The minesweeper M-575 was originally built as the M-75, model 1916. This ship had a draft of just over 2 m and was the largest, 535-630 tons, model among minesweepers built in Germany during World War I. It was equipped with a 3-cylinder steam engine and had 1600-1850 hp and could propel the ship at a speed of 16 knots.

Due to the minesweeper mission, several of them sank, often as a result of mines. Of the ships that survived World War I, many were scrapped in the early 20th century, but some were rebuilt and then also served during World War II, partly in their original role as minesweepers but also as various auxiliary ships.

Until 1939, the M-75 was used by the German navy, the Reichsmarine, for minesweeping and submarine hunting in the North Sea. During 1939 and early 1940, the ship was renovated and then renamed from having been called M-75 to M-575. The ship then served in the German navy, Kriegsmarine, in Öresund and Kattegat.

On 1 March 1945, M-575 set out from Copenhagen for duties in the northern Kattegat. There was a storm warning when the ship left port, but she made her way up the strait under the protection of land. As the ship got further north, however, the sea became too rough and the officers on board decided to seek shelter behind Kullen and wait.

After waiting for several hours without the wind abating, they decided to put into port in Helsingør, but on the way there, the ship began to take on water in the rough sea. More water entered the ship than could be bailed out and the lifeboats were put into the sea. However, they were quickly washed away in the strong wind and only nine of the 70 crew members could be rescued with the help of the lifeboats. Shortly afterwards, M-575 sank. It was then just before 10 pm. Those who were not pulled down with the ship or managed to get into the lifeboats ended up in the icy water where they cried for help. The cries were heard from land, but they quickly fell silent and half an hour later, local residents saw frozen to death crew members floating ashore along the coast between the fishing camp Gravanäs and the northern cold bathhouse. From land, lifeboats had been observed and seen capsizing and the Red Cross and Swedish military had gone out and by 2330, nine Germans had been rescued. Three were dead and were taken to the morgue. The others were taken to Helsingborg hospital. During the night, the pilot boat from Helsingborg and Swedish naval vessels searched the coast without finding any trace of the minesweeper. Later, additional victims were recovered from the water.

Today, the ship, which is 59.3 m long and 7.3 m wide, lies on the port side at a depth of about 28 m. In the bow you can see the anchor and on the foredeck there is a large cannon that is really nice. A large part of the bridge is down in the mud but it is possible to look in on the starboard side. In the stern there is the minesweeping equipment to look at. In the stern the propeller and propeller shaft are also clearly visible.
There is some trawl on the wreck and also some fishing lines and hauls but otherwise it is quite clean. There is not much growth on the wreck which means that you can clearly see the contours and the details that are left, such as the loading mechanism on the cannon in the bow.