The history of German cruisers spans from the late 19th-century Imperial Navy to the end of World War II, evolving from colonial station ships to powerful, modern warships designed for fleet action and commerce raiding. German cruiser design
often emphasized armor and survivability over maximum firepower compared to their foreign counterparts.
- Armored Cruisers: Early designs like the Prinz Adalbert and Roon classes led to the formidable Scharnhorst class (Scharnhorst and Gneisenau). These ships achieved legendary status as part of the East Asia Squadron under Admiral Maximilian von Spee, notably winning the Battle of Coronel before being lost at the Battle of the Falkland Islands in 1914. The final armored cruiser, Blücher, was an intermediate step toward battlecruisers but was sunk at the Battle of Dogger Bank in 1915.
- Light Cruisers: The Gazelle and Bremen classes were the first true German light cruisers. Many saw action during World War I, including the Emden, which had a famous career as a commerce raider in the Indian Ocean before being caught and destroyed.
Interwar Period and the Reichsmarine
The Treaty of Versailles severely restricted the German Navy (renamed the Reichsmarine), limiting it to six light cruisers under 6,000 tons displacement.
- Post-WWI Cruisers: The first new cruiser, the Emden (commissioned in 1925), was built to an outdated design based on late-war blueprints. It was followed by the Königsberg and Leipzig classes, which featured innovative designs like all-welded hulls and triple main gun turrets, though they suffered from structural compromises to stay within treaty limits.
- Deutschland-class “Pocket Battleships”: Germany built three Deutschland-class armored ships—Deutschland (later renamed Lützow), Admiral Scheer, and Admiral Graf Spee—which the British famously nicknamed “pocket battleships”. They were technically within treaty limits by standard displacement definitions but were heavily armed with six 28 cm (11 in) guns, making them ideal, powerful commerce raiders. Admiral Graf Spee was scuttled after the Battle of the River Plate in 1939.
World War II and the Kriegsmarine
With the rise of the Kriegsmarine and the repudiation of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany began a more ambitious naval rearmament program, including the Admiral Hipper class of heavy cruisers.
- Heavy Cruisers: The Deutschland class ships served as commerce raiders; the Admiral Graf Spee was scuttled after the Battle of the River Plate, and the Admiral Scheer was the most successful raider. The subsequent Admiral Hipper class consisted of five ships, though only three (Admiral Hipper, Blücher, Prinz Eugen) were completed and saw extensive action, notably during the invasion of Norway in 1940 where Blücher was sunk by coastal defenses.
- Light Cruisers: The interwar light cruisers were primarily used for mine-laying and escort duties in the early war, with most lost during the conflict.
At the end of the war, only two German cruisers survived: Prinz Eugen was ceded to the US Navy and used in nuclear tests, and Nürnberg was seized by the Soviets, serving in the Soviet Navy as Admiral Makarov until around 1960, marking the end of the history of German cruisers.
Protected cruisers
Irene class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Irene | Irene class | 25-05-1888 | 17-02-1914 | U boat depot ship in 1914, scraped in 1922 |
SMS Prinzess Wilhem | Irene class | 13-11-1889 | 17-02-1914 | Mine hulk ship in 1914, scraped in 1922 |
SMS Kaiserin Augusta
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Kaiserin Augusta | -- | 17-11-1892 | 14-12-1918 | Scraped in 1920 |
Victoria Louise class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Victoria Louise | Victoria Louise | 20-02-1899 | 07-11-1914 | Scraped in 1923 |
SMS Hertha | Victoria Louise | 23-07-1898 | 16-11-1914 | Scraped in 1920 |
SMS Freya | Victoria Louise | 20-10-1898 | 27-08-1914 | Scraped in 1921 |
SMS Vineta | Victoria Louise | 13-09-1899 | 16-11-1914 | Scraped in 1920 |
SMS Hansa | Victoria Louise | 20-04-1899 | 26-10-1914 | Scraped in 1920 |
The Victoria Louise class of protected cruisers was the last class of ships of that type built for the German Imperial Navy. The class design introduced the combined clipper and ram bow and the blocky sides that typified later German armored cruisers. The class comprised five vessels, Victoria Louise, the lead ship, Hertha, Freya, Vineta, and Hansa. The ships were laid down in 1895–1896, and were launched in 1897–1898 and commissioned into the fleet over the following year. All five ships were modernized between 1905 and 1911, after which they
served as training ships for naval cadets. After
the end of the conflict, Victoria Louise was converted into a merchant ship, but was broken up in 1923. The other four ships were scrapped in 1920–1921.
Protected cruisers
Schwalbe class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Schwalbe | Schwalbe class | 08-05-1888 | 13-12-1902 | Scraped in 1922 |
SMS Sperber | Schwalbe class | 02-04-1889 | 06-07-1911 | Scraped in 1922 |
Bussard class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Bussard | Bussard class | 07-10-1890 | 12-03-1910 | Scraped in 1913 |
SMS Falke | Bussard class | 14-09-1891 | 1907 | Scraped in 1913 |
SMS Seeadler | Bussard class | 17-08-1892 | 22-10-1914 | Exploded at Wilhelmshaven 19-04-1917, used as a mine hulk |
SMS Condor | Bussard class | 09-12-1892 | -- | In 1916, hulk for storing naval mines, Scraped 1921 |
SMS Cormoran | Bussard class | 25-07-1893 | 1914 | She was scuttled in 1914, to prevent her from being captured. |
SMS Geier | Bussard class | 24-10-1895 | -- | Captured by the US Navy, 06-04-1917 |
SMS Gefion
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Gefion | -- | 05-06-1895 | 01-10-1901 | Broken up in 1923 |
Armored cruisers
SMS Fürst Bismarck and SMS Prinz Heinrich
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Furst Bismarck | -- | 01-04-1900 | 31-12-1918 | Scraped 1919 - 1920 |
SMS Prinz Heinrich | -- | 11-03-1902 | 27-03-1916 | Scraped in 1920 |
Prinz Adalbert class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Prinz Adelbert | Prinz Adelbert | 12-01-1901 | -- | Torpedoed and sunk 23-10-1915 |
SMS Frederich Carl | Prinz Adelbert | 12-12-1903 | -- | Mind and sunk 17-11-1914 |
Roon class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Roon | Roon class | 02-08-1914 | 04-02-1916 | Scraped in 1921 |
SMS Yorck | Roon class | 21-11-1905 | 21-05-1913 | Sunk accidentally by German mines on 04-11-1914 |
Scharnhorst class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Scharnhorst | Scharnhorst | 24-10-1907 | -- | Sunk in action, Battle of Falkland Islands on 08-12-1914 |
SMS Gneisenau | Scharnhorst | 06-03-1908 | -- | Sunk in action, Battle of Falkland Islands on 08-12-1914 |
SMS Blücher
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Blucher | -- | 01-10-1909 | -- | Sunk during the Battle of Dogger Bank on 24-01-1915 |
Light cruisers
Gazelle class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Gazelle | Gazelle class | 15-06-1901 | 1916 | Scraped in 1920 |
SMS Niobe | Gazelle class | 25-06-1900 | 26-06-1925 | Sold to Yogoslavia |
SMS Nymphe | Gazelle class | 20-09-1900 | 16-04-1924 | Scraped in 1932 |
SMS Thetis | Gazelle class | 14-09-1901 | 30-11-1924 | Scraped in 1930 |
SMS Ariadne | Gazelle class | 18-05-1901 | -- | Sunk at the battle of Helogland Bight |
SMS Amazone | Gazelle class | 15-11-1901 | 31-03-1931 | Scraped in 1954 |
SMS Medusa | Gazelle class | 26-07-1901 | 26-09-1921 | Scuttled on 03-05-1945 |
SMS frauenlob | Gazelle class | 17-02-1903 | -- | Sunk during the battle of Jutland |
SMS Arcona | Gazelle class | 12-05-1903 | February 1920 | Scraped in 1948 |
SMS Undine | Gazelle class | 05-01-1904 | -- | Sunk on 07-11-1915 |
Bremen class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Bremen | Bremen class | 19-05-1904 | -- | Sunk on 17-12-1915 |
SMS Hamburg | Bremen class | 08-03-1904 | 30-06-1927 | Sunk on 27-07-1944, Raised an scraped in 1956 |
SMS Berlin | Bremen class | 04-04-1905 | 27-03-1929 | Scuttled in 1946 |
SMS Lubeck | Bremen class | 26-04-1905 | 05-09-1919 | Scraped 1922 - 1923 |
SMS Munchen | Bremen class | 10-01-1905 | November 1918 | Sunk as target on 28-09-1921 |
SMS Leipzig | Bremen class | 20-04-1906 | -- | Sunk at the battle of the Falkland Islands on 08-12-1914 |
SMS Danzig | Bremen class | 01-12-1907 | 25-03-1918 | Scraped 1922 - 1923 |
Königsberg class (1905)
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Königsberg | Königsberg class | 06-04-1907 | -- | Scuttled on 11-07-1915 |
SMS Nurnberg | Königsberg class | 10-04-1908 | -- | Sunk at the battle of the Falkland Islands on 08-12-1914 |
SMS Stuttgart | Königsberg class | 01-02-1908 | 17-12-1918 | Surrended to brittain in 1920, scraped |
SMS Stettin | Königsberg class | 29-10-1907 | -- | Ceded to brittain 1920, scraped 1921 - 1923 |
Dresden class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Dresden | Dresden class | 14-11-1908 | -- | Scuttled off Robinson Crusoe Island on 14-03-1915 |
SMS Emden | Dresden class | 10-07-1909 | -- | Disabled by HMAS Sydney on 09-11-1914 |
Kolberg class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Kolberg | Kolberg class | 21-06-1910 | -- | Scraped in 1929 |
SMS Mainz | Kolberg class | 01-10-1909 | -- | Sunk during the battle of Heligoland Bight on 28-08-1914 |
SMS Coln | Kolberg class | 16-06-1911 | -- | Sunk during the battle of Heligoland Bight on 28-08-1914 |
SMS Augsburg | Kolberg class | 01-10-1910 | 17-12-1918 | Scraped in 1922 |
Magdeburg class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Magdeburg | Magdeburg class | 20-05-1911 | -- | Wrecked on 26-08-1914 in the Gulf of Finland |
SMS Breslau | Magdeburg class | 10-05-1912 | -- | Transfered to the Ottoman Empire 16-08-1914 |
SMS Strassburg | Magdeburg class | 01-10-1912 | 14-06-1920 | Ceded by Italy in 1920 |
SMS Stralsund | Magdeburg class | 10-12-1912 | 17-12-1918 | Ceded to France in 1920 |
Karlsruhe class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Karlsruhe | Karlsruhe class | 15-01-1914 | -- | Sunk on 01-11-1914 |
SMS Rostock | Karlsruhe class | 04-02-1914 | -- | Sunk at he battle of Jutland on 01-06-1916 |
Graudenz class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Graudenz | Graudenz class | 10-08-1914 | 10-03-1920 | Ceded to Italy in 1920 |
SMS Regensburg | Graudenz class | 03-01-1915 | 24-01-1920 | Ceded to France |
Pillau class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Pillau | Pillau class | 14-12-1914 | 31-03-1919 | Ceded to Italy on 20-071920 |
SMS Elbing | Pillau class | 04-09-1915 | -- | Scuttled at the battle of Jutland on 01-06-1916 |
Wiesbaden class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Wiesbaden | Wiesbaden class | 23-08-1915 | -- | Sunk at the battle of Jutland on 01-06-1916 |
SMS Frankfurt | Wiesbaden class | 20-08-1915 | -- | Ceded to the United States after World War I |
Konigsberg class (1915)
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Konigsberg | Konigsberg class | 12-08-1916 | -- | Ceded to France in 1920 |
SMS Karlsruhe | Konigsberg class | december 1912 | -- | Scuttled at Scapa Flow on 21-06-1919 |
SMS Emden | Konigsberg class | 16-12-1916 | -- | Ceded to France, scraped 1926 |
SMS Nurnberg | Konigsberg class | February 1917 | -- | Sunk as a target ship on 07-07-1922 |
Brummer class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Brummer | Konigsberg class | 02-04-1916 | -- | Scuttled at Scapa Flow on 21-06-1919 |
SMS Bremse | Konigsberg class | 01-07-1916 | -- | Scuttled at Scapa Flow on 21-06-1919 |
Coln class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Coln | Coln class | 17-01-1918 | 01-11-1918 | Scuttled at Scapa Flow on 21-06-1919 |
SMS Dresden | Coln class | 23-03-1918 | -- | Scuttled at Scapa Flow on 21-06-1919 |
SMS Wiesbaden | Coln class | -- | -- | Launced but not completed, scraped 1920 - 1922 |
SMS Magdeburg | Coln class | -- | -- | Launced but not completed, scraped 1920 - 1922 |
SMS Leipzig | Coln class | -- | -- | Launced but not completed, scraped 1920 - 1922 |
SMS Rostock | Coln class | -- | -- | Launced but not completed, scraped 1920 - 1922 |
SMS Frauenlob | Coln class | -- | -- | Launced but not completed, scraped 1920 - 1922 |
SMS Ersatz Coln | Coln class | -- | -- | Launced but not completed, scraped 1920 - 1922 |
SMS Ersatz Emden | Coln class | -- | -- | Launced but not completed, scraped 1920 - 1922 |
SMS Ersatz Karlsruhe | Coln class | -- | -- | Launced but not completed, scraped 1920 - 1922 |
FK Designs
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
FK 1 | -- | -- | -- | Design study only |
FK 1a | -- | -- | -- | Design study only |
FK 2 | -- | -- | -- | Design study only |
FK 3 | -- | -- | -- | Design study only |
FK 4 | -- | -- | -- | Design study only |
SMS Emden
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Emden | -- | 15-10-1925 | 16-04-1945 | Destroyed on 03-05-1945, scraped 1949 |
Konigsberg class (1927)
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Konigsberg | Konigsberg class | 17-04-1929 | -- | Sunk on 10-04-1940 at Bregen, Norway |
SMS Karlsruhe | Konigsberg class | 06-11-1929 | -- | Sunk on 09-0401929 |
SMS Koln | Konigsberg class | 15-01-1930 | -- | Sunk by American aircraft on 30-03-1945 |
Leipzig class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
SMS Leipzig | Leipzig class | 08-10-1931 | -- | Scuttled july 1946 |
SMS Nurnberg | Leipzig class | 02-11-1935 | -- | Surrendered 1945, Assigned as a war prize to the Soviet navy |
M class
Name | Class | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
M, N, O, P, Q, R | M class | -- | -- | M and N were launched but none of them were completed |
