naval history. Told by a German naval officer who witnessed both sinkings, the book chronicles the brief but sensational career of what was thought to be the grandest weapon of the Third Reich. Burkard Baron von Müllenheim-Rechberg, the Bismarck's top-ranking survivor, tells the battleship's story from commissioning to the moment when the captain gave a final salute and went down with his ship.”

The Bismarck still manages to produce much interest amongst historians with new book being released every year or so, the latest being; “Bismarck: A Minute by Minute Account of the Final Hours of Germany's Greatest Battleship by Niklas Zetterling (ISBN 1935149040).

[James Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all's quite on the western front, You experience the battle, chase and the sinking through the eyes of a German Officer, the highest ranking survivor. I try to read everything I can About the sinking of the German BattleShip Bismark. I became interested in the Bismark when at an early age when I saw the Movie "Sink the Bismark. The author re-emphasizes some facts that need to be looked at, and brings to life some controversies that still go on today.

The Ship= Far superior to any ship afloat, technology and armor wise. She was a beautiful Ship, streamlined, Wider than most Battleships at that time in history, to stabalize her when her guns fired a volley of all four turrets. Doubled armored with a space in between each along the hull of the ship, This primarily was for torpedo defense. She had a superior fire controll system. she carried 2 folded wing planes with two catapults.

Flaws= The screws were too close together, which made it almost impossible to steer in case the rudder was damaged or inoperable which proved to be her "Achilles Heel".

What finally sunk her= Here lies the contriversy, The Brittish says the multi tordedo hits at the end. The Germans say she finally sunk due to her being scuttled. Survivors say that when her hull was exposed as she went down they could not see any torpedo damage. Admiral Tovey of the Brittish Navy tried to finish her with volleys of all the ships in the area, her guns were silenced early in the engagement, It became target Practice. Admiral Tovey finally voiced what is keeping her up, and gave the order to finish her off with torpedo's. She probably went down eventually. So that is the Contriversy.

The Brittish employed over 63 ships to try to sink her.

My Review Note=Robert Ballard took a diving vessel down to evaluate the Bismark at the bottom of the ocean. One of his main objectives was to examine the hull for torpedo Damage and to try to put the matter to bed. There was no significant torpedo damage.

This book was a great read and I couldnt seem to put it down.

[Dr. George H. Elder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an invaluable account from those who want the perspective of someone who was actually there. Moreover, the Baron had ample time to commune with the other survivors before the text was written, and thus gained considerable insights. The most important hits and the consequences are well laid out. The language is a bit technical at times, but here we have a highly educated man. I liked how the story was told, and found the prison camp material very useful as it related to the survivors tales and ways of carrying on after their ship was lost. This is a must read for any serious naval scholar.

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be an excellent read on the voyage of the Bismark and its destruction. Now there have been many books written on that subject and many of them would be considered pretty much the same, but the part of the book that really cinched it for me was the last part which detailed the prisoner of war camps in Canada and the interrogations in England. Here was something I hadn't read about before and you get inside information on what went on (and there were a few incidents, but no spoilers here!). That alone was worth the book.

[Charles Mccain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Less than 150 men out of crew of several thousand survived the sinking of the Bismarck. The author was the highest ranking officer to survive and he was a junior officer. This is the only memoir written by a survivor of the Bismarck and for that reason alone it merits five stars. That it’s well written by a brilliant, sensitive man just adds to the pleasure of reading it.

[Kevin Griggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best account written about this German battleship in world war II from the German point of view a must read for anyone who likes military or historic books author goes into detail about the chase, the damage and the end to the Bismarck my favorite naval chase

[Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a first hand, eyewitness account of the experiences of the officers and crew aboard the famous World War II German Battleship Bismarck. While the Bismarck was the newest and biggest battleship of its time, it was not without weaknesses which is why it did not survive its one and only combat mission in May of 1941. The author, Baron Mullenheim-Rechberg was a Lieutenant assigned as a fire director (directing the fire) for the aft guns. He was the highest-ranking German officer that survived the sinking of the Bismarck. He tells the story primarily from the German perspective based upon his first-hand knowledge of events. He supplements his first-hand knowledge with input from other survivors, of which there were only 115 out of a complement of 2,200 officers and seamen. This provides the reader with a perspective of events as if the reader were aboard the Bismarck serving beside Lieutenant Mullenheim-Rechberg. Since this book was written nearly 40 years after the sinking of the Bismarck, the author had done research to further enhance his ability to describe what was happening on the ship as well as other German naval personnel and ships supporting the mission. He also tells the British side of the story that he learned through subsequent research. As he tells the story, he clearly states what was known at the time, and what knowledge he gained later. This book provides a full understanding of why this battleship was much feared by the British and how the British managed to exploit their strengths and the German’s weaknesses to sink the Bismarck as soon as possible.

[Georgette Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gripping Sea Story and a Stern Warning

I have wanted to read this book for almost 30 years, after first reading a review of it in the Washington Post right after it was published. The author humanizes the Bismarck. We learn of real men who suffered real casualties and who left behind real widows. He makes us feel sad for Captain Lindemann, who was probably a more competent man than the admiral embarked aboard for Exercise Rhine. The ship went from a peaceful, idyllic eight month training regimen in the Baltic to a few days of triumph followed by three days of an ever-worsening hell.
The author reveals himself to have always been a skeptic of the Nazis, although a silent one because of his position in the German Navy. After the Bismarck sinks, this becomes a tale of living in a prisoner of war camp, first in the UK and then in Canada and of the author's gradual coming out as a believer in democracy. He also expresses his own personal guilt at not having taken a more resistant roll against the Nazis, whom he really despised.
In reading this book, I can see why the Germans more than almost any other Europeans were really freaked by the election of Donald Trump to the presidency in the United States. The author of this book knew nothing at all about Donald Trump because the book was published in 1980. However it is plain to any reader that there are many similarities between Adolf Hitler and Donald Trump. That is why this book is a warning.

[Ruth York · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and fascinating account of the Bismarck by one of her survivors. While technical in some parts, it wasn't so much that I was lost in the language. I grew up listening to the Johnny Horton song about the ship and have been fascinated by it. That this book was written by one of the survivors made it more personal. It also, especially at the end, highlights the horror and tragedy that war is.

[Bret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the book to be a very well written account of the events surrounding the sinking of the battleship DKM Bismarck. It is written by one of the few survivors of the sinking and includes a great deal of information ( and speculation ) as based upon his memory and records that are still available. It is well worth a look.

[Patti Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was excellent, and why shouldn't it be? It was written by the highest ranking officer to survive the sinking of the Bismarck.

I gave it four stars because I had a hard time following all of the naval terms and battle terminology in the book. A person reading this with naval knowledge and terminology is at an advantage.

[Christopher Hachet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the finest military history books I have read. it's also full of rare photographs, first hand accounts, and detailed history of the Bismarck's brief service career.

Highly recommended.

[Kirby Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful insider's view of the Bismark's lone voyage.

[Kraig Dodge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great account of the great German battleship from the German point of view. Recommended to any fans of naval warfare.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book.abput the mighty German.Battleship Bismarck.but from.the German.point.of view as.it is.from a German survivor!

[Jesse Callaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written mix of history and autobiography.

[Nathaniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an important evidential account of service aboard the German battleship Bismarck, by its highest-ranking survivor. It isn't really a book one reads for pleasure, but if you're interested in researching the history of the ship (and the perspective of a German officer aboard that ship during its final battle) it should be an essential part of your literature review. My main criticism of Baron von Mullenheim-Rechberg is that, apart from his very stiff, formal tone (i.e. he writes like a German aristocrat) he also doesn't really know when to stop telling the story: the last 50 pages or so are a mundane account of day to day life in a Canadian POW camp, details of which aren't likely to be of interest to the same demographic that bought the book; if you've entitled your book "Bismarck", the last 50 pages shouldn't be about something else entirely, and it was at this point that Mullenheim-Rechberg lost me. A useful book, but not a terribly fun read.

[Dr. George H. Elder · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books written on the subject, and one that portays the horror of naval war in great detail. On senses the dutility once the Bismarck was torpedoed aft, her rudder wrecked and fate sealed. Anyone who wants to understand this great ship and the futility of its mission is well advised to read this book. The German powers-that-be simply did not understand naval airpower and they threw away 3,600 German and British lives for no net gain.

[Pete daPixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The full story of this behemoth warship from slipway to Exercise Rhine.

[Bdevore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining and educational detailed read on the ship, some self promoting by the author but not too bad

[Walter Panzar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by a ranking officer and member of the German nobility on board the Battleship Bismarck as it was sunk by the British navy in May 1941.
Totally fascinating.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ready this a long time ago. I cannot remember the details any more.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I different look at the sinking of the Bismarck. This time from a survivor of it's battles and sinking. We written and very interesting.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent personal account of tragedy at sea. How national patriotism can guide honorable men and women to follow ideals and ideas they do not necessarily agree with. This first person account brigs to life the horror and futility of war. Politicians and fanatics pound their chests and rattle swords claiming right and might. Sadly the service members have to make the sacrifices. We will never learn from history as we continue to place people in power who will never sacrifice for the good of the whole.