Ernst Lindemann (1894–1941) was a German naval captain and the only commander of the battleship Bismarck during its eight months of service in World War II. Born in 1894, he joined the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) in 1913, and after his basic military training, served on a number of warships during World War I as a wireless telegraphy officer. After World War I, he served in various staff as well as naval gunnery training positions. In May 1941, Lindemann commanded Bismarck during Operation Rheinübung. The German task force, under the command of Admiral Günther Lütjens, consisted of the battleship Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen. It was to break out of its base in German occupied Norway and attack British merchant shipping lanes in the Atlantic Ocean. The force's first major engagement was the Battle of the Denmark Strait which resulted in the sinking of HMS Hood. Less than a week later, on 27 May, Lindemann and most of his crew lost their lives during Bismarck's last battle. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuzes), which recognized extreme bravery on the battlefield or outstanding military leadership.
Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Lindemann
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1153:
Malcolm IV became King of Scotland at the age of twelve. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_IV_of_Scotland
1799:
War of the Second Coalition: Austrian forces defeated the French and captured the strategically important town of Winterthur, Switzerland. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Winterthur_%281799%29
1930:
Standing at 319 metres (1,047 ft), New York City's Chrysler Building opened as the world's tallest building before it was surpassed by the Empire State Building 11 months later. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Building
1967:
Australians overwhelmingly approved two amendments to the Constitution granting the government the power to make laws to benefit Indigenous Australians and to count them in the national census. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_referendum%2C_1967_%28Aboriginals%29
2006:
An earthquake measuring about 6.3 Mw struck near the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta on the southern side of the island of Java, killing at least 5,700 people, injuring at least 36,000, and leaving at least 1.5 million homeless. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_2006_Java_earthquake
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
nefandous (adj): Horrific; unspeakably appalling http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/nefandous
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
I am confirmed in my division of human energies. Ambitious people climb, but faithful people build. --Julia Ward Howe http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Julia_Ward_Howe
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