View source for Ernst Lindemann

{{short description|German naval officer (1894–1941)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{infobox military person
| name          = Ernst Lindemann
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1894|3|28|df=y}}
| death_date    = {{death date and age|1941|5|27|1894|3|28|df=y}}
| image         = Bundesarchiv Bild 101II-MN-1361-21A, Schlachtschiff Bismarck, Kapitän Ernst Lindemann.jpg
| alt           = The head and upper torso of a man. He wears a peaked cap, black naval coat and a white belt with dagger. His facial expression is determined; his eyes are looking straight into the camera.
| caption       = ''Kapitän zur See'' Ernst Lindemann as commander of battleship ''Bismarck'' on 24 August 1940
| birth_place   = [[Altenkirchen]], German Empire
| death_place   = [[North Atlantic]]
| placeofburial_coordinates = {{coord|48|10|N|16|12|W}}
| allegiance    = {{flag|German Empire}} (1913–18)<br />{{flag|Weimar Republic}} (1918–33)<br />{{flag|Nazi Germany}} (1933–41)
| branch        = {{navy|German Empire}}<br />{{navy|Weimar Republic}}<br />{{navy|Nazi Germany}}
| serviceyears  = 1913–41
| rank          = ''[[Kapitän zur See]]'' ([[Captain (naval)|Captain]])
| commands      = 1st Artillery Company, [[Christianspris|Friedrichsort]]<br>Ship Construction Dept, [[Oberkommando der Marine|OKM]]<br>Naval Gunnery School<br>{{ship|German battleship|Bismarck||2}}
| unit          = {{SMS|Hertha|1897|6}}<br />{{SMS|Lothringen}}<br />{{SMS|Bayern}}<br />{{SMS|Hannover}}<br />{{SMS|Elsass}}<br />{{SMS|Schleswig-Holstein}}<br />{{SMS|Hessen}}<br />Heavy cruiser {{ship|German cruiser|Admiral Scheer||2}}
| battles       = {{Tree list}}
* [[World War I]]
** [[Operation Albion]]
** [[Scuttling of the German fleet at Scapa Flow]]
* [[Spanish Civil War]]
* [[World War II]]
** [[Atlantic War]]
*** [[Operation Rheinübung]]
**** [[Battle of the Denmark Strait]]
**** [[Last battle of the battleship Bismarck]]{{KIA}}
{{Tree list/end}}
| awards        = [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]] (posthumously)
| relations     = [[Ernst Heinrich Lindemann]] (grandfather)<br />[[Georg Lindemann]] (cousin)
}}

'''Otto Ernst Lindemann''' (28 March 1894 – 27 May 1941) was a German ''[[Kapitän zur See]]'' ([[Captain (naval)|naval captain]]). He was the only commander of the [[battleship]] {{ship|German battleship|Bismarck||2}} during its eight months of service in [[World War II]].

Lindemann joined the German Imperial Navy ({{Langx|de|[[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. On board {{SMS|Bayern||6}}, he participated in [[Operation Albion]] in 1917. After World War I, he served in various staff and naval gunnery training positions. One year after the outbreak of World War II, he was appointed commander of the battleship ''Bismarck'', at the time the largest warship in commission anywhere in the world and the pride of the ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' (Nazi Germany's navy).

In May 1941, Lindemann commanded ''Bismarck'' during ''[[Operation Rheinübung]]''. ''Bismarck'' and the [[heavy cruiser]] {{ship|German cruiser|Prinz Eugen||2}} formed a task force under the command of [[Admiral]] [[Günther Lütjens]] on board Bismarck. Orders were to break out of their base in [[Occupation of Poland (1939–1945)|German-occupied Poland]] and attack British merchant shipping lanes in the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. The task force's first major engagement was the [[Battle of the Denmark Strait]], which resulted in the sinking of {{HMS|Hood|51|6}}. Less than a week later, on 27 May, Lindemann and most of his crew died in ''Bismarck''{{'}}s [[Last battle of the battleship Bismarck|last battle]].

He was posthumously awarded the [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]] ({{lang|de|Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes}}), at the time the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany. The medal was presented to his widow, Hildegard, on 6 January 1942.

==Early life==
Otto Ernst Lindemann was born on 28 March 1894 in [[Altenkirchen]] in the [[Westerwald]], [[Rhine Province]]. He was the first of three children of Dr. jur. Georg Heinrich Ernst Lindemann and Maria Lindemann, née Lieber. Known as Ernst, Georg Lindemann was a probationary judge ([[Gerichtsassessor]]) and later president of the Prussian Central Land Credit Company, a Prussian credit bank.{{refn|The Prussian Central Land Credit Company (''Preußische Central-Bodenkredit-[[Aktiengesellschaft]] AG'') was a Prussian land and real estate public limited credit company formed in 1870. Today, after a number of mergers, the bank is part of the [[Eurohypo]] AG.<ref>{{cite web|website=uni-protokolle.de|title=Eurohypo AG|url=http://www.uni-protokolle.de/Lexikon/Eurohypo_AG.html|language=de|access-date=29 March 2011|archive-date=11 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811101851/http://www.uni-protokolle.de/Lexikon/Eurohypo_AG.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>|group="Note"}}{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=21}}{{refn|Ernst Lindemann (the elder) was a first cousin of ''Generaloberst'' ([[Colonel General]]) [[Georg Lindemann]],{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=15}} and the son of [[Ernst Heinrich Lindemann]] (25 January 1833 – 8 May 1900), a lawyer and former mayor of [[Essen]] (1859–1868), [[Dortmund]] (1878–1886) and [[Düsseldorf]] (1886–1899).{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=16–17}}|group="Note"}}

Otto Ernst Lindemann was baptised into the [[Protestantism|Protestant Church]] on 26 April 1894. The family moved to the [[Charlottenburg]] quarter of Berlin, where they lived at 6 Carmer Street,<ref group=Tr>Carmer Street&nbsp;– ''Carmerstraße''</ref> in 1895. His younger brother—Kurt—was born in 1896, followed by a second brother, Hans-Wolfgang, in 1900.{{refn|Dr. Kurt Lindemann (20 January 1896 – 26 April 1945), as a ''[[Major (Germany)|Major]]'' of the [[Military reserve|reserves]] in the German Army ({{Lang|de|[[German Army (Wehrmacht)|Heer]]}}), was killed in action near [[Potsdam]] during the final days of World War II in Europe in 1945.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=209}}|group="Note"}} The family relocated again in 1903, this time to their own house in the [[Dahlem (Berlin)|Dahlem]] quarter of Berlin, near the [[Grunewald (forest)|Grunewald]] forest.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=21}}

In 1910, when Lindemann was 16, his uncle ''[[Kapitän zur See]]'' Friedrich Tiesmeyer was in command of the [[light cruiser]] {{SMS|Mainz}} (October 1909 – January 1910) of the Imperial Navy, at that time holding the rank of {{Lang|de|[[Fregattenkapitän]]}} (commander).{{sfn|Hildebrand|Röhr|Steinmetz|1990|loc=volume 6 p. 37}}{{refn|Friedrich Tiesmeyer (15 October 1867 – 18 January 1917) was the son of pastor Ludwig Tiesmeyer (1835–1919) and Auguste Wilhelmine Luise Lindemann (1845–1897), Ernst Lindemann's paternal aunt.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=225–226}}|group="Note"}} At a family reunion in [[Hamelin]], Lindemann talked with his uncle and heard of his seafaring adventures in the [[Far East]]. These conversations attracted Lindemann to a naval career.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=21–22, 229}}

Lindemann graduated from the Bismarck-[[Gymnasium (Germany)|Gymnasium]] (secondary school) in Berlin-[[Wilmersdorf]] with his ''[[Abitur]]'' (diploma) late in 1912 with an average-to-good overall rating. For the next six months, he attended the [[University of Westminster|Royal Polytechnic Institution]] in [[Richmond, London]].{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=23}}

==Personal life==
Ernst Lindemann met Charlotte Weil (née Fritsche), a Berlin singer, in the spring of 1920.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=66}} The couple married on 1 February 1921, and they had a daughter, Helga Maria, born on 26 February 1924.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=72}} Lindemann's job as a naval officer demanded that he be away from his family for long periods of time. This proved to be too demanding on the marriage, and they were divorced in 1932.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=86}} Lindemann was engaged again on 20 July 1933 to his youngest brother's sister-in-law, Hildegard Burchard. Hildegard was 14 years younger than Lindemann.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=91}} They married on 27 October 1934 in the St. Annen Church in Berlin–Dahlem. The ceremony was performed by [[Martin Niemöller]], a founder of the [[Confessing Church]], later imprisoned as an anti-Nazi.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=92}} They had a daughter, Heidi Maria, born on 6 July 1939.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=137}}

==Naval career==

===Imperial Navy===
On 26 March 1913, Lindemann traveled with his parents to [[Flensburg]] for his medical examination at the [[Naval Academy at Mürwik]]. The strong financial background of his parents made him a suitable applicant for the Imperial Navy, as the costs associated with a naval education in 1909 were 800–1,000 [[German gold mark|Marks]] per year for eight years. By comparison, a metal worker earned 1,366 Marks annually and a teacher 3,294 Marks. Only 5 percent of the German population at the time earned more than 3,000 Marks annually. However, the doctor certified him as fit only for limited duties ({{Lang|de|bedingt tauglich}}), as pneumonia in childhood had left him unfit for service in [[U-boat]]s. After a second examination, he was accepted on probation, and Lindemann became one of the 290 young men of "Crew 1913" (the incoming class of 1913). He was officially enlisted in the Imperial Navy as a {{Lang|de|[[Seekadett]]}} (sea cadet) on 1 April 1913.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=25–26}}{{sfn|Dörr|1996|pp=11–12}}
[[File:Herta German Cruiser LOC 04284.jpg|thumb|left|{{SMS|Hertha|1897|6}}|alt=Black-and-white photograph of white ship with tall masts.]]

In early May 1913, the cadets of Crew 1913 were sent to the training ships {{SMS|Hansa|1898|6}}, {{SMS|Hertha|1897|6}}, {{SMS|Victoria Louise}} and {{SMS|Vineta|1895|6}}. Lindemann was assigned to ''Hertha'' with 71 of his comrades. At that time, ''Hertha'' was under the command of Captain Heinrich Rohardt, a friend of his uncle Friedrich. Arriving on board on 9 May, they were divided into watches consisting of roughly 18 men each.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=27}} ''Hertha'' left [[Mürwik]] and stayed in [[Kiel]] until the end of the month. On 29 May 1913, ''Hertha'' headed for [[Świnoujście|Swinemünde]], where she stayed until 15 June. The next stop, via [[Sassnitz]] and [[Visby]], was [[Stockholm]], Sweden, arriving on 24 June. The ship remained in Stockholm until 1 July, before leaving for [[Bergen]] in Norway. After a few days, the voyage continued to the Lönne Fjord. Here, Lindemann met his commander-in-chief—[[Kaiser Wilhelm II]]—for the first time. ''Hertha'' then returned to Germany, arriving in [[Wilhelmshaven]] on 8 August 1913.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=28–29}}

One week later, ''Hertha'' began a seven-month training cruise (15 August 1913 – 12 March 1914). The voyage took Lindemann to [[Dartmouth, Devon|Dartmouth]] in England, [[Vilagarcía de Arousa]] in Spain, [[Faial Island]] in the [[Azores]] and as far as [[Halifax, Nova Scotia|Halifax]] in [[Nova Scotia]]. The return trip then went via [[Veracruz, Veracruz|Vera Cruz]] in Mexico, [[Havana]] in Cuba, [[Port-au-Prince]] in Haiti, [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]] in Jamaica, [[Port of Spain]] in Trinidad and then to the [[Canary Islands]], [[Madeira]], and the Spanish mainland, arriving back in Germany in the middle of March 1914, first in [[Brunsbüttel]] and two days later in Kiel.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=29–33}} Lindemann was promoted to ''[[Fähnrich zur See]]'' ([[Ensign (rank)|Ensign]]) on 3 April 1914.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=212}}{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}

===World War I===
With the [[World War I|German declaration of war]] in August 1914, all further training at the naval academy was terminated and the normal compulsory officer examination was skipped. The entire Crew 1913 was assigned to various units in the Imperial Navy. Lindemann was assigned to {{SMS|Lothringen}}, a battleship which belonged to the [[II Battle Squadron|2nd Battle Squadron]] of the [[High Seas Fleet]] under the command of ''[[Vizeadmiral]]'' (vice admiral) [[Reinhard Scheer]],<ref group= Tr>2nd Battle Squadron of the [[High Seas Fleet]]&nbsp;– {{lang|de|II. Geschwader der Hochseeflotte}}</ref> taking on the position of 3rd [[wireless telegraphy]] officer.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=35–37}}<ref group=Tr>3rd [[wireless telegraphy]] officer&nbsp;– {{lang|de|III. FT Offizier}}; {{lang|de|Funktelegrafie}}</ref> ''Lothringen'' was mostly tasked with patrolling the [[North Sea]], sailing back and forth between Altenbruch (now part of [[Cuxhaven]]) and Brunsbüttel without engaging in combat. Lindemann left ''Lothringen'' on 1 June 1915 to attend the wireless telegraphy school at Mürwik.<ref group=Tr>wireless telegraphy school&nbsp;– {{lang|de|FT Schule}}</ref> He successfully completed the course and returned from it in July 1915. He then took over the position of 2nd wireless telegraphy officer, a position that fellow officers joked suited his abnormally large ears. He was promoted to ''Leutnant zur See'' ([[Second Lieutenant]]) on 18 September 1915.{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=39–41}}<ref group=Tr>telegraphy officer&nbsp;– {{lang|de|II. FT Offizier}}</ref>
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-R17811, Linienschiff "Bayern".jpg|thumb|right|{{SMS|Bayern||6}} on trials on the [[Kiel Canal]].|alt=A large warship steams at low speed; gray smoke drifts from the smoke stack]]

On 19 March 1916, Lindemann was transferred to the newly commissioned battleship {{SMS|Bayern|1915|6}} (under the command of Captain Max Hahn), with the same rank of 2nd wireless telegraphy officer. ''Bayern'', with her eight {{convert|38|cm|in|adj=on|abbr=on}} guns, was the most powerful ship of the fleet. Her crew had been largely assigned from ''Lothringen'', which continued to serve as a [[training ship]].{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=41}} Aboard ''Bayern'', now under the command of Captain Rohardt, Lindemann participated in [[Operation Albion]] in September–October 1917. Operation Albion's objective was the invasion and occupation of the Estonian islands of [[Saaremaa]] (Ösel), [[Hiiumaa]] (Dagö) and [[Muhu]] (Moon), then part of the [[Russian Provisional Government|Russian Republic]]. At 05:07 on 12 October 1917, ''Bayern'' struck a [[naval mine|mine]] while moving into her bombardment position to secure the landing beaches at Pamerort. Seven sailors were killed. Despite mine damage, ''Bayern'' engaged the coast defense battery at Cape Toffri on the southern tip of Hiiumaa. ''Bayern'' was released from her duties at 14:00 that day. Preliminary repairs were made on 13 October in [[Tagga Bay]] before she returned to Kiel on 1 November 1917.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=48–51}}

After the [[armistice with Germany|armistice]] in 1918, ''Bayern''—together with the majority of the German High Seas Fleet—was interned at [[Scapa Flow]], the home of the British [[Grand Fleet]]. ''Bayern'' arrived there on 23 November 1918 with a skeleton crew of only 175 men, including Lindemann, who was then ordered to return to Germany, arriving in Kiel on 12 January. On 21 June 1919, Admiral [[Ludwig von Reuter]] ordered the [[Scuttling of the German fleet at Scapa Flow|scuttling of the fleet]], and ''Bayern'' sank at 14:30.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=56–58}}

===Between the wars: Reichsmarine===
When Ernst Lindemann returned to Germany, it was uncertain whether he could remain on active military service. As a result of the [[Treaty of Versailles]] which was signed on 28 June 1919, the former Imperial German Navy was downsized to 15,000 men, including 1,500 officers, while being renamed the ''[[Reichsmarine]]'' in the era of the [[Weimar Republic]]. As Lindemann had finished fifth in the Class of 1913, he stood a good chance of being retained. He served temporarily in the Dahlem Protection Company a part of the Protection Regiment of Greater Berlin (June–July 1919),<ref group=Tr>Dahlem Protection Company&nbsp;– {{lang|de|Schutzkompanie Dahlem}}</ref><ref group= Tr>Protection Regiment of Greater Berlin&nbsp;– {{lang|de|Schutz-Regiment "Groß-Berlin"}}</ref> before he became [[adjutant]] to the newly created chief of the Naval Command Department (1 August 1919 – 30 September 1922),<ref group=Tr>Naval Command Department&nbsp;– {{lang|de|Marinekommandoamt (A)}}</ref> at the time under the command of [[William Michaelis]]. The Naval Command Department was directly subordinated to the Admiralty Staff.<ref group=Tr>Admiralty Staff&nbsp;– {{lang|de|[[Admiralstab]]}}</ref> At the same time, he held the position of adjutant in the Fleet Department.{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}<ref group=Tr>Fleet Department&nbsp;– {{lang|de|Flottenabteilung (A II)}}</ref> During this assignment Lindemann was promoted to ''[[Oberleutnant zur See]]'' (Sub-Lieutenant) on 7 January 1920.{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=60–62, 211–212}}

Lindemann's next assignment (1 October 1922 – 30 September 1924) was aboard the battleship {{SMS|Hannover||2}}, where he served as a watch and division officer.{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}} During this assignment, he attended an officers' course at the ships' gunnery school in Kiel between 5 February and 3 May 1924.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=211}} From here, Lindemann took command of the 1st Artillery Company of the 3rd Coastal Defense Department in Friedrichsort in Kiel from 1 October 1924 – 26 September 1926.<ref group=Tr>1st Artillery Company&nbsp;– {{lang|de|1. (Artillerie) Kompanie}}</ref><ref group=Tr>3rd Coastal Defense Department&nbsp;– {{lang|de|Küstenabwehrabteilung III&nbsp;– K.W.A. III}}</ref> His commanding officer was ''[[Korvettenkapitän]]'' (Lieutenant Commander) [[Otto Schultze]], a former World War I [[U-boat]] commander and later ''[[Generaladmiral]]'' (general admiral) of the ''Kriegsmarine''. In this position, Lindemann was promoted to ''[[Kapitänleutnant]]'' (captain lieutenant) on 1 January 1925.{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=74, 212}}

His next assignment (27 September 1926 – 6 September 1929) placed him on the Admiral's staff at the Baltic Naval Station,<ref group=Tr>Baltic Naval Station&nbsp;– {{lang|de|Marinestation der Ostsee}}</ref> first as a staff officer and then as assistant to the chief of the station, which at the time was under the command of Vice Admiral [[Erich Raeder]].{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=76–78, 211}} From here, he was transferred to the {{SMS|Elsass||2}} serving as the second gunnery officer and ''Fähnrichsoffizier'' (officer in charge of cadets), responsible for the on-board training of the officer cadets, from 7 September 1929 – 25 February 1930.{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=211}} Holding the same rank and position, Lindemann then transferred to the {{SMS|Schleswig-Holstein||2}}.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=212}}

===Between the wars: Kriegsmarine===
On 30 January 1933, the [[Nazi Party]], under the leadership of [[Adolf Hitler]], came to power in Germany, ushering in a period of [[German re-armament|naval rearmament]]. In 1935, the {{lang|de|Reichsmarine}} was renamed the ''[[Kriegsmarine]]''. Between 22 September 1931 and 22 September 1934, Lindemann was a senior lecturer at the Naval Gunnery School in Kiel. He was then posted to the {{SMS|Hessen||2}} under the command of Captain [[Hermann Boehm (admiral)|Hermann Boehm]] and served as first gunnery officer from 23 September 1933 to 8 April 1934. Ernst Lindemann was promoted to ''Korvettenkapitän'' on 1 April 1932.{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}} On 9 April 1934, he was ordered to the Wilhelmshaven Shipyard (9 April–11 November 1934) for training in ship construction and familiarisation with the [[heavy cruiser]] {{ship|German cruiser|Admiral Scheer||2}}, under the command of Captain [[Wilhelm Marschall]].{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=89–96, 212}}
[[File:Admiral Scheer in Gibraltar.jpg|thumb|left|''Admiral Scheer'' in the port of [[Gibraltar]] during the Spanish Civil War.|alt=Black-and-white photograph of heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer moored at dock.]]

On ''Admiral Scheer'', he again served as first gunnery officer, and in this position he participated in the [[Spanish Civil War]] (24 July–30 August 1936).{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=91–100, 212}} ''Admiral Scheer'' had to make ready for the mission on short notice; the order came from Admiral [[Rolf Carls]] on 23 July 1936 at 13:45. The normal 48 hours required to prepare the ship was reduced to 12 hours, demanding a lot of the crew and especially Lindemann. As the first gunnery officer, Lindemann was responsible for handling and storing all munitions. ''Admiral Scheer'' and the cruiser {{ship|German cruiser|Deutschland||2}} left Germany on 24 July at 08:00.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=100–101}} Lindemann's main responsibilities included commanding the German landing parties and acting as diplomatic aid and interpreter for Captain Marschall. These landing parties consisted of up to 350 men, which included 11 officers, 15 non-commissioned officers and 266 sailors, or roughly one-third of the crew.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=102–128}} On the return voyage to Germany, ''Admiral Scheer'' stopped at Gibraltar on the morning of 25 August 1936. Marschall, Lindemann and other officers met with the British Governor and Rear Admiral [[James Somerville]].{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=130}} After Lindemann returned to Germany, he was promoted to ''Fregattenkapitän'' on 1 October 1936.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=212}}

Between 1936 and 1938, he was an adviser and later head of the ship construction department at the Naval High Command,<ref group=Tr>Naval High Command&nbsp;– {{lang|de|[[Oberkommando der Marine]]}}</ref> and at the same time a consultant to and later chief of the Naval Training Department.<ref group=Tr>Naval Training Department&nbsp;– ''Marineausbildungsabteilung''</ref> On 1 April 1938, he was promoted to the rank of ''Kapitän zur See'' (captain at sea). On 30 September 1939, one month after the outbreak of World War II, Lindemann succeeded Captain Heinrich Woldag as commander of the Naval Gunnery School in Wik in Kiel,{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}<ref group=Tr>Naval Gunnery School&nbsp;– {{lang|de|Schiffsartillerie-Schule&nbsp;– SAS}}</ref> after Woldag took command of the heavy cruiser {{Ship|German cruiser|Blücher||2}}. Under his command were three training departments, the gunnery training ship {{ship|German training ship|Bremse||2}} and ''Hektor'', numerous gunnery training boats, gun carriers, auxiliary vessels, and occasionally Hitler's state yacht, the aviso {{ship|German aviso|Grille|1935|2}}.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=139–142, 212}}

===Commander of the battleship ''Bismarck''===
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101II-MN-1362-19, Schlachtschiff Bismarck, Indienststellung.jpg|thumb|upright|Ernst Lindemann, followed by ''Bismarck''{{'}}s Executive Officer Hans Oels, inspecting the crew on 24 August 1940.|alt=Two men walking by a row of men on the side of ship.]]

Ernst Lindemann was frustrated by the fact that—as commander of the Naval Gunnery School—he would never come into direct contact with the enemy. When he received the news that he had been selected to be the first commander of the battleship {{ship|German battleship|Bismarck||2}}, he was honoured by the trust that had been bestowed on him but doubted that he would be able to get ''Bismarck'' ready for action before the war was over. His doubts suggest that he was confident the war would end in a favourable outcome for Germany by mid-1940.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=144}} Prior to commanding ''Bismarck'', Lindemann had never held any shipboard command, a situation rare if not unique in the ''Kriegsmarine''. Nevertheless, Lindemann had served exclusively on ships with a gun calibre of at least {{convert|28|cm|in|abbr=on}}, and he was Germany's leading gunnery expert. In 1940, he ranked second out of Crew 1913 and was considered an outstanding leader.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=221–222}}

[[File:Burkard Freiherr von Müllenheim-Rechberg.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Burkard Freiherr von Müllenheim-Rechberg|alt=A black-and-white photograph of a man in semi profile wearing a dark military uniform and peaked cap.]]
Lindemann arrived at the [[Blohm & Voss]] shipbuilding works in [[Hamburg]] at the beginning of August 1940. ''Bismarck''{{'}}s keel had been laid on 1 July 1936 and she was launched on 14 February 1939.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=145}} [[Burkard Freiherr von Müllenheim-Rechberg]] joined ''Bismarck'' as fourth gunnery officer in June 1940,<ref group="Note">{{German title Freiherr}}</ref> and he would become the highest-ranking officer to survive [[Last battle of the battleship Bismarck|''Bismarck''{{'}}s last battle]] on 27 May 1941. Much of what is currently known about ''Bismarck''{{'}}s final days is attributed to his account as a witness. Lindemann made Von Müllenheim-Rechberg his personal adjutant and instructed him to refer to the ship as "he" rather than "she"; Lindemann considered the ship too powerful to be referred to as a female. He commissioned the battleship on 24 August 1940. He showed a great deal of attachment to the ship and was respected by his crew.{{sfn|Müllenheim-Rechberg|1980|pp=15–16}}

''Bismarck'' left the [[Kiel Fjord]] on the morning of 28 September 1940 heading east. After an uneventful voyage through rough seas, ''Bismarck'' reached Gotenhafen (now [[Gdynia]]) the next day. Here ''Bismarck'' conducted a number of sea trials in the relative safety of the Bay of Danzig (now [[Gdańsk Bay]]). By 30 November 1940, Lindemann had set a number of tests for the crew, which they passed easily. During high speed trials, ''Bismarck'' reached a top speed of {{convert|30.8|kn|km/h mph|lk=in|abbr=on}}, exceeding the design speed. However, one weakness quickly became apparent: without using the [[rudder]]s but only the [[Screw ship|screw]] propellers, ''Bismarck'' was almost impossible to steer.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=153}}

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 193-04-1-26, Schlachtschiff Bismarck.jpg|thumb|''Bismarck'' left Hamburg for the first time on 15 September 1940.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=152, 397}}|alt=A black-and-white photograph of a warship positioned 45 degrees to the left of the viewer, bow first]]
In November 1940, Von Müllenheim-Rechberg was sent to the Naval Gunnery School at Wik to complete his heavy gun training courses, which ended his position as Lindemann's personal adjutant. Lindemann's new adjutant was the [[Military communications|signals]] officer Second Lieutenant Wolfgang Reiner.{{sfn|Müllenheim-Rechberg|1980|p=43}} ''Bismarck''{{'}}s heavy guns were first test-fired in the second half of November, and ''Bismarck'' was shown to be a very stable gun platform.{{sfn|Müllenheim-Rechberg|1980|pp=44–45}} After the 1940 Christmas celebration on board, Lindemann and the majority of the officers, non-commissioned officers and sailors went on home leave. First gunnery officer Lieutenant Commander [[Adalbert Schneider]] relieved Lindemann as ''Bismarck''{{'}}s commander during his absence. Lindemann spent his leave with his wife and daughter and returned on 1 January 1941.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=157}}

On 28 April 1941, the ship and crew were ready, and stores were on board for a three-month mission. Lindemann notified Naval High Command (''[[Oberkommando der Marine]]''), Naval Groups North and West (''Marinegruppen Nord und West'') and Fleet Command that ''Bismarck'' was ready for action.{{sfn|Müllenheim-Rechberg|1980|p=62}} The Chief of Fleet—Admiral [[Günther Lütjens]]—and his fleet staff held drills for the first time on board ''Bismarck'' on 13 May, testing the communication chain between Fleet Command and ''Bismarck''{{'}}s officers.{{sfn|Müllenheim-Rechberg|1980|p=63}}

[[Adolf Hitler]]—accompanied by [[Field Marshal (Germany)|''Generalfeldmarschall'']] [[Wilhelm Keitel]], his former naval adjutant Commander [[Karl-Jesko von Puttkamer]], and his ''Luftwaffe'' adjutant ''[[Oberst]]'' [[Nicolaus von Below]], among others—visited ''Bismarck'' on 5 May 1941. Missing was Grand Admiral [[Erich Raeder]]. Hitler was taken on a tour of the ship by Admiral Lütjens and inspected the various battle stations. Hitler and Lütjens also met in private and discussed the risks of a mission in the North Atlantic. After this meeting, Hitler and the officers of ''Bismarck'' had lunch in the officers' mess, where Hitler spoke about America's unwillingness to enter the war. Lindemann openly disagreed with Hitler, expressing his opinion that the possibility of the United States entering the war could not be ruled out.{{sfn|Müllenheim-Rechberg|1980|pp=71–73}}

===Operation Rheinübung===
[[File:Map Rheinuebung.svg|thumb|upright=2|Operation Rheinübung and Royal Navy operations (black lines) against the battleship ''Bismarck'' and heavy cruiser ''Prinz Eugen'' (red lines).|alt=Map of the North Atlantic and Royal Navy operations shown as black lines against the battleship Bismarck indicated as red lines, with approximate movements of ship groups and places of aerial attacks]]

The goal of [[Operation Rheinübung]] (Rhine Exercise) was for ''Bismarck'' and the [[heavy cruiser]] {{ship|German cruiser|Prinz Eugen||2}}—under the command of Lindemann's ''Crew 1913'' classmate Captain [[Helmuth Brinkmann]]—to break into the Atlantic and attack Allied shipping. Grand Admiral Raeder's orders to the task force commander—Admiral Günther Lütjens—were that "the objective of the ''Bismarck'' is not to defeat enemies of equal strength, but to tie them down in a delaying action, while preserving combat capacity as much as possible, so as to allow ''Prinz Eugen'' to get at the merchant ships in the convoy" and "The primary target in this operation is the enemy's merchant shipping; enemy warships will be engaged only when that objective makes it necessary and it can be done without excessive risk."{{sfn|Boyne|1997|pp=53–54}}

At 02:00 on 19 May 1941, ''Bismarck'' and ''Prinz Eugen'' left Gotenhafen and proceeded through the Baltic Sea and out toward the Atlantic. Unknown to Lütjens, the British had intercepted enough signals to infer that a German naval operation might occur in the area. The German task force was first encountered by the Swedish seaplane-cruiser {{HSwMS|Gotland|1933|2}} on 20 May heading north-west past [[Gothenburg]]. The British Admiralty was informed through a Norwegian officer in Stockholm who had learned of the sighting from a Swedish military intelligence source. Alerted by this report, British Admiralty requested air reconnaissance of the Norwegian coast. A [[Supermarine Spitfire|Spitfire]] [[reconnaissance aircraft]] found and photographed the German task force in the Grimstad fjord ({{coord|60|19.49|N|5|14.48|E|display=inline}}), near [[Bergen]], at 13:15 on 21 May.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=172–174, 313}} On the evening of 23 May at 19:22, the German force was detected by the heavy cruisers {{HMS|Suffolk|55|6}} and {{HMS|Norfolk|78|2}} that had been patrolling the [[Denmark Strait]] in the expectation of a German breakout. The alarm was sounded and Lindemann announced at 20:30 over the intercom: "{{lang|de|Feind in Sicht an Backbord, Schiff nimmt Gefecht auf}}". (Enemy sighted to port. Engage!) ''Bismarck'' fired five [[salvo]]s without scoring a direct hit. The heavily outgunned British cruisers retired to a safe distance and shadowed the enemy until their own heavy units could draw closer. However, ''Bismarck''{{'}}s forward radar had failed as a result of vibration from the heavy guns firing during this skirmish, and Lütjens was obliged to order ''Prinz Eugen'' to move ahead of ''Bismarck'' in order to provide the squadron with forward radar coverage.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=179}}

At the [[Battle of the Denmark Strait]] on 24 May 1941, {{HMS|Hood|51|6}} was sunk, probably by ''Bismarck''. The [[hydrophone]]s on ''Prinz Eugen'' detected a foreign ship to port at 05:00. The Germans sighted the smokestacks of two ships at 05:45, which the first gunnery officer Lieutenant Commander Adalbert Schneider initially reported as two heavy cruisers. The first British salvo revealed them to be battleships, but not until the British task force turned to port was their precise identity revealed.{{sfn|Müllenheim-Rechberg|1980|pp=103–106}} The British ships started firing at the German task force at 05:53. Vice-Admiral [[Lancelot Holland]] planned on targeting ''Bismarck'' first, but due to the reversed German battle order, ''Hood'' opened fire on the ''Prinz Eugen'' instead. The German task force was still waiting for the order to commence firing, which Admiral Lütjens did not give immediately. Two minutes later, after multiple inquiries by Schneider, "{{lang|de|Frage Feuererlaubnis}}"? (Permission to open fire?), an impatient Lindemann responded: "{{lang|de|Ich lasse mir doch nicht mein Schiff unter dem Arsch wegschießen. Feuererlaubnis!}}" (I'm not letting my ship get shot out from under my arse. Open fire!){{refn|This quotation is cited by Burkard Freiherr von Müllenheim-Rechberg, who at the time was in the rear [[Director (military)|gun director]] watching for ''Suffolk'' and ''Norfolk'' and listening to Schneider's gunnery commands over the fire control intercom. It was most likely reported by a surviving crew member who overheard the conversation between Schneider and Lindemann over the gunnery telephone.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=180}}|group="Note"}} At 06:01, the fifth salvo by ''Bismarck'', fired at a range of about {{convert|180|hm|m yd}}, was seen to hit ''Hood'' abreast her mainmast. It is likely that one {{convert|38|cm|in|abbr=on}} shell struck somewhere between Hood's mainmast and 'X' turret aft of the mast.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=181}}<ref group="Note">''Hood'' carried eight 42-calibre [[BL 15-inch Mk I naval gun|BL 15-inch Mark I guns]]. These guns were mounted in the hydraulically powered Mark II twin turrets which were designated 'A', 'B', 'X' and 'Y' from front to rear.</ref> A huge jet of flame burst out from ''Hood'' from the vicinity of the mainmast. This was followed by a devastating magazine explosion that destroyed the aft part of the ship. This explosion broke the back of ''Hood'', and she sank in only three minutes, her nearly vertical bow last to descend into the water.{{sfn|Müllenheim-Rechberg|1980|pp=110–111}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1984-055-13, Schlachtschiff Bismarck, Seegefecht.jpg|thumb|left|''Bismarck'' firing at {{HMS|Prince of Wales|53|6}} on 24 May 1941 as seen from ''Prinz Eugen''.|alt=Black-and-white photograph of a warship firing the guns. Two columns of dark smoke drift from the ship]]

Following the explosion, ''Prince of Wales'' was targeted by both German ships and disengaged from combat after seven direct hits, four by ''Bismarck'' and three by ''Prinz Eugen'', at about 06:09. During this brief engagement, ''Prince of Wales'' had also hit ''Bismarck'' three times, first striking the commander's boat and putting the seaplane catapult amidships out of action. The second shell passed right through the bow from one side to the other. The third struck the hull underwater and burst inside the ship, flooding a generator room and damaging the bulkhead of an adjoining boiler room, partially flooding it. The damage caused to ''Bismarck'' by these two shots allowed {{convert|2000|t|ST|abbr=on}} of water into the ship.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=184}}

Lindemann and Lütjens at this point differed on how best to continue the mission. Lindemann, as commander of a battleship, was guided by the tactical situation, and wanted to hunt down the damaged ''Prince of Wales''. (The Germans did not at that time know the ship to be ''Prince of Wales'', but knew that it was a {{sclass|King George V|battleship (1939)|0}} battleship.) Lütjens, apparently mindful of the fleet order to avoid unnecessary contact with similar enemy units, rejected this without discussion.{{sfn|Bercuson|Herwig|2003|pp=165–166}} Lindemann and Lütjens also differed on where to take the ship for repairs; Lindemann advocated retracing their route through the Denmark Strait and returning to [[Bergen]], Norway. Lütjens overruled him and ordered a course set for [[Saint-Nazaire]], France.{{sfn|Bercuson|Herwig|2003|pp=171–172}} In the afternoon, Admiral Lütjens ordered ''Prinz Eugen'' to break away from ''Bismarck'' and operate independently against the enemy's merchant shipping. ''Prinz Eugen'' and ''Bismarck'' separated at 18:14 that evening. ''Prinz Eugen'' arrived safely at [[Brest, France]] on 1 June 1941.{{sfn|Hildebrand|Röhr|Steinmetz|1990|loc=volume 7 p. 41}} No direct witnesses to this difference of opinion survived the sinking, but ''Matrosengefreiter'' ([[Leading Seaman]]) Heinz Staat, the helmsman on the bridge, remembered a telephone call between the First [[Watch officer|Watch Officer]], Commander Hans Oels, and a fleet staff officer which suggested that Lindemann had been trying to persuade Lütjens to pursue the enemy. A messenger returning to his comrades below spoke of "''dicke Luft''" ("thick air" or a "bad atmosphere") on the bridge.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=182–183}}{{sfn|Mitcham|2008|p=426}}

''Bismarck'' was sunk three days later, after a concentrated effort by Britain's [[Royal Navy]]. At 23:30 (local time 19:30) on 24 May an attack was made by a small group of nine [[Fairey Swordfish|Swordfish]] [[biplane]] [[torpedo bomber]]s of [[825 Naval Air Squadron]] under the command of [[Eugene Esmonde]] from the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Victorious|R38|6}}. One hit was scored, which killed ''Oberbootsmann'' Kurt Kirchberg, but caused only superficial damage to the ''Bismarck''{{'}}s [[belt armour|armoured belt]].{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=186–187}} In mid-morning at 10:30 on 26 May, a [[RAF Coastal Command]] [[PBY Catalina|Catalina reconnaissance aircraft]] from [[No. 209 Squadron RAF|209 Squadron RAF]] spotted ''Bismarck'' roughly {{convert|700|nmi|km mi}} west of Saint-Nazaire. The British battle group [[Force H]], under the command of [[Admiral]] [[James Somerville]], whose main units were the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Ark Royal|91|6}}, the First World War era [[battlecruiser]] {{HMS|Renown|1916|6}} and the [[cruiser]] {{HMS|Sheffield|C24|6}}, was ordered to stop ''Bismarck''. At 19:15 that evening, 15 Swordfish from ''Ark Royal'' launched an attack. The air raid alarm was sounded on ''Bismarck'' at 20:30. Roughly 15 minutes into the attack ''Bismarck'' was possibly hit by one torpedo, and at around 21:00 another single torpedo jammed ''Bismarck''{{'}}s rudder 12° to port. Damage-control parties laboured to regain steering control and uncoupled and centred the starboard rudder, but failed to free the port rudder. With asymmetric power applied, speed reduced to {{convert|8|kn|km/h mph|abbr=on}}, ''Bismarck'' was on a converging course with the Royal Navy units on the chase.{{sfn|Boyne|1997|p=66}} The alarm sounded again at 23:00 when destroyers of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla under the command of Captain [[Philip Vian]] attacked ''Bismarck''. Throughout the night ''Bismarck'' was targeted by incessant torpedo attacks by {{HMS|Cossack|F03|6}}, {{HMS|Sikh|F82|2}}, {{HMS|Maori|F24|2}}, {{HMS|Zulu|F18|2}}, and {{ORP|Piorun|G65|6}}, denying Lindemann and the crew much-needed rest.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=190–191}}

''Bismarck''{{'}}s alarm sounded for the last time at 08:00 on the morning of 27 May 1941. ''Norfolk'' sighted the ''Bismarck'' at 08:15, and the battleship {{HMS|Rodney|29|6}} opened fire on ''Bismarck'' at 08:48. ''Bismarck'' returned fire at 08:49. Further involved in the final battle were the battleship {{HMS|King George V|41|6}} and the cruisers ''Norfolk'' and {{HMS|Dorsetshire|40|6}}. Torpedo bombers did not participate in the final battle. ''Bismarck''{{'}}s forward command position was hit at 08:53, and both forward gun turrets were put out of action at 09:02, killing Adalbert Schneider in the main gun director. The after command position was destroyed at 09:18 and turret ''Dora'' was disabled at 09:24. ''Bismarck'' received further heavy hits at 09:40, resulting in a fire amidships, and turret ''Caesar'' went out of action after a hit at 09:50. All weapons fell silent at 10:00. Short of fuel, ''Rodney'' and ''King George V'' had to disengage prior to ''Bismarck''{{'}}s sinking. The Germans were preparing to [[Scuttling|scuttle]] ''Bismarck'' when three torpedoes fired by ''Dorsetshire'' hit the ship's side armour. ''Bismarck'' sank at 10:36 at position {{Coord|48|10|N|16|12|W}}, roughly {{convert|300|nmi|km mi|abbr=on}} west of Ouessant ([[Ushant]]). The cruiser ''Dorsetshire'' saved 85 men, and the British destroyer ''Maori'' saved 25. A further five sailors were saved by {{GS|U-74|1940|6}} under the command of ''[[Kapitänleutnant]]'' [[Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat]] and the weather observation ship {{ship|German weather ship|Sachsenwald||2}}. The ''[[Befehlshaber der U-Boote]]'' (U-boats Commander-in-Chief) [[Karl Dönitz]] had ordered {{GS|U-556||2}} under the command of ''Kapitänleutnant'' [[Herbert Wohlfarth]] to pick up ''Bismarck''{{'}}s [[war diary]]. Out of torpedoes and low on fuel, Wohlfarth requested that the order be transferred to ''U-74''. ''U-74'' failed to reach ''Bismarck'' on time and the war diary was never retrieved.{{sfn|Hildebrand|Röhr|Steinmetz|1990|loc=volume 2 p. 81}}

===Death===
Burkard von Müllenheim-Rechberg saw Lindemann for the last time at around 08:00 on the command bridge just prior to the final battle. Von Müllenheim-Rechberg described the normally intelligent, humorous and optimistic Lindemann as pessimistic and withdrawn. Von Müllenheim-Rechberg tried to talk to him and was ignored, and later wondered whether this was due to combat fatigue or whether the disagreements with Lütjens had worn him down.{{sfn|Müllenheim-Rechberg|1980|pp=195–197}}
[[File:Ernst Lindemannn-Mutter Erde fec.jpg|thumb|right|The Lindemann family plot at [[Cemetery Dahlem]], Berlin, inscription in memory of Captain Ernst Lindemann.|alt=A grave stone commemorating Ernst Lindemann]]

Lindemann's body was never recovered, and it is thought that he, Lütjens and other officers were probably killed in action when shellfire from the British warships landed on ''Bismarck''{{'}}s bridge at 09:02.{{sfn|Bercuson|Herwig|2003|p=291}} When [[Robert Ballard]], the [[oceanographer]] responsible for finding {{RMS|Titanic}} discovered the wreck of the ''Bismarck'' in 1989, he found that most of the forward [[superstructure]] had been blasted away by shells and there were more than 50 shell holes around the area of the [[conning tower]]. This may support the theory.{{sfn|Jackson|2002|p=87}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Bismarck|website=The Wreck|url=http://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/wreck/bismarck_wreck_2.html|access-date=4 February 2011|archive-date=20 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120204542/http://bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/wreck/bismarck_wreck_2.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Alternatively, Lindemann may have left his combat position when the ship's controls were rendered inoperable—and prior to the lethal hit on the command position—in order to give the command to abandon the ship. The surviving ''Matrose'' Paul Hillen—who had managed to escape to the upper deck in the final phase of the battle—stated that he had seen a group of 20–30 people standing at the bow, among them a man with a white peaked cap. Normally on a German naval vessel at sea, a white cap is worn only by the commanding officer.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=201}} In addition, the surviving ''Maschinengefreiter''—Rudolf Römer, who at the time was already in the water—claimed that he had seen Lindemann standing on the bow, near ''Bismarck''{{'}}s forward 38&nbsp;cm turret, ''Anton''.<ref group="Note">''Bismarck'' had four [[38 cm SK C/34 naval gun|38 cm SK C/34]] dual gun turrets. The two forward turrets were ''Anton'' and ''Bruno''. The aft turrets were ''Caesar'' and ''Dora''.</ref> He was said to be with his combat messenger, a leading seaman, and apparently trying to persuade his messenger to save himself. In this account, his messenger took Lindemann's hand while the two walked to the forward flagmast. As the ship turned over, the two stood briefly to attention, and then Lindemann and his messenger saluted. As the ship rolled to port, the messenger fell into the water. Lindemann continued his salute while clinging to the flagmast, [[Captain goes down with the ship|going under with the ship]].{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=202}}{{sfn|McGowen|1999|pp=58–59}}

===Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross===

Lindemann's comrades of Crew 1913 all contacted the young widow after his death. The former head of Crew 1913, Captain Otto Klüber, contacted Mrs Lindemann in the fall of 1941 and offered her an honorary membership. Shortly after Christmas on 27 December 1941, exactly seven months after the sinking of ''Bismarck'' and the death of its commander, Captain Ernst Lindemann received a posthumous [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]]. He received this high award because the ''[[Oberkommando der Marine]]'' felt that his skilled leadership significantly contributed to the destruction of the British battlecruiser ''Hood'' and the damage inflicted on the British battleship ''Prince of Wales''.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=205}} Lindemann was the 94th recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in the ''Kriegsmarine''.{{sfn|Range|1974|p=116}}

Lindemann's first gunnery officer—Lieutenant Commander [[Adalbert Schneider]]—had been awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 May 1941. Traditionally, the commanding officer would have received this award before any other crew member was so honoured. This exception had been criticized by various circles in the ''Wehrmacht''. It is thought likely that Ernst Lindemann's cousin, the former ''[[General of the Cavalry (Germany)|General der Kavallarie]]'' (General of the Cavalry) [[Georg Lindemann]], intervened. Grand Admiral [[Erich Raeder]], with whom Lindemann shared a 20-year comradeship dating to the early days of the {{lang|de|Reichsmarine}}, presented the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross to Mrs Lindemann on Tuesday, 6 January 1942, in [[Dahlem (Berlin)|Dahlem]]. Raeder went on to provide moral and emotional support to Lindemann's mother and widow.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=205}}

==Awards and honours==
* [[Iron Cross]] (1914)
** 2nd Class
** 1st Class (27 September 1919){{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=212}}
* [[Friedrich August Cross]], 2nd class{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}<ref>{{cite book | title=Rangliste der Deutschen Reichsmarine | publisher=Reichswehrministerium, Mittler & Sohn | location=Berlin | year=1932 | page=44 | language=de}}</ref>
* [[Ottoman War Medal]] (Turkish: ''Harp Madalyası''), known as the "Gallipoli Star" or "Iron Crescent"{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=212}}{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}
* [[Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918]] (6 December 1934){{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=212}}
* [[Wehrmacht Long Service Award|Service Award]] (''Dienstauszeichnung'') 2nd to 4th Class (2 October 1936){{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=212}}{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}
* Service Award (''Dienstauszeichnung'') 1st Class (16 March 1938){{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=212}}
* Spanish [[Crosses of Naval Merit (Spain)|Naval Merit Cross]] (''Cruz del Mérito Naval'') 3rd Class (6 June 1939){{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=212}}{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}
* Spanish Naval Merit Cross in White (''Cruz Naval con distintivo Blanco'') (21 August 1939){{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=212}}{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}
* Spanish Naval Merit Cross in Gold (''Cruz Naval con distintivo Amarillo'') 3rd Class (21 August 1939){{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=212}}{{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}
* Swedish Royal [[Order of the Sword]] (''Kungliga Svärdsorden'') (11 January 1941){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=213}}
* [[War Merit Cross]], 2nd Class with Swords (20 January 1941){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=213}}
* [[Clasp to the Iron Cross]] (1939)
** 2nd and 1st Class (May 1941){{sfn|Dörr|1996|p=12}}{{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=213}}
* [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]] on 27 December 1941 (posthumously) as captain and commander of battleship ''Bismarck''{{sfn|Fellgiebel|2000|p=292}}{{sfn|Fellgiebel|Colton|Rogers|2003|p=239}}{{sfn|Scherzer|2007|p=507}}
* [[High Seas Fleet Badge]] (posthumously 1 April 1942){{sfn|Grützner|2010|p=213}}

===Lindemann Battery===
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-364-2314-16A, Atlantikwall, Batterie "Lindemann".jpg|thumb|right|Battery Lindemann in 1942.|alt=Soldiers standing in front of a gun housed in a casemate]]

To honour the late Captain Lindemann, the heavy naval battery at [[Sangatte]], between [[Calais]] and [[Boulogne]] was christened "Batterie Lindemann" (the Lindemann Battery) on 19 September 1942 by the admiral in command of the Channel Coast [[Friedrich Frisius]]. The battery consisted of three heavy {{convert|40.6|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} [[40.6&nbsp;cm SK C/34 gun|SK C/34]] guns housed in casemates, originally intended for the early [[H-class battleship proposals|H-class battleships]]. Prior to this, the guns had been referred to as "Batterie Schleswig-Holstein" or "Batterie Groß-Deutschland" and were located in the [[Hel Peninsula]], Poland. The battery was destroyed by Canadian forces on the evening of 26 September 1944. Today the structure is partly covered by excavated material from the [[Channel Tunnel]], and only the command bunker with a number of smaller strong points are still visible.{{sfn|Grützner|2010|pp=213–216}}

==In popular culture==
Austrian actor [[Carl Möhner]] played Captain Ernst Lindemann in the 1960 black-and-white British war film ''[[Sink the Bismarck!]]'' The film was based on the novel ''[[The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck]]'' by [[C. S. Forester]].<ref>{{IMDb title|qid=Q698949|title=Sink the Bismarck!}}. Retrieved 8 April 2011.</ref>

==Translation notes==
{{Reflist|group="Tr"|colwidth=20em}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="Note"|colwidth=30em}}

==References==

===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
{{Refbegin |colwidth=40em}}
* {{cite book |last=Ballard |first= Robert D. |author-link=Robert Ballard |year=1990 |title=Bismarck: Germany's Greatest Battleship Gives Up its Secrets |location=Toronto |publisher=Madison Publishing |isbn=978-0-7858-2205-9|ref=none}}
* {{cite book |last1=Bercuson |first1=David J. |last2=Herwig |first2=Holger H. |title=The Destruction of the Bismarck |year=2003 |location=New York |publisher=The Overlook Press |isbn= 978-1-58567-397-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Boyne |first=Walter |author-link=Walter J. Boyne |year=1997 |title=Clash of Titans: World War II at Sea |location=New York |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-0-684-83914-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Dörr |first=Manfred |year=1996 |title=Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine&nbsp;– Band 2:L–Z |language=de |location=Osnabrück |publisher= Biblio Verlag |isbn=978-3-7648-2497-6}}
* {{cite book |last=Fellgiebel |first=Walther-Peer |author-link=:de:Walther-Peer Fellgiebel |year=2000 |orig-year=1986 |title=Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile |trans-title=The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 – The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches |language=de |location= Friedberg, Germany |publisher=Podzun-Pallas |isbn=978-3-7909-0284-6}}
* {{cite book |last1=Fellgiebel |first1=Walther-Peer |last2=Colton |first2=C. F. |last3=Rogers |first3=Duncan |year=2003 |title=Elite of the Third Reich: the recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, 1939–45 |publisher=Helion & Company Limited |isbn=978-1-874622-46-8 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=inwd2rDaLm4C&pg=PA239 |access-date=6 April 2011}}
* {{cite book |last=Grützner |first=Jens |year=2010 |title=Kapitän zur See Ernst Lindemann: Der Bismarck-Kommandant – Eine Biographie |trans-title=Captain at Sea Ernst Lindemann: The Bismarck-Commander – A Biography |publisher=VDM Heinz Nickel |isbn=978-3-86619-047-4 |language=de}}
* {{cite book |last1=Hildebrand |first1=Hans H. |last2=Röhr |first2=Albert |last3=Steinmetz |first3= Hans-Otto |title=Die Deutschen Kriegsschiffe. Biographien – ein Spiegel der Marinegeschichte von 1815 bis zur Gegenwart. (10 Bände) | language=de |publisher=Mundus Verlag |year= 1990 |asin=B003VHSRKE |asin-tld=de }}
* {{cite book |last=Jackson |first=Robert |year=2002 |title=The Bismarck |location=Staplehurst |publisher=Spellmount |isbn=978-1-86227-173-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Kennedy |first=Ludovic |author-link=Ludovic Kennedy |title=Pursuit: The Chase and Sinking of the Bismarck|isbn=978-0-304-35526-6|year=2001|publisher=Orion Publishing Group, Limited |ref=none}}
* {{cite book |last=McGowen |first=Tom |year=1999 |title=Sink The Bismarck! |location=Brookfield, Connecticut |publisher=Twenty-First Century Books |isbn=978-0-7613-1510-0 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/sinkbismarckgerm0000mcgo }}
* {{cite book |last=Mitcham |first=Samuel W. |year=2008 |title=The rise of the Wehrmacht: the German armed forces and World War II, Volume 1 |location=Westport, Connecticut |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn= 978-0-275-99659-8}}
* {{cite book |last=Müllenheim-Rechberg |first=Burkard |title=Battleship Bismarck: A Survivor's Story |year=1980 |location=Annapolis, MD |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=978-0-87021-096-9}}
* {{cite book |last=Range |first=Clemens |year=1974 |title=Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine |language=German |location= Stuttgart, Germany|publisher=Motorbuch Verlag |isbn=3-87943-355-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Scherzer |first=Veit |year=2007 |title=Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives |trans-title=The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives |language=de |location=Jena |publisher=Scherzers Militaer-Verlag |isbn=978-3-938845-17-2}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
* {{DNB portal|142619698|TYP=}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lindemann, Ernst}}
[[Category:1894 births]]
[[Category:1941 deaths]]
[[Category:German battleship Bismarck]]
[[Category:Captains who went down with the ship]]
[[Category:German sea captains]]
[[Category:People from Altenkirchen]]
[[Category:Military personnel from the Rhine Province]]
[[Category:Imperial German Navy personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Kriegsmarine personnel killed in World War II]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Sword]]
[[Category:Crosses of Naval Merit]]
[[Category:Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class]]
[[Category:Reichsmarine personnel]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Rhineland-Palatinate]]
[[Category:German military personnel of the Spanish Civil War]]