Shipwreck or sea mystery · 26.08.1914
SMS Magdeburg and the captured codebooks
In thick fog at 1:13 am on 26 August 1914 the German light cruiser Magdeburg ran aground near the lighthouse of Osmussaar, then called Odensholm. Her double bottom was badly damaged and a torpedo boat could not pull her free. While the crew was being taken off, Magdeburg shelled and destroyed the lighthouse, one of her targets for the raid. The Russian cruisers Bogatyr and Pallada arrived and opened fire, and fifteen German sailors were killed. The Germans could not destroy their code books: the Russians recovered three, with the current key, and passed one to the Royal Navy. It helped the British read German wireless signals and set traps for German ships, including at the Battle of Jutland. The wreck was later scrapped and destroyed.
Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today
Eesti keeles
Paksus udus kell 1.13 öösel 26. augustil 1914 jooksis Saksa kergeristleja Magdeburg madalikule Osmussaare ehk tollase Odensholmi tuletorni lähedal. Laeva topeltpõhi sai raskelt kannatada ja torpeedopaat ei suutnud seda lahti tõmmata. Meeskonna evakueerimise ajal tulistas Magdeburg puruks tuletorni, mis oli üks retke sihtmärke. Kohale jõudsid Vene ristlejad Bogatyr ja Pallada ning avasid tule, viisteist Saksa meremeest sai surma. Sakslased ei jõudnud oma koodiraamatuid hävitada: venelased said kätte kolm koos kehtiva võtmega ja andsid ühe Briti mereväele. See aitas brittidel Saksa raadiosõnumeid lugeda ja Saksa laevadele lõkse seada, muu hulgas Jüüti lahingu eel. Vrakk lammutati hiljem ja hävitati.