Kaiserliche Werft Danzig
Encyclopedia
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 warship
s 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 opened again when Danziger Werft
was founded on their site in 1921.
. 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.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
shipbuilding company founded in 1852, first as Königliche Werft Danzig but renamed in 1871 with the proclamation of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. Together with Kaiserliche Werft Kiel
Kaiserliche Werft Kiel
Kaiserliche Werft Kiel was a German shipbuilding company founded in 1867, first as Königliche Werft Kiel but renamed in 1871 with the proclamation of the German Empire...
and Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven
Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven
Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven was a German shipbuilding company in Wilhelmshaven, Prussian Hanover. It was founded in 1853, first as Königliche Werft Wilhelmshaven but renamed in 1871 with the proclamation of the German Empire...
it was one of three shipyards which produced warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
s for the Preußische Marine
Prussian Navy
Throughout the centuries, Prussia’s military consistently concentrated on its land power, and never sought a similar power at sea. Yet historically there were always Prussian naval forces , beginning in the days when "Prussia" meant only the Margraviate of Brandenburg.- The Navy of Electoral...
and later the Kaiserliche Marine
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
. With the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Kaiserliche Werft Danzig was closed but the shipyard was opened again when Danziger Werft
Danziger Werft
Danziger Werft was a German shipbuilding company, located in Danzig. It was founded in 1921 on the site of the Kaiserliche Werft Danzig that had been closed after World War I.During World War II Danziger Werft built 42 Type VII U-boats for the Kriegsmarine....
was founded on their site in 1921.
History
On June 26, 1844 some land on both sides of the Toten Weichsel at Danzig became property of the Royal Prussian GovernmentKingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
. It was to be used as a depot and anchoring space for the SMS Amazone
SMS Amazone (1843)
SMS Amazone was a three-masted sail corvette of the Prussian Navy . Her keel was laid down in Stettin in 1841 and she was launched on 24 June 1843. Amazone sank in a storm on 14 November 1861 off the coast of the Netherlands with 107 dead.Amazone was modelled on the , with a ship displacement of...
, the only Prussian warship at the time.
In 1848 Prussia started constructing more warships and needed its own shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
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
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
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
Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz was a German Admiral, Secretary of State of the German Imperial Naval Office, the powerful administrative branch of the German Imperial Navy from 1897 until 1916. Prussia never had a major navy, nor did the other German states before the German Empire was formed in 1871...
. 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
SM U-3 (Germany)
SM U-3 Is the third German U-Boat created by the German Empire in their history, and is the first of two submarines in its class. The boat was built by Kaiserliche Werft Danzig and was launched on March 27, 1909. U-3 began its career in World War I as a training boat from August 1, 1914 to November...
and U-4
SM U-4 (Germany)
SM U-4 was one of the 329 submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I.U-4 engaged in the naval warfare and took part in the First Battle of the Atlantic....
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.