Lutzow then returned to Germany for repairs and a refitting before leaving on a raiding mission into the Atlantic Ocean. Before she could make her scheduled run she was torpedoed by the British submarine HMS Spearfish in the Skagerrak north of Denmark. The torpedo struck the stern behind the torpedo blister protection nearly ripping off her entire stern. She was forced to Germany once again for repairs - keeping her out of action until the spring of 1941.
Patrolling in the northern Atlantic in June Lutzow was once again torpedoed - this time by an RAF Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber - resulting in major damage and forcing yet another return to the port of Kiel in Germany for repairs. In December, she was present at the Battle of the Barents Sea. The battle was what Lutzow was built for in the "stronger-than-faster" ship concept. The German force was strong with the heavy cruiser KMS Admiral Hipper and pocket battleship Lutzow. The quarry was the Allied convoy JW51B on its way to deliver supplies to the USSR and protected by now fewer than six British destroyers. Hitler saw the battle of the surface raiders in the Barents Sea as the perfect mission for success. The battle took place in the Polar night with both sides reportedly having difficulty in recognizing one another. Each side, fearing torpedo attacks, continually broke off their attacks until the Germans retreated for good. British Force R shadowed the German ships as they carried on back to port. Upon the news, Hitler was infuriated at the outcome of the battle and decided not to increase the surface fleet, instead choosing to boost his fleet of U-boat submarines and make them his main threat to enemy shipping.
Lutzow took part in a variety of minor encounters during the next year. In September of 1944 in the Baltic Sea, she fired upon land targets in support of the retreating German Wehrmacht, a service she would continue to provide for several more months. Near Swinemunde, Germany in April 1945, Lutzow was again attacked by the RAF. RAF elements dropped a number of six-ton "Tallboy" bombs with three hitting Lutzow while she was still moored. After several enormous explosions, she sank to the bottom. Despite her damage, Lutzow was raised and repaired. From then on, she continued to provide artillery support for the German army as a mobile off-shore gun platform. KMS Lutzow was finally scuttled by her crew on May 4th, 1945 - quite the major disappointment to the ego and morale of the Kriegsmarine.
After the war, the Soviet Navy raised her and used her as a target ship. She was sunk for the last time in the Baltic Sea in 1949 by this action.
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