The building site of the city was located 15–20 km (9.3–12.4 mi) southwest of the Norwegian city of Trondheim. Because of the significant strategic importance of Trondheim Fjord to the German military, it was to be constructed in conjunction with a major navy and military base that would give Germany unprecedented maritime control over the North Atlantic area, a move strongly supported by Großadmirals Erich Raeder and Karl Dönitz.[3]