Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven
| Industry | Shipbuilding |
|---|---|
| Fate | Dismantled after World War II |
| Founded | 1918 |
| Defunct | 1945 |
| Headquarters | Wilhelmshaven, Germany |
| Products | Warships U-boats |
Kriegsmarinewerft (or Reichsmarinewerft prior to 1935) Wilhelmshaven was between 1918 and 1945 a naval shipyard in the German Navy's extensive base located in Wilhelmshaven (80 miles (130 km) west of Hamburg).
History
Reichsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven (Wilhelmshaven Reich Navy Shipyard) was founded after World War I on the grounds of Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven (Wilhelmshaven Imperial Shipyard) that had been closed down after World War I.
In 1935, its name was changed to Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven (Wilhelmshaven War Navy Shipyard) when the name of the German navy was changed from Reichsmarine to Kriegsmarine in then Nazi Germany (officially Third Reich or - in German - Drittes Reich, 1933-1945).
During World War II (WW2), 1939-1945, the main shipyard's activities were building u-boats and repairing of damaged war ships. In 1945, it had about 17000 co-workers.
In May 1945 Polish and British troops reached Wilhelmshaven. After WW2, 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 German Navy (Deutsche Bundesmarine).
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
