Kaiserliche Werft Danzig

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Kaiserliche Werft Danzig


Fate	Closed after World War I


Successor	Danziger Werft
Founded	1852
Defunct	1918
Location	Danzig, German Empire
Industry	Shipbuilding
Products	Warships U-boats

Kaiserliche Werft Danzig was a German shipbuilding company founded in 1852, first as Königliche Werft Danzig but renamed in 1871 with the proclamation of the German Empire. Together with Kaiserliche Werft Kiel and Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven it was one of three shipyards which produced warships for the Preußische Marine and later the Kaiserliche Marine. With the end of World War I Kaiserliche Werft Danzig was closed but the shipyard was opnened again when Danziger Werft was founded on their site in 1921.

[edit] History

On June 26, 1844 some land on both sides of the Toten Weichsel at Danzig became property of the Royal Prussian Government. It was to be used as a depot and anchoring space for the SMS Amazone, the only Prussian warship at the time.

In 1848 Prussia started constructing more warships and needed its own shipyard for these means. This became the Königliche Werft Danzig. In 1850 new grounds were bought, further constructions followed and in the late 1870's there was a very large extension of the facilities. Many ships were built in Danzig for example the SMS Emden was constructed over there in 1906.

The first plans for construction of a U-boat on the shipyard date back from 1865, but it was never realised. In the autumn of 1904 works started on initiative of Alfred von Tirpitz. The final order came only on March 4, 1906 with the U-2. It was found to be no success and the boat was spending more time along the pier than in service. The following constructions from the yard, U-3 and U-4 were much improved designs.

In 1909 parts of the yard for U-boat construction were enlarged and more buildings rose on these grounds for the U-boat construction. With a few exceptions most of the U-boats were constructed here until the war broke out.