German cruiser Karlsruhe

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For other uses, see Karlsruhe (disambiguation).

Career
The off-centerline positioning of the aft turrets of the Karlsruhe can be seen in this photograph (1934)
Built By:	Deutsche Werke, Kiel
Laid down:	27 July 1926
Launched:	20 August 1927
Commissioned:	6 November 1929
Paid off:
Fate:	Disabled then sunk 9 April 1940
Penant:
General Characteristics
Type:	light cruiser
Displacement:	6650 tons (8130 tons deep load)
Length:	174 metres (overall)
Beam:	15.2 metres
Draught:	6.28 metres
Propulsion:	3 shafts driven by 4 MAN 10-cylinder diesels (cruising) or 2 geared turbines;68000 shp
Speed:	30 knots
Range:	5,200 miles at 19 knots
Complement:	820 - 850
Armament:	9 5.9 inch (150 mm) guns (3 × 3) 6 3.5 inch (88 mm) 8 37 mm anti-aircraft (4 × 2) 21 inch torpedo tubes (4 × 3) 120 mines
Armour:	command tower: 100 mm deck: 40 mm, turrets: 20 mm, belt: 50-70 mm, internal boiler room sides
Aircraft:	2

Karlsruhe was a light cruiser of the German K class in World War II, the other ships in class being Königsberg and Köln. The K class were the first cruisers of the German navy to employ electric welding techniques and a newly designed triple 5.9 inch (150 mm) gun turrets were installed.

Launched on 20 August 1927 and commissioned on 6 November 1929, Karlsruhe became a training ship and made a world cruise but weakness in her hull plating meant obliged her to be refitted and structural repairs undertaken at San Diego during the cruise. During the 1930s, the ship undertook a number of further overseas training voyages and also saw fleet service. In January and February 1937, she patrolled the coasts of Spain and Portugal during the Spanish Civil War.

In early April 1940, Karlruhe took part in the occupation of Norway (Operation "Weserübung") as part of Task Force 4, ferrying troops to Kristiansand, together with the torpedo boats Seeadler, Greif and Luchs. During her return to Germany, on 9 April, the British submarine Truant attacked Karlsruhe off Kristiansand, hitting her with one torpedo that disabled both engines and power stations. Her crew was picked up by the torpedo boat Greif which then sank the crippled cruiser with two torpedoes at 22.50 in the evening.