Last Surviving Officer of the Bismarck
Passes Away.

We have just received the sad news that
Burkard Baron Von Mullenheim-Rechburg,
the last surviving officer of World War II's most famous ship,
the KMS Bismarck, passed away on June 1st, 2003.
We had the very distinct pleasure of meeting the Baron when we visited him at his home in Hessing, Germany on Sunday, May 18th of this year. There, we had the Baron sign Marii Chernev's latest limited edition print Battle of the Denmark Strait, KMS Bismarck Returns Fire. The Baron and his daughter were most gracious and welcomed us into their home with typical Bavarian hospitality. We only spent three hours with the Baron, yet it is three hours that I will not forget. He was alert and talkative and expressed deep satisfaction with the quality of art and print. He enjoyed talking about the Bismarck, reminding us that it was a Sunday, May 18th 1941, exactly 62 years ago, that the Bismarck sailed from Norway on 'Operation Rheinburg"and now, to my everlasting regret, rue the fact that we didn't have a tape recorder to record his words for posterity.

He was a physically frail man, yet for 93 years of age, his intellect was as sharp as ever and he still maintained a good sense of humor. After we finished the signing, the Baron and his daughter invited us to stay and join them for lunch. Feeling that we were intruding upon them, we declined their offer and left for Munich. Now I have that regret also.

Ed Kaminski,
Gallery Director The Military Art Gallery