ww1 german navy

Cöln class cruisers (1916)

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Germany: SMS Cöeln(ii), Dresden(ii), Wiesbaden(ii), Magdeburg(ii), Leipzig(ii), Rostock(ii), Frauenlob(ii), Ersatz Cöln, Ersatz Emden, Ersatz Karlsruhe (1916-1919) Coeln class cruisers 1916: These were the very last German cruisers of WWI, a gradual improvements of previous light cruiser classes and reaching a new standard in size, speed and armament that was fitting well the needs of the … Read more

Königsberg (ii) class cruisers (1915)

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Germany (1914-1920) – SMS Königsberg, Karlsruhe, Emden, Nürnberg The replacement cruisers Painting of the Karlsruhe in Scapa Flow A new, unnamed class was programmed in 1913 already to replaced the Wiesbaden class. They were an incremental step in design, larger, and four cruisers were started as WWI broke out, SMS Königsberg, Karlsruhe, Emden, Nürnberg, soon … Read more

Wiesbaden class cruisers (1915)

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Germany – SMS Wiesbaden, SMS Frankfurt (1914-1919) Hipper’s Cavalry: Among the light cruisers screening for the Kaiserliches Marine, were the modern and active SMS Wiesbaden and Frankfurt: They were screening Admiral Franz Hipper’s battlecruisers (1st scouting group) in early sorties and fought notably at Jutland. Very similar to the previous Graudenz class, but up-armed with … Read more

Brummer class cruisers (1915)

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Germany (1913-1919) – SMS Brummer, Bremse In 1915, the Admiralty decided to start construction in Vulcan, Stettin, of two large turbine-powered minelayer vessels. Launched in December 1915, March 1916, commissioned in April and July 1916. These were very active and successful ships until the end of WWI. Design development In order to strengthen or replace … Read more

Pillau class cruisers (1914)

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Germany (1914): SMS Pillau, Elbing From Russia, with Love The Pillau class were originally the Russian-ordered Maraviev Amurskyy and Admiral Nevelskoy, in 1912 to Schichau Yards. They were laid down in 1913 and launched for the first on 11 April 1914. Therefore on 5 August, both were requisitioned and completed as SMS Pillau and Elbing. … Read more

Graudenz class cruisers (1914)

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Germany (1912-1944) – SMS Graudenz, SMS Regensburg The Graudenz class were another iteration over the now classic kight cruiser formular prioneered by the Brmen class in 1902. Tne years after a constant, complete improvement cycle (namely the Könisgberg (1905), Dresden (1907), Kolberg (1908), Magdeburg (1911) and Karlsruhe (1912), the admiralty came with a new design … Read more

Karlsruhe class cruisers (1912)

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German light Cruisers (1911-1914)SMS Karlsruhe, SMS Rostock The last German “four stackers” With the previous Magdeburg class, the Karlsruhe were near-sister ships with the same armament, armor protection, but faster and larger. Launched in 1912 they were commissioned as the war broke out and saw plenty of action, with short but very intense career as … Read more

Bayern class battleships (1915)

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Bayern class battleships (1915) SMS Bayern, Baden, Sachsen, Württemberg Bayern class: The last German dreadnoughts The battleship “Bayern” does not represents the culmination of the German Dreadnought, but at least its wartime epitaph. The very last projected German dreadnoughts were indeed the “L20 alpha” class, reaching almost 50,000 fully loaded, 26 knots, and with eight … Read more

Nautilus class minelayers (1906)

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Germany (1906): SMS Nautilus, Albatros The first two specialized German minelayers The Nautilus class were two minelaying cruisers planned for the Imperial German Navy, both built by the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen with different designs, at least in appearance. They never operated together, one being kep for training or in maintenance. They laid at … Read more

Dresden class cruisers

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Light Cruisers SMS Dresden, Emden (1908) Two famous ships The Dresden class followed the Königsberg class, but improved in size and speed a bit. Launched in 1907-1908, their fates were among the most interesting of the war: Both Königsberg and Dresden were part of the overseas squadrons of the Kaiserliches Marine in 1914. Dresden was … Read more