The Kriegsmarine was the German Navy from 1935 to 1945. It was dissolved after Germany lost World War II. Notable ships it operated during the war include the Bismarck-class battleships, the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin, and the U-boats.
History[]
Under the terms of an Anglo-German agreement signed on 18th June 1935, the Kriegsmarine was limited in size to a fleet 35% of Great Britain's surface fleet and 45% the size of its submarines. The signing of the agreement, which upset the French because of their doubts regarding Britain's sincerity in an alliance with Germany, was the first time that a European power agreed to an overt violation of the Versailles Treaty.[1]
In 1938, the service had 75,000 officers and men.[2]
Organization[]
The Kriegsmarine used a variety of warship during the War.
Capitol ship classes[]
Aircraft carriers[]
Battleships and battle cruisers[]
- Bismarck-class battleship
- Deutschland-class battleship
- Scharnhorst-class battle cruiser
Cruisers[]
- Hipper-class heavy cruiser
- Deutschland-class Heavy cruiser
- K-class light cruiser
- Leipzig-class light cruiser
Destroyers[]
- Zerstörer 1934-class destroyer
- Zerstörer 1934A-class destroyer
- Zerstörer 1936-class destroyer
- Zerstörer 1936A-class destroyer
- Zerstörer 1936B-class destroyer
Submarines[]
- Type I submarine
- Type II submarine
- Type VII submarine
- Type IX submarine
- Type X submarine
- Type XIV submarine
- Type XVII submarine
- Type XXI submarine
- Type XXIII submarine
Patrol and torpedo boats[]
- Elbing-class Type 1939 torpedo boat
- F-class escort ship
- S-100 Schnellboote
- TA-class torpedo boat
- Type 1923 torpedo boat
- Type 1924 torpedo boat
- VP Boats
Support ships[]
Armed Merchantmen[]
- Atlantis
- Coronel
- Hansa
- Komet
- Kormoran
- Michel
- Orion
- Pinguin
- Sperrbrecher
- Stier
- Thor
- Widder
Minesweepers and minelayers[]
- M-class minesweeper
- R Boat
Landing craft[]
- Marinefährprahm
- Siebelfähre
References[]
- ↑ Goralski, Robert. World War II Almanac 1931-1945. Hamish Hamilton Ltd. 1981. ISBN 0 241 10573 0 Page 34
- ↑ McMurtrie, Francis E. (Editor) Jane's Fighting Ships of World War 2. Tiger Books International. ISBN 0517679639 Page 141