Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven
| Industry | Shipbuilding |
|---|---|
| Fate | Dismantled after World War II |
| Founded | 1918 |
| Defunct | 1945 |
| Headquarters | Wilhelmshaven, Germany |
| Products |
Warships U-boats |
Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven (prior to 1935 known as Reichsmarinewerft) was the naval shipyard in Wilhelmshaven, between 1918 and 1945 in the German Navy's extensive base located there.
History
Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven was founded after World War I as Reichsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven on the grounds of the Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven that had been closed down after World War I.
In 1935 the shipyard changed its name to Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven when the German Navy changed name from the Reichsmarine to the Kriegsmarine in the so-called Drittes Reich (Third Reich 1933-1945).
During the war the shipyard mainly built u-boats and was busy in repair of damaged war ships. In 1945 about 17000 co-workers worked there.
In May 1945 Polish and British troops reached Wilhelmshaven. After World War II the shipyard was dismantled and 95% was blown up by the British occupying forces.
Since 1957 part of the former shipyard is used as an arsenal for the Deutsche Bundesmarine (German Navy).
Ships built by Reichsmarinewerft/Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven (selection)
- 1920-1922, Altogether 28 fishing vessels
- 1922, Altogether 4 cargo ships
- 1925, Light cruiser Emden, first new built naval ship of the German Reichsmarine
- 1926-1928, Altogether 6 torpedo-boats
- 1929, K-class light cruiser Königsberg
- 1930, K-class light cruiser Köln
- 1931, Artillery training ship Bremse
- 1934, Deutschland-class Panzerschiff (pocket battleship, later classified as large cruiser) Admiral Scheer, sunk by RAF in Kiel on 10 April 1945
- 1936, Deutschland-class Panzerschiff Admiral Graf Spee, scuttled after Battle of the River Plate with Royal Navy cruisers HMS Exeter, HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles at Montevideo, Uruguay on 17 December 1939
- 1939, Scharnhorst-class battleship Scharnhorst, sunk by HMS Duke of York and her escorts north of North Cape on 26 December 1943
- 1941, Bismarck-class battleship Tirpitz, sunk by RAF aircraft in Norway on 12 November 1944
- 1941-1944, 27 Type VII submarines
References
- G. Koop, K. Galle, F. Klein, Von der Kaiserlichen Werft zum Marinearsenal, Bernard & Graefe Verlag München, 1982, ISBN 3-7637-5252-8