z11 "bernd von arnim" was a built for nazi germany's "kriegsmarine" in the late 1930s. at the beginning of world war ii, the ship was initially deployed to blockade the polish coast, but she was quickly transferred to the german bight to lay minefields in german waters. in late 1939 the ship made one successful minelaying sortie off the english coast that claimed one british warship and seven merchant ships. during the early stages of the norwegian campaign, "bernd von arnim" fought the british destroyer while transporting troops to the narvik area in early april 1940, but neither ship was damaged during the action. the ship fought in both naval battles of narvik several days later and had to be scuttled after she exhausted her ammunition.