Secrets of The Sea
News about Secrets of the Sea
Here you can follow the progress towards the opening of the new museums in Secrets of the Sea.
You will find a complete catalog of all news related to the new museum – scroll down for more stories.
Secrets of the Sea in Thyborøn is getting ready to open.
TV Vestjylland has created a short series called Secrets of the Sea.
Part 1 : In this series, Gert Normann Andersen takes viewers on a tour, sharing stories about the different exhibitions. First, we go down into the Fisheries and Whaling Museum, then to the Explosions Museum and out into the main hall. We continue to the Shipwreck Exhibitions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ86r9xDi7U&ab_channel=TVVestjylland
Part 2 : In this part, we go through the exhibitions in the Viking and Shipwreck Museum. Gert Normann Andersen tells the stories of some of the largest shipwrecks in the world – gruesome and fascinating tales.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s5MlgUXTKE&t=1047s&ab_channel=TVVestjylland
Part 3: We continue in the Shipwreck Museum, explore the Submarine Exhibition, and walk down the Gallery Hall. Then we head up to the Diving Museum and the Café. We also take a look at our Multipurpose Hall. Artist Olav Martinsen joins us to talk about his knowledge and his artworks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mfD5XRgTpk&t=1370s&ab_channel=TVVestjylland
Part 4: In this episode, we meet museum director Christian Toftgaard, who talks about the Library, located on the top floor of Secrets of the Sea.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp36OjlHcEU&t=397s&ab_channel=TVVestjylland
M/S Hans Hedtoft
Our new Shipwreck Museum was recently visited by Per Kunuk Lyberth-Lynge, the grandson of Greenlandic Member of Parliament Augo Lynge, who perished in the sinking of the Hans Hedtoft on a winter night in 1959, along with 94 other passengers and crew members.
Per has written a book titled “Last Departure , Myths and Truths about the Sinking of M/S Hans Hedtoft.” He has recently uncovered several new indications that the ship may have gone down much closer to Cape Farewell than previously believed.
This means the wreck may not lie in such deep water that it can't be found and documented with the equipment from JD-Contractor A/S the same equipment the Sea War Museum has used to map and document all 25 warship wrecks from the Battle of Jutland.
Greenlandic fishermen have discovered a wreck about 170 meters deep, southeast of Cape Farewell, which could potentially be the Hans Hedtoft.
The challenge is that sailing from Denmark to Greenland with one of the few ships certified for Arctic waters and equipped for such a task is extremely expensive.
We are therefore keeping the case open to sponsors, or in the event one of the company’s ships receives an assignment near Greenland. There might then be an opportunity for JD-Contractor to carry out the investigation as a sponsorship.
Wrecks in Arctic waters and at great depths are generally well-preserved, so there’s a real possibility of obtaining remarkable images and findings from the investigation.
The operation would need to be carried out from a ship certified for Arctic navigation, equipped with specialized underwater robotics and trained personnel.
We hope it will eventually be possible to uncover the truth behind one of Denmark’s great mysteries!
Gert Normann Andersen
Picture 1: Gert Normann, Grethe, and Per Kunuk Lyberth-Lynge at the Shipwreck Museum, standing in front of the replica of the radio room from the Hans Hedtoft. The figure sitting in the chair is a mannequin representing radio operator Carl Dejligbjerg, who remained at his post and calmly sent out telegraphs until the very end.
Picture 2: Grethe Lyberth-Lynge in the Crown Prince’s diving chair at the Diving Museum.
Picture 3: Per Kunuk Lyberth-Lynge in the Crown Prince’s diving chair at the Diving Museum.
Picture 4: The book can be purchased in the museum shop for DKK 189. It can also be shipped by post.
Replica Little Boy
Reflections upon the delivery of the replica atomic bomb Little Boy:
it really just looks like an oversized aerial bomb...
and yet, it is something entirely different...
it is iconic...
it marks a turning point in history...
there is a time before – and a time after the atomic bomb...
standing before it feels, at once, awe-inspiring and incomprehensible...
how could a monstrosity like this cause SUCH immense human suffering and tragedy...
Olav Martinsen
Read more about the atomic bomb here: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Boy
Denmark’s most experienced wreck divers
Last week, we were visited by some of Denmark’s most experienced wreck divers, who brought gifts for the Shipwreck Museum. These items come from more recent wrecks and tie into some of our most fascinating stories. We are truly grateful – thank you!
That same week, we also welcomed a modelbuilding club from Skive. Model builder Lars Landbo has created a large and impressive model of the battleship Scharnhorst, along with several aircraft models for the museum - including a Lancaster bomber, which was also used to lay mines in Danish waters, a story we also tell at the museum.
The model club from Skive primarily works with model railways, but Lars has built several of the largescale models now featured in our exhibitions at the Shipwreck Museum.
Models help us illustrate our stories in the best possible way. Thank you for your outstanding work!
Picture 1: Photo of the divers
Picture 2: The model club from Skive
Picture 3: Scharnhorst and one of the planes from the Bismarck
Three Important Ship Models for the New Shipwreck Museum
German model builder Klaus Kanarski has created three important ship models for the new Shipwreck Museum, designed to illustrate the world’s largest maritime disaster.
The models depict the large passenger ships Cap Arcona and Deutschland, as well as the cargo ship Tielbek—all of which were used to hold concentration camp prisoners from Neuengamme, located south of Hamburg.
The ships were anchored off the port of Lübeck in April and May 1945 when they were attacked by British aircraft.
On board the Cap Arcona were around 7,000 concentration camp prisoners and a few German guards when the ship was attacked—just two days before the war ended in Denmark, the Netherlands, and northern Germany.
When the prisoners saw the British planes, they believed they were being liberated and waved to the aircraft in an attempt to draw attention to themselves.
This was not recognized by the pilots, who bombed the ships, resulting in the deaths of over 7,000 people.
Prisoners who jumped overboard were shot in the water with machine guns from the planes.
Only one prisoner managed to make it to shore and survived.
Aboard the Cap Arcona, he was able to pull himself up onto a railing, raising himself above the tightly packed crowd of prisoners on the deck. He ran across the ship on top of the other prisoners' heads. At the ship’s edge, he jumped into the sea and, despite being shot at, managed to swim ashore and hide.
Most of the prisoners, however, were killed in the attack.
Our museum’s motto is: All war is tragedy and should never be glorified—but the stories must be told, and that’s what we do!
Gert Normann
Read the article by Mikael Witte
Link: Click here to read
Preparations for a Major Relocation at the Museum Center Secrets of the Sea
Preparations Underway for a Major Move at the Museum Center Secrets of the Sea
We are in full swing with preparations for an exciting relocation. Outside the new Museum Center Secrets of the Sea, we will be placing three historic cannons, which currently stand behind the Sea War Museum. In the future, they will be visible from the road and help draw attention to the fascinating stories told in our exhibitions.
Inside, the Museum Center Secrets of the Sea has undergone extensive changes. We are incredibly excited for you, our guests, to come and experience it all. Some of you may have already gotten a sneak peek during our soft openings.
In the photos below, you can see Lemvig Beton A/S hard at work casting the concrete foundations that will support the heavy cannons. The foundations must first cure before they can bear the weight and ensure the cannons stand solidly for many years to come.
The Three Cannons:
Cannon from the Warship Peder Skram
One of the cannons comes from the Danish warship Peder Skram, which was scuttled at Holmen in Copenhagen on August 29, 1943. The cannon has a caliber of 15 cm and was produced in 1908.
German Naval Cannon
The second cannon is a 12.7 cm SK C/34, manufactured by Rheinmetall during World War II. This type of cannon was used on German destroyers as well as in coastal batteries, including one at Agger.
Cannon from Langelandsfort
The third cannon dates back to the period 1944–45, with a 15 cm barrel. It was originally built for a German coastal fortification in Denmark. In 1953, it was moved to Langelandsfort, where it remained until the fort was decommissioned in 1993.
The sketches were created by Olav Martinsen, who is helping to build our new exhibitions at Secrets of the Sea.
All cannons have been restored by our conservator, John Silver Andersen.
Christian Toftgaard, Sea War Museum and Secrets of the Sea
Big Moving Day at the Museum Center Secrets of the Sea!
On Tuesday, December 17th, we had planned one of the final exciting tasks before the Christmas holidays: the relocation of the three cannons behind the Sea War Museum. However, it turned out to be quite a challenge, as the cannons are extremely heavy and required a large crane. Our heaviest cannon weighs a full 19 tons, and unfortunately, the crane had to give up. As a result, one cannon still remains behind the museum.
Fortunately, the other two cannons were successfully lifted into place and now stand along the roadside, where they serve as striking markers and help make the new Secrets of the Sea more visible to future visitors.
During the move, the Knarr “Imme Struer” was also repositioned slightly. We’re planning to build a shelter over the ship so it can be preserved next to the museum and become part of the exhibition about the shipwreck of the Aggersund Ship.
Olav Martinsen and Hans Peter carried out the relocation of the cannons and the ship, and Olav captured some great photos from the day. I was officially on Christmas break, but I couldn’t resist stopping by the museum to witness the exciting move.
We look forward to showcasing even more in the new year and to welcoming you all inside!
Also, remember that the Sea War Museum is open from December 26th to December 30th, from 10 AM to 4 PM-so stop by during the holidays!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
Christian Toftgaard
The Museum’s Strange Curiosities
Here’s a glimpse into some of the museum’s odd curiosities - not strictly maritime, but still displayed in glass cases in the atrium. You’ll be able to see them in the new museum center when it opens.
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A remarkable chemistry collection from a pharmacist, including packaging for the poisons strychnine and arsenic—both famously used by Agatha Christie in her murder mysteries. Strychnine is a basic toxin extracted from the seeds of the Strychnos nux-vomica tree and is used in the pharmaceutical industry. In higher doses, it causes severe convulsions, inhibits breathing, and can be fatal to humans.
Arsenic was known as "the king of poisons and the poison of kings." Until forensic science advanced enough to detect it, it was the preferred method of murder for poisoners.
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A large collection of gynecological instruments. Women who became pregnant were not always treated kindly in the past.
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Lastly, a variety of dental tools, including a tooth-extraction plier for every kind of tooth. No two are the same.
This is just a small selection of what we have in the museum’s storage. Within each of these themes, there are also many larger objects that can’t fit in the display cases.
Gert Normann
The Library at the New Museum Secrets of the Sea
At the new museum Secrets of the Sea, we are in the process of establishing a large new research library which, once completed, will be accessible by appointment to both professionals and enthusiasts. The library houses a unique collection that includes rare and valuable books on naval warfare, world history, ship history, local history, maritime archaeology, ship registries, records of shipwrecks and wreck investigations, journals, legal codes, nautical charts, and a wealth of other topics.
This library will become one of the largest of its kind and will serve as a research hub for anyone interested in maritime history. Around 35,000 books will be placed on 2,200 meters of shelving. The library will also be equipped with a microfilm reader for viewing archived materials.
It’s a massive undertaking, and fortunately, several volunteers have offered their help so we can reach our goal of building a high-quality library. Among them, Kaj Rasmussen and Lars Thomsen from the Struer Railway Museum have kindly agreed to assist. Over the coming months, we expect even more volunteers to join the effort.
The library is supported by the Henning Clausen Foundation, which has donated all the shelving units we are now in the process of filling. We are deeply grateful for their support of this project.
Throughout the rest of the Historical Maritime Center, work is also underway to make the exhibitions, café, and entrance area exciting and welcoming for our visitors—we can’t wait to greet you all. We’re not quite ready to announce an opening date yet, but we’re working hard to make it happen.
Museum craftsman, model builder, and artist Olav Martinsen from Velling has built a full-scale model of a V1 missile from World War II for the Explosives Museum.
Museum Craftsman, Model Builder, and Artist Olav Martinsen from Velling Has Built a Full-Scale Model of a WWII V1 Missile for the Explosives Museum
The model is so realistic that visitors often ask whether it's an original that has been disarmed.
Here are a series of photos showing the creation process at Olav’s workshop in Velling.
The model will be one of the museum’s main attractions and one of the first things visitors will see suspended from the ceiling in the atrium as they enter the museum.
The exhibition also features a pair of original round fuel tanks from these missiles, which washed up on the West Coast of Denmark after falling into the sea during test launches off the coast of Jutland.
Toward the end of the war, the Germans conducted test launches of these missiles from a forest near Cuxhaven, sending them up along the west coast of Jutland. After the German surrender, the Allies continued the tests. Along the Jutland coast, the missile trajectories could be tracked using the large radar stations the Germans had built in the dunes.
The V1 bomb featured an advanced autopilot system, with an electrically connected magnetic compass, as well as a gyroscopic stabilizer that provided a very steady flight.
Gert Normann
Read more about the V1 rocket here:
https://krigsvidenskab.dk/.../v-1-og-v-2-hitlers...
https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/V1-missil
Picture 1: John Silver Andersen and Olav Martinsen in the museum’s atrium.
Picture 2: Hans Peter Hansen, Jens Bak, Claus Engholm Nielsen, Gert
Picture 3: The rocket is loaded and "flying" through the landscape on the back of a truck.
Picture 4: Hans Peter Hansen helps guide the rocket through the exhibition space.
Picture 5: John Silver Andersen maneuvers the missile through the museum’s side door.
Picture 6: The V1 rocket in Olav Martinsen’s driveway.
Picture 7: The missile under construction.
News at "Secrets of the Sea"
A New Museum – "Secrets of the Sea" – will be a unique museum complex unlike anything else in the world. Under one roof, visitors will find a shop, café, and several museums, including the Wreck Museum, the Explosives Museum, the Diving Museum, the Fisheries and Whaling Museum, and a large maritime art collection.
The museum center is established and operated as an independent institution without state funding, and therefore free from government control. The main sponsor and founder is JD-Contractor / Gert Normann Andersen, who is also behind the Sea War Museum Jutland and the Jutland Battle Memorial Park in Thyborøn.
New Museum and Observation Tower in Thyborøn
We are very much looking forward to the completion of the new museum center "Secrets of the Sea" and the observation tower.
Read this wonderful article from Lemvig Folkeblad about the plans for the Maritime Museum Center and the new observation tower, which will be located in Thyborøn.
Link to the article – The article is open to everyone.
Bookseller Henning Clausen Foundation Supports Secrets of the Sea
Sea War Museum and Secrets of the Sea have received a generous donation from the Bookseller Henning Clausen Foundation.
This brings great joy to Director Gert Normann Andersen, Chairman Willy Thomsen, and the entire board!
Thanks to this donation, we will be able to establish a research library in the new center already by its opening in 2024.
The physical books and nautical charts in the library—many of which are extremely rare—will occupy approximately 2,000 linear meters of shelving. In addition, there will be numerous digitized books available to read in the library, as well as digitized discoveries and investigations of shipwrecks, which can also be studied there.
Not everything has been digitized yet, but we are working diligently to make it accessible for the benefit of the many Danish and international researchers and enthusiasts who visit our museums and seek information within our fields of expertise.
Once the Historical Maritime Center opens, access to the library will be available by appointment. There will be no lending, but it will be possible to scan or photograph the relevant pages from the books.
