Construction Deutschland-class cruiser

deutschland @ launching

deutschland laid down @ deutsche werke shipyard in kiel on 5 february 1929, under contract name panzerschiff a, replacement old battleship preussen. work began under construction number 219. ship launched on 19 may 1931; @ launching, christened german chancellor heinrich brüning. ship accidentally started sliding down slipway while brüning giving christening speech. after completion of fitting out work, initial sea trials began in november 1932. ship commissioned reichsmarine on 1 april 1933.

serious political opposition ships continued after authorization deutschland, , political crisis on second ship, admiral scheer, averted after social democrats abstained voting. result of opposition, panzerschiff b not authorized until 1931. replacement old battleship lothringen, keel laid on 25 june 1931 @ reichsmarinewerft shipyard in wilhelmshaven, under construction number 123. ship launched on 1 april 1933; @ launching, christened marianne besserer, daughter of admiral reinhard scheer, ship s namesake. completed on year , half later on 12 november 1934, day commissioned german fleet.

admiral graf spee, third , final member of class, ordered reichsmarine kriegsmarinewerft shipyard in wilhelmshaven. ordered under contract name panzerschiff c replace battleship braunschweig. keel laid on 1 october 1932, under construction number 125. ship launched on 30 june 1934; @ launching, christened daughter of admiral maximilian von spee, ship s namesake. completed on year , half later on 6 january 1936, day commissioned german fleet.