The list of Imperial German Navy ships includes all ships commissioned into service with the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) of Germany

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...

, covering the period from 1871, the creation 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...

, through to the end of the Empire in 1918.

Ironclad warships

Panzerfregatten; later reclassified as "Armored Ships" Panzerschiffe

• Arminius Class
  • SMS Arminius
    SMS Arminius (1864)
    SMS Arminius was an ironclad warship of the Prussian Navy, later the Imperial German Navy. The ship was designed by the British Royal Navy Captain Cowper Coles and built by the Samuda Brothers shipyard in Cubitt Town, London as a speculative effort; Prussia purchased the ship during the Second...
    
    , 1864
• Prinz Adalbert Class (1560 tons, 5 x 36pdr guns)
  • SMS Prinz Adalbert
    SMS Prinz Adalbert (1865)
    SMS Prinz Adalbert was an ironclad warship of the Prussian Navy, originally ordered by the Confederate States Navy. Prussia purchased the ship during the Second Schleswig War against Denmark, though the vessel was not delivered until after the war. The vessel was designed as an armored ram, but...
    
    , 1865
• Kronprinz
  • SMS Kronprinz
    SMS Kronprinz (1867)
    SMS Kronprinz was a unique German ironclad warship built for the Prussian Navy in 1866–1867. Kronprinz was laid down in 1866 at the Samuda Brothers shipyard at Cubitt Town in London. She was launched in May 1867 and commissioned into the Prussian Navy that September...
    
    , 1867
• Friedrich Carl Class
  • SMS Friedrich Carl
    SMS Friedrich Carl (1867)
    SMS Friedrich Carl was an ironclad warship built for the Prussian Navy in the mid 1860s. The ship was constructed in the French Societé Nouvelles des Forges et Chantiers shipyard in Toulon; her hull was laid in 1866 and launched in January 1867. The ship was commissioned into the Prussian Navy in...
    
    , 1867
• König Wilhelm Class, (9750 tons, 33 x 72pdr guns)
  • SMS König Wilhelm, 1868
• Hansa Class
  • SMS Hansa
    SMS Hansa (1872)
    SMS Hansa was a German ironclad warship built in 1868–1875. She was the first ironclad built in Germany; all previous German ironclads had been built in foreign shipyards. She was named after the Hanseatic League, known in Germany simply as Hanse, Latinized Hansa...
    
    , 1872
• Preussen Class (6,800 tons)
  • SMS Preussen, 1873
  • SMS Friedrich der Grosse, 1874
  • SMS Grosser Kurfürst, 1875
• Kaiser Class
  Kaiser class armored frigate
  The Kaiser class of ironclad warships was a pair of vessels built for the German Imperial Navy in the early 1870s. The lead ship, , was laid down in 1871 and launched in 1874. was laid down in 1872 and launched in 1874; both ships were built by the Samuda Brothers shipyard in London. They were the...
  
   (7319 tons, 8 x 26 cm guns)
  • SMS Kaiser
    SMS Kaiser (1875)
    SMS Kaiser was the lead ship of the s; was her sister ship. Named for the title "Kaiser" , held by the leader of the then newly created German Empire, the ship was laid down in the Samuda Brothers shipyard in London in 1871. The ship was launched in March 1874 and commissioned into the German...
    
    , 1875
  • SMS Deutschland, 1875
  • Sachsen Class
    Sachsen class armored frigate
    The Sachsen class of armored frigates was a class of four ships built by the German Imperial Navy in the late 1870s to early 1880s. The ships—, , , and —were designed to operate as part of an integrated coastal defense network. The ships were intended to sortie from fortified bases to...
    
     (7,800 tons, 6 x 26 cm guns)
    • SMS Sachsen
      SMS Sachsen (1877)
      SMS Sachsen was the lead ship of her class of four armored frigates of the German Kaiserliche Marine. Her sisterships were , , and . Sachsen was built in the AG Vulcan shipyard in Stettin. She was laid down in April 1875, launched on 21 July 1877, and commissioned on 21 October 1878...
      
      , 1877
    • SMS Bayern
      SMS Bayern (1878)
      SMS Bayern was one of four armored frigates of the German Imperial Navy. Her sisterships were , , and . Named for Bavaria, Bayern was built by the Imperial Dockyard in Kiel from 1874 to 1881. The ship was commissioned into the Imperial Navy in August 1881...
      
      , 1878
    • SMS Württemberg
      SMS Württemberg (1878)
      SMS Württemberg was one of four armored frigates of the German Imperial Navy. Her sister ships were , , and . Württemberg was built in the AG Vulcan shipyard in Stettin from 1876 to 1881. The ship was commissioned into the Imperial Navy in August 1881...
      
      , 1878
    • SMS Baden
      SMS Baden (1880)
      SMS Baden was one of four armored frigates of the German Imperial Navy. Her sisterships were , , and . Baden was built in the Imperial Dockyard in Kiel from 1876 to 1883. The ship was commissioned into the Imperial Navy in September 1883...
      
      , 1880
  • Oldenburg Class (5,250 tons, 8 x 24 cm guns)
    • SMS Oldenburg
      SMS Oldenburg (1884)
      SMS Oldenburg was an armored warship of the German Imperial Navy. Laid down at the AG Vulcan shipyard in Stettin in 1883, the ship was launched in December 1884 and commissioned into the Navy in April 1886...
      
      , 1884

Coastal defense ships

Armored Coastal Protection Ships / Küstenpanzerschiffe

• • Siegfried Class (3,700 tons, 3 x 24 cm guns)
    • SMS Siegfried
      SMS Siegfried
      SMS Siegfried was the first of the Siegfried class of armoured coastal defence ships built for the German Imperial Navy between 1889 and 1895. The others in the class were SMS Beowulf, SMS Frithjof, SMS Heimdall, SMS Hildebrand, SMS Hagen, SMS Odin, and SMS Ägir. She was scrapped along with her...
      
      , 1889
    • SMS Beowulf
      SMS Beowulf
      The SMS Beowulf was a coastal defence ship of the Kaiserliche Marine. It was the second ship of the Siegfried class, all of which were originally classified as fourth class ironclads but redesignated coastal defence ships in 1899...
      
      , 1890
    • SMS Frithjof
      SMS Frithjof
      The SMS Frithjof was a coastal defence ship of the Kaiserliche Marine. It was the third ship of the Siegfried class, all of which were originally classified as fourth class ironclads but redesignated coastal defence ships in 1899...
      
      , 1892
    • SMS Heimdall
      SMS Heimdall
      The SMS Heimdall was a coastal defence ship of the Kaiserliche Marine. It was the fourth ship of the Siegfried class, all of which were originally classified as fourth class ironclads but redesignated coastal defence ships in 1899...
      
      , 1892
    • SMS Hildebrand
      SMS Hildebrand
      The SMS Hildebrand was a coastal defence ship of the Kaiserliche Marine. It was the fifth ship of the Siegfried class, all of which were originally classified as fourth class ironclads but redesignated coastal defence ships in 1899...
      
      , 1892
    • SMS Hagen
      SMS Hagen
      The SMS Hagen was a coastal defence ship of the Kaiserliche Marine. It was the sixth ship of the Siegfried class, all of which were originally classified as fourth class ironclads but redesignated coastal defence ships in 1899. It was named after the character Hagen in the Nibelung saga....
      
      , 1893
  • Odin Class (4,250 tons, 3 x 24 cm guns)
    • SMS Odin
      SMS Odin
      SMS Odin was the lead ship of the Odin class of coastal defence ships of the Kaiserliche Marine . It was named after the Norse god Odin. It was laid down on 15 April 1893....
      
      , 1894
    • SMS Ägir
      SMS Ägir
      SMS Ägir was an Odin class Küstenpanzerschiff which served in the German Imperial Navy prior to and during World War I.-History:...
      
      , 1895

Battleships

Battleships

• Pre-Dreadnoughts (in German Linienschiffe "Ships of the Line")
  • Brandenburg class
    Brandenburg class battleship
    The four Brandenburg-class pre-dreadnought battleships were Germany's first ocean-going battleships. They were also the first German warship, of any type, to be fitted with wireless communications. The class comprised , , , and . All were laid down in 1890 and completed by 1893, except for...
    
     (10,500 tons, 6 x 28 cm guns)
    • SMS Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm
      SMS Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm
      SMS Kurfürst Friedrich Wilhelm"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was one of the first ocean-going battleshipsAt the time she was laid down, the German navy referred to the ship as an "armored ship" , instead of "battleship" , see Gröner, p13. of the German...
      
      , 1891
    • SMS Brandenburg
      SMS Brandenburg
      SMS Brandenburg was the lead ship of the Brandenburg-class pre-dreadnought battleships, which included , , and built for the German Kaiserliche Marine in the early 1890s. She was the first pre-dreadnought built for the German Navy; earlier, the Navy had only built coastal defense ships and...
      
      , 1891
    • SMS Weissenburg, 1891
    • SMS Wörth
      SMS Wörth
      SMS Wörth was one of four German pre-dreadnought battleships of the Brandenburg class, built in the early 1890s. The ships were the first ocean-going battleships built by the Kaiserliche Marine . Wörth was laid down at the Germaniawerft dockyard in Kiel in May 1890. The ship was launched on 6...
      
      , 1892
  • Kaiser Friedrich III class
    Kaiser Friedrich III class battleship
    Kaiser Friedrich III class battleships were a class of pre–World War I, pre-dreadnought battleships of the German Kaiserliche Marine. The class was made up of five ships, all of which were named for German emperors...
    
     (11,600 tons, 4 x 24 cm guns)
    • SMS Kaiser Friedrich III.
      SMS Kaiser Friedrich III
      SMS Kaiser Friedrich III was the lead ship of the Kaiser Friedrich III class of pre-dreadnought battleships. She was laid down at the Kaiserliche Werft in Wilhelmshaven in 1895, and finished in October 1898...
      
      , 1896
    • SMS Kaiser Wilhelm II.
      SMS Kaiser Wilhelm II
      SMS Kaiser Wilhelm II was the second ship of the of pre-dreadnought battleships. She was built at the Imperial Dockyard in Wilhelmshaven and launched 14 September 1897. The ship was completed 7 October 1898 and commissioned into the fleet as flagship on 4 February 1902...
      
      , 1897
    • SMS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, 1899
    • SMS Kaiser Karl der Grosse, 1899
    • SMS Kaiser Barbarossa
      SMS Kaiser Barbarossa
      SMS Kaiser Barbarossa was a German pre-dreadnought battleship of the . The ship was built for the Imperial Navy, which had begun a program of expansion at the direction of Kaiser Wilhelm II. She was constructed at Schichau, in Danzig...
      
      , 1900
  • Wittelsbach class
    Wittelsbach class battleship
    The Wittelsbach-class battleships were a group of five pre-dreadnought battleships of the German Kaiserliche Marine . They were the first battleships produced under the Navy Law of 1898. The class was composed of the lead ship, , , , and . All five ships were laid down between 1899 and 1900, and...
    
     (12,000 tons, 4 x 24 cm guns)
    • SMS Wittelsbach
      SMS Wittelsbach
      SMS Wittelsbach was the lead ship of the Wittelsbach-class of pre-dreadnought battleships of the Kaiserliche Marine. Wittelsbach was built at Wilhelmshaven Navy Dockyard. She was laid down in 1899 and completed in October 1902, at the cost of 22,740,000 marks...
      
      , 1900
    • SMS Wettin
      SMS Wettin
      SMS Wettin was a German pre-dreadnought battleship of the Wittelsbach class of the Kaiserliche Marine. She was built in Schichau, in Danzig. Wettin was laid down in November 1899, and completed October 1902, at the cost of 22,597,000 marks...
      
      , 1900
    • SMS Zähringen
      SMS Zähringen
      SMS Zähringen was third ship of the Wittelsbach-class of pre-dreadnought battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Laid down in 1899 at the Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel, she was launched on 12 June 1901 and commissioned on 25 October 1902...
      
      , 1901
    • SMS Schwaben
      SMS Schwaben
      SMS Schwaben was the fourth ship of the Wittelsbach-class of pre-dreadnought battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Schwaben was built at Wilhelmshaven Navy Dockyard. She was laid down in 1900, and completed in April 1904, at the cost of 21,678,000 marks...
      
      , 1901
    • SMS Mecklenburg
      SMS Mecklenburg
      SMS Mecklenburg was fifth ship of the Wittelsbach-class of pre-dreadnought battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Laid down in 1899 at the AG Vulcan shipyard in Stettin, she was finished in May 1903...
      
      , 1901
  • Braunschweig class
    Braunschweig class battleship
    The Braunschweig class battleships were pre-dreadnought battleships of the Kaiserliche Marine . The class comprised five ships: , , , , and...
    
     (13,000 tons, 4 x 28 cm guns)
    • SMS Braunschweig
      SMS Braunschweig
      SMS Braunschweig"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the first of five pre-dreadnought battleships of the Braunschweig class in the German Kaiserliche Marine . She was laid down in 1901 and commissioned in October 1904, at a cost of 23,983,000 marks. She was named after the then Duchy of...
      
      , 1901
    • SMS Elsass, 1903
    • SMS Hessen
      SMS Hessen
      SMS Hessen"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the third of five pre-dreadnought battleships of the Braunschweig class. She was laid down in 1902, launched the following year, and commissioned into the German Imperial Navy in 1905. She was named after the state of Hesse. Her sister ships...
      
      , 1903
    • SMS Preussen, 1903
    • SMS Lothringen
      SMS Lothringen
      SMS Lothringen"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the fifth of five pre-dreadnought battleships of the Braunschweig class in the German Imperial Navy laid down in 1902 and commissioned 1906. She was named for the then German province of Lothringen, now Lorraine, a region of France...
      
      , 1904
  • Deutschland class
    Deutschland class battleship
    The Deutschland class was a group of five pre-dreadnought battleships built for the German Kaiserliche Marine. The class comprised , , , , and . Built between 1903 and 1908, the ships closely resembled those of the preceding , though they had stronger armor protection...
    
     (13,000 tons, 4 x 28 cm guns)
    • SMS Deutschland
      SMS Deutschland (1904)
      SMS Deutschland was the first of five Deutschland class pre-dreadnought battleships built for the Kaiserliche Marine between 1903 and 1906. She was named after the German name for Germany, and built at the Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel, where she was launched on 20 November 1904...
      
      , 1904
    • SMS Hannover
      SMS Hannover
      SMS Hannover was the second of five Deutschland-class pre-dreadnoughts of the German Imperial Navy . Hannover and the three subsequently constructed ships differed slightly in both design and construction from the lead ship in their propulsion systems and slightly thicker armor...
      
      , 1905
    • SMS Pommern
      SMS Pommern
      SMS Pommern was one of five Deutschland class of pre-dreadnought battleships built for the Kaiserliche Marine between 1904 and 1906. Named after the Prussian province of Pomerania, she was built at the AG Vulcan yard at Stettin, where she was laid down on 22 March 1904 and launched on 2 December...
      
      , 1905
    • SMS Schlesien, 1906
    • SMS Schleswig-Holstein, 1906

• Dreadnoughts (in German Schlachtschiffe "battleship")
  • Nassau class
    Nassau class battleship
    The Nassau class were a group of four German dreadnought battleships built for the Imperial Navy. They were the German response to the introduction of the "all big gun" British . The class was composed of , , , and . All four ships were laid down in mid-1907, and completed between May and September...
    
     (19,000 tons, 12 x 28 cm guns)
    • SMS Nassau
      SMS Nassau
      SMS Nassau"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was the first dreadnought battleship built for the Imperial German Navy, a response to the launching of the British battleship HMS Dreadnought in 1906...
      
      , 1908
    • SMS Posen
      SMS Posen
      SMS Posen "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" was one of four battleships in the , the first dreadnoughts built for the German Imperial Navy...
      
      , 1908
    • SMS Rheinland
      SMS Rheinland
      SMS Rheinland "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" was one of four Nassau-class battleships, the first dreadnoughts built for the German Imperial Navy . Rheinland mounted twelve main guns in six twin turrets in an unusual hexagonal arrangement...
      
      , 1908
    • SMS Westfalen
      SMS Westfalen
      SMS Westfalen "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" was one of the s, the first four dreadnoughts built for the German Imperial Navy. Westfalen was laid down at AG Weser in Bremen on 12 August 1907, launched nearly a year later on 1 July 1908, and commissioned into the...
      
      , 1908
  • Helgoland class
    Helgoland class battleship
    The Helgoland class was the second class of German dreadnought battleships. Constructed from 1908 to 1912, the class comprised four ships: , the lead ship; ; ; and . The design was a significant improvement over the previous ships; they had a larger main battery— main guns instead of the weapons...
    
     (23,000 tons, 12 x 30.5 cm guns)
    • SMS Helgoland
      SMS Helgoland
      SMS Helgoland ,"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" the lead ship of her class, was a dreadnought battleship of the German Imperial Navy. Helgolands design represented an incremental improvement over the preceding , including an increase in the bore diameter of the main guns, from 28 cm ...
      
      , 1909
    • SMS Ostfriesland
      SMS Ostfriesland
      SMS Ostfriesland "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the second vessel of the of battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Named for the region of East Frisia, Ostfrieslands keel was laid in October 1908 at the Kaiserliche Werft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven...
      
      , 1909
    • SMS Thüringen
      SMS Thüringen
      SMS Thüringen "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the third vessel of the of battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Thüringens keel was laid in November 1908 at the AG Weser dockyard in Bremen. She was launched on 27 November 1909 and was commissioned into the fleet on 1 July 1911...
      
      , 1909
    • SMS Oldenburg
      SMS Oldenburg (1910)
      SMS Oldenburg "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the second vessel of the of battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Oldenburgs keel was laid in October 1908 at the Kaiserliche Werft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven. She was launched on 30 September 1909 and was commissioned into the fleet...
      
      , 1910
  • Kaiser class battleship (25,000 tons, 10 x 30.5 cm guns)
    • SMS Kaiser
      SMS Kaiser (1911)
      SMS Kaiser "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the lead ship of the of battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Kaiser was built by the Imperial Dockyard at Kiel, launched on 22 March 1911 and commissioned on 1 August 1912. The ship was equipped with ten guns in five twin turrets, and...
      
      , 1911
    • SMS Kaiserin
      SMS Kaiserin
      SMS Kaiserin "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the third vessel of the of battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Kaiserins keel was laid in November 1910 at the Howaldtswerke dockyard in Kiel. She was launched on 11 November 1911 and was commissioned into the fleet on 15 May 1913...
      
      , 1911
    • SMS Prinzregent Luitpold
      SMS Prinzregent Luitpold
      SMS Prinzregent Luitpold "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the fifth and final vessel of the of battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Prinzregent Luitpolds keel was laid in October 1910 at the Germaniawerft dockyard in Kiel...
      
      , 1911
    • SMS Friedrich der Grosse
      SMS Friedrich der Grosse (1911)
      SMS Friedrich der Grosse "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the second vessel of the of battleships of the German Imperial Navy. Friedrich der GrossesOr Große in German, with a "sharp S"; see ß...
      
      , 1911
    • SMS König Albert
      SMS König Albert
      SMS König Albert "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the fourth vessel of the of battleships of the German Imperial Navy. König Alberts keel was laid on 17 July 1910 at the Schichau-Werke dockyard in Danzig. She was launched on 27 April 1912 and was commissioned into the fleet on 31...
      
      , 1912
  • König class
    König class battleship
    The König class was a group of four battleships built for the German Kaiserliche Marine on the eve of World War I. The class was composed of , , , and . The most powerful warships of the German High Seas Fleet at the outbreak of war in 1914, the class operated as a unit throughout World War...
    
     battleship (26,000 tons, 10 x 30.5 cm guns)
    • SMS König
      SMS König
      SMS König"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the first of four König class dreadnought battleships of the German Imperial Navy during World War I. König was named in honor of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, who was the king of Prussia as well as the German Emperor...
      
      , 1913
    • SMS Grosser Kurfürst
      SMS Grosser Kurfürst (1913)
      SMS Grosser Kurfürst"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the second battleship of the four-ship . Grosser Kurfürst served in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The battleship was laid down in October 1911 and launched on 5 May 1913...
      
      , 1913
    • SMS Markgraf
      SMS Markgraf
      SMS Markgraf"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" was the third battleship of the four-ship . She served in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The battleship was laid down in November 1911 and launched on 4 June 1913...
      
      , 1913
    • SMS Kronprinz
      SMS Kronprinz
      Two ships of the German Navy have been named SMS Kronprinz:*SMS Kronprinz - Armored frigate built for the Prussian Navy in 1867*SMS Kronprinz - König class battleship built for the German Imperial Navy shortly before World War I, later renamed Kronprinz Wilhelm....
      
      /SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm
      SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm
      SMS Kronprinz"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the last battleship of the four-ship of the German Imperial Navy. The battleship was laid down in November 1911 and launched on 21 February 1914. She was formally commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 8 November 1914, just over 4...
      
      , 1914
  • Bayern class
    Bayern class battleship
    The Bayern class was a class of four super-dreadnought battleships built by the German Kaiserliche Marine . The class comprised , , Sachsen, and Württemberg. Construction started on the ships shortly before World War I; Baden was laid down in 1913, Bayern and Sachsen followed in 1914, and...
    
     battleship (29,000-32,000 tons, 8 x 38 cm guns)
    • SMS Bayern
      SMS Bayern (1915)
      SMS Bayern "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" was the lead ship of the class of battleships in the German Imperial Navy. The vessel was launched in February 1915 and entered service in July 1916, too late to take part in the Battle of Jutland...
      
      , 1915
    • SMS Baden
      SMS Baden (1915)
      SMS Baden "SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" was a dreadnought battleship of the German Imperial Navy built during World War I...
      
      , 1915
    • SMS Württemberg, not completed
    • SMS Sachsen, not completed
  • L 20 α class battleship (43,800–48,700 tons, 8 x 42 cm guns)
    • None built

Battlecruisers

German Große Kreuzer "Large cruiser" (Schlachtkreuzer "Battlecruiser" didn't come into use until later)

• Von der Tann Class (19,400 tons, 8 x 28 cm guns)
  • SMS Von der Tann
    SMS Von der Tann
    SMS Von der Tann"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was the first battlecruiser built for the German Kaiserliche Marine, as well as Germany's first major turbine-powered warship. At the time of her construction, Von der Tann was the fastest dreadnought-type...
    
    , 1909
• Moltke Class
  Moltke class battlecruiser
  The Moltke class was a class of two "all-big-gun" battlecruisersThe German navy classified the ships as Großen Kreuzer . These ships differed from older Großen Kreuzer, such as the Roon class, in that they carried a uniform main battery, instead of four large guns and a mixed array of smaller weapons...
  
   (23,000 tons, 10 x 28 cm guns)
  • SMS Moltke, 1910
  • SMS Goeben
    SMS Goeben
    SMS Goeben was the second of two Moltke-class battlecruisers of the Imperial German Navy, launched in 1911 and named after the German Franco-Prussian War veteran General August Karl von Goeben...
    
    , 1911
• Seydlitz Class (25,000 tons, 10 x 28 cm guns)
  • SMS Seydlitz
    SMS Seydlitz
    SMS Seydlitz"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was a 25,000-metric ton battlecruiserAdmiral Alfred von Tirpitz referred to the ship as a large cruiser in his annual budgets in an attempt to reduce opposition from the Reichstag; the ship was not referred...
    
    , 1912
• Derfflinger Class
  Derfflinger class battlecruiser
  The Derfflinger class was a class of three battlecruisers of the German Imperial Navy. The ships were ordered for the 1912 to 1913 Naval Building Program of the German Imperial Navy as a reply to the Royal Navy's three new s that had been launched a few years earlier...
  
   (27,000 tons, 8 x 30.5 cm guns)
  • SMS Derfflinger
    SMS Derfflinger
    SMS Derfflinger"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was a battlecruiser of the German Kaiserliche Marine built just before the outbreak of World War I. She was the lead vessel of her class of three ships; her sister ships were and...
    
    , 1913
  • SMS Lützow
    SMS Lützow
    SMS Lützow"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was the second built by the German Kaiserliche Marine before World War I. Ordered as a replacement for the old protected cruiser , Lützow was launched on 29 November 1913, but not completed until 1916...
    
    , 1913
  • SMS Hindenburg
    SMS Hindenburg
    SMS Hindenburg"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was a battlecruiser of the German Kaiserliche Marine and the third ship of the . She was named in honor of Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, the victor of the Battle of Tannenberg and the Battle of the...
    
    , 1915
• Mackensen Class
  Mackensen class battlecruiser
  The Mackensen class was the last class of battlecruisers to be built by Germany in World War I. The class was to have comprised four ships: Mackensen, the name ship, Graf Spee, Prinz Eitel Friedrich, and Fürst Bismarck. None of the vessels were completed, as shipbuilding priorities were redirected...
  
   (35,000 tons, 8 x 35 cm guns)
  • SMS Mackensen not completed
  • SMS Graf Spee not completed
  • SMS Prinz Eitel Friedrich not completed
  • SMS Fürst Bismarck, not completed
• Ersatz Yorck Class
  Ersatz Yorck class battlecruiser
  The Ersatz Yorck class were a group of three battlecruisers ordered for the Imperial German Navy in April 1915. The name derived from the fact that the lead ship was intended as a replacement for the armored cruiser lost to mines in 1914. They were a slightly enlarged version of the , armed with ...
  
   (38,000 tons 8 x 38 cm guns)
  • SMS Ersatz Yorck not completed
  • SMS Ersatz Gneisenau ordered but construction not started
  • SMS Ersatz Scharnhorst ordered but construction not started

Protected cruisers

• Kaiserin Augusta Class (6,000 tons, 4 x 15 cm guns)
  • SMS Kaiserin Augusta
    SMS Kaiserin Augusta
    SMS Kaiserin Augusta was a unique protected cruiser, built for the German Kaiserliche Marine in the early 1890s. She was laid down in 1890, launched in January 1892, and completed in November of that year. Owing to budgetary restrictions, Kaiserin Augusta was designed to fill both fleet scout and...
    
    , 1892
• Victoria Louise Class
  Victoria Louise class protected cruiser
  The Victoria Louise class of protected cruisers was Germany's last class of ships of that type. They were designed for overseas cruiser duties. The class design introduced the clipper bow and blocky sides that typified later German armored cruisers....
  
   (5,700 tons, 2 x 21 cm guns, 8 x 15 cm guns)
  • SMS Victoria Louise
    SMS Victoria Louise
    Seiner Majestät Schiff Victoria Louise was the lead ship of her class of protected cruisers, built for the Kaiserliche Marine before the turn of the 20th Century....
    
    , 1897
  • SMS Hertha
    SMS Hertha
    Seiner Majestät Schiff Hertha was a protected cruiser of the Victoria Louise class, built for the Kaiserliche Marine before the turn of the 20th Century. Hertha was the first ship of the class laid down, in October 1895, and also the first completed, in July 1898...
    
    , 1897
  • SMS Freya
    SMS Freya
    Seiner Majestät Schiff Freya was a protected cruiser of the Victoria Louise class, built for the Kaiserliche Marine before the turn of the 20th Century. Freya was built at the Imperial Dockyard in Danzig...
    
    , 1897
  • SMS Vineta
    SMS Vineta
    Seiner Majestät Schiff Vineta was a German Victoria Louise class protected cruiser built for the Kaiserliche Marine in the late 1890s. Vineta was built in the Imperial Dockyard in Danzig. She was laid down in 1895, and completed in Sept...
    
    , 1897
  • SMS Hansa
    SMS Hansa (1898)
    Seiner Majestät Schiff Hansa was a German Victoria Louise class protected cruiser launched from Stettiner Maschinenbau AG Vulcan shipyard in 1898 for service in the Kaiserliche Marine...
    
    , 1898

Armoured cruisers

German Grosse Kreuzer

• Fürst Bismarck Class (10,700 tons, 4 x 24 cm guns, 12 x 15 cm guns)
  • SMS Fürst Bismarck
    SMS Fürst Bismarck (1896)
    SMS Fürst Bismarck"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was Germany's first armored cruiser, built for the Kaiserliche Marine before the turn of the 20th century. She was named for the German statesman Otto von Bismarck...
    
    , 1897
• Prinz Heinrich Class (9,000 tons, 2 x 24 cm guns)
  • SMS Prinz Heinrich
    SMS Prinz Heinrich
    SMS Prinz Heinrich was a unique German armored cruiser built at the turn of the 20th century for the Imperial German Navy, named after Kaiser Wilhelm II's younger brother Prince Henry. Prinz Heinrich was built at the Imperial Dockyard in Kiel. She was laid down in 1898 and completed in March 1902,...
    
    , 1900
• Prinz Adalbert Class
  Prinz Adalbert class armored cruiser
  The Prinz Adalbert class was a type of armored cruiser built for the Imperial German Navy in the early 1900s. Two ships of the class were built, , and . Friedrich Carl was commissioned first, on 12 December 1903 and Prinz Adalbert followed on 12 January 1904. They were an improvement upon the...
  
   (9,000 tons, 4 x 21 cm guns)
  • SMS Prinz Adalbert, 1901
  • SMS Friedrich Carl
    SMS Friedrich Carl
    SMS Friedrich Carl was a German armored cruiser built in the early 1900s for the Kaiserliche Marine. She was the second ship of the Prinz Adalbert class. Friedrich Carl was built in Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg. She was laid down in 1901, and completed in December 1903, at the cost of...
    
    , 1901
• Roon Class
  Roon class armored cruiser
  The Roon class was a pair of armored cruisers built for the German Imperial Navy after the turn of the 20th century. The class comprised and , which closely resembled the earlier Prinz Adalbert class ships, but incorporated slight incremental improvements. The ships were easily distinguished from...
  
   (10,000 tons, 4 x 21 cm guns)
  • SMS Roon
    SMS Roon
    SMS Roon"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was the lead ship of her class of armored cruisers of the Imperial German Navy. The ship was authorized under the second Naval Law in 1902, and built at the Imperial Dockyard in Kiel at the cost of 15.3 million...
    
    , 1903
  • SMS Yorck
    SMS Yorck
    SMS Yorck"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was the second and final ship of the Roon-class of armored cruisers built for the German Imperial Navy. Yorck was named for Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg, a Prussian field marshal...
    
    , 1904
• Scharnhorst Class
  Scharnhorst class armored cruiser
  The Scharnhorst class was the last traditional class of armored cruisers built by the Kaiserliche Marine. The class comprised two ships, and . They were larger than the that preceded them; the extra size was used primarily to increase the main armament of 21 cm guns from four to eight...
  
   (11,600 tons, 8 x 21 cm guns)
  • SMS Scharnhorst
    SMS Scharnhorst
    SMS Scharnhorst was an armored cruiser of the Imperial German Navy, built at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany. She was the lead ship of her class, which also included her sister . Scharnhorst and her sister were enlarged versions of the preceding ; they were equipped with a greater...
    
    , 1906
  • SMS Gneisenau
    SMS Gneisenau
    SMS Gneisenau was an armored cruiser of the German navy, part of the two-ship . She was named after August von Gneisenau, a Prussian general of the Napoleonic Wars. The ship was laid down in 1904 at the AG Weser dockyard in Bremen, launched in June 1906, and completed in March 1908, at a cost of...
    
    , 1906
• Blücher Class (15,800 tons, 12 x 21 cm guns)
  • SMS Blücher
    SMS Blücher
    SMS Blücher was the last armored cruiser to be built by the German Imperial Navy . She was designed to match what German intelligence incorrectly believed to be the specifications of the British s...
    
    , 1908

Light Cruisers

Kleine Kreuzer
} (1,486 tons, 6 x 8.8 cm guns)
}, 1882
}, 1882

• • Greif class (2,266 tons, 2 x 10.5 cm guns, 8 x 8.8 cm guns)

}, 1886
} (1,359 tons, 8 x 10.5 cm guns)
}, 1887
}, 1888
} (5,027 tons, 4 x 15 cm/30 guns, 10 x 15 cm/22 guns)
}, 1887
}, 1887
} (1,499 tons, 3 x 10.5 cm guns, 4 x 8.8 cm guns)
}, 1887
}, 1888
} (1,078 tons, 4 x 8.8 cm guns)
}, 1890
}, 1892

• • Bussard Class (1,650 tons, 10 x 10.5 cm guns)
    • SMS Bussard, 1890
    • , 1891
    • SMS Seeadler
      SMS Seeadler
      SMS Seeadler was a German cruiser, part of a new breed of warships created by the new Imperial Navy. To protect the Empire's growing overseas possessions and colonies, the navy needed ships seaworthy enough to venture out into far off oceans and have the coal supply to reach far off destinations...
      
      , 1892

}, 1892
}, 1892
}, 1894

• • Gefion Class (3.700 tons, 10 x 10.5 cm guns)
    • SMS Gefion
      SMS Gefion
      SMS Gefion was a light cruiser of the Kaiserliche Marine launched in 1893. The cruiser was named after Gefjon of Norse mythology. Under the 1891 naval regulations she was classified as a corvette-cruiser, but in 1899 was reclassified to light cruiser...
      
      , 1893
  • Hela Class (2,000 tons, 4 x 8.8 cm guns)
    • SMS Hela
      SMS Hela
      SMS Hela was a light cruiser of the German Imperial Navy prior to and during World War I. The only ship of her class, Hela was built as an aviso and launched on 28 March 1895 in Bremen. She was named after the Hela peninsula near Danzig...
      
      , 1895
  • Gazelle Class (2,700 tons, 10 x 10.5 cm guns)
    • SMS Gazelle, 1898
    • SMS Niobe
      SMS Niobe
      SMS Niobe was a Gazelle-class light cruiser that served with the Kaiserliche Marine during First World War, and the Kriegsmarine during Second World War in a long career that also involved sailing with the Yugoslavian and Italian navies...
      
      
    • SMS Nymphe
    • SMS Thetis
      SMS Thetis
      Three ships of the Imperial German Navy bore the name SMS Thetis, named after the sea-nymph in Greek mythology:*SMS Thetis was a 36-gun fifth-rate acquired from the Royal Navy in 1855....
      
      
    • SMS Ariadne
      SMS Ariadne
      SMS Ariadne was a light cruiser of the Gazelle class in the Imperial German Navy, with 2,700 tons displacement and 10 × 10.5 cm guns...
      
      
    • SMS Amazone
      SMS Amazone (1900)
      The SMS Amazone was a light cruiser of the Gazelle class. She was named after the Amazons of Greek mythology.She was launched in 1900 and served in the Kaiserliche Marine and the Reichsmarine and as a support ship for the Kriegsmarine...
      
      
    • SMS Medusa
    • SMS Frauenlob
      SMS Frauenlob
      SMS Frauenlob was a Gazelle-class light cruiser in the German Imperial Navy. She was the second ship of that name, after a schooner launched in 1853.-History:Frauenlob was built at A.G. Weser in Bremen...
      
      
    • SMS Arcona
      SMS Arcona
      SMS Arcona was a small, unarmoured cruiser of the German Imperial Navy. It was named after Cape Arkona on the German island of Rügen.-Technical data:...
      
      
    • SMS Undine
      SMS Undine
      SMS Undine was an Imperial German light cruiser of the Gazelle Class, 105 meters long and was built in Kiel in 1902. Undine was used in the Naval warfare of World War I and was part of the German High Seas Fleet....
      
      , 1902
  • Bremen Class (3,300 tons 10 x 10.5 cm guns)
    • SMS Bremen
      SMS Bremen
      SMS Bremen was a light cruiser of the German Kaiserliche Marine. She saw service in the Baltic Sea in the World War I and was sunk by a Russian mine near Vindava on 17 December 1915.-See also:...
      
      , 1903
    • SMS Hamburg
      SMS Hamburg
      The SMS Hamburg was a Bremen class light cruiser of the Kaiserliche Marine, named after the city of Hamburg. She was begun by AG Vulcan Stettin in Stettin in 1902, launched on 25 July 1903 and commissioned on 8 March 1904....
      
      , 1903
    • SMS Lübeck
      SMS Lübeck
      The SMS Lübeck was a Bremen class light cruiser of the Kaiserliche Marine, named after the city of Lübeck. Laid down on 12 May 1903 by AG Vulcan Stettin, launched on 26 March 1904 and commissioned on 26 April 1905 she was the first Kaiserliche Marine ship to have a steam turbine.In 1914 she was...
      
      , 1904
    • SMS München
      SMS München
      SMS München was a of the Kaiserliche Marine, named after the city of Munich....
      
      , 1904
    • SMS Leipzig
      SMS Leipzig
      SMS Leipzig was a Bremen class light cruiser, of the German Imperial Navy. It was named after the German city of Leipzig.The ship was stationed off the west coast of Mexico at the outbreak of war in 1914...
      
      , 1905
    • SMS Danzig
      SMS Danzig (1905)
      The SMS Danzig was a light cruiser of the Kaiserliche Marine. She was the last ship of the Bremen class. The ship saw extensive service during World War I. She was named after Gdańsk, a city which at the time was part of Imperial Germany....
      
      , 1906
    • SMS Berlin
      SMS Berlin
      SMS Berlin was a of the Kaiserliche Marine, named after the city of Berlin. She was laid down at Kaiserliche Werft Danzig in August 1902, launched on 22 September 1903 and commissioned on 4 April 1905....
      
      
  • Königsberg Class
    Königsberg class light cruiser (1905)
    The Königsberg class was a group of four light cruisers built for the German Imperial Navy. The class was composed of the lead ship, Königsberg, Stettin, Stuttgart, and Nürnberg...
    
     (1905)
    • SMS Königsberg, 1905
    • SMS Stettin
      SMS Stettin
      SMS Stettin was a Königsberg class light cruiser of the Kaiserliche Marine. Laid down at AG Vulcan Stettin shipyard in 1906, she was launched on 7 March 1907, and commissioned on 29 July 1907. The ship served in European waters during World War I, participating in the Battle of Heligoland Bight in...
      
      , 1907
    • SMS Stuttgart
      SMS Stuttgart
      SMS Stuttgart was a Königsberg class light cruiser of the Kaiserliche Marine, named after the city of Stuttgart.-Design:The Stuttgart was one of the three light cruisers whose eighth funnel was 'detached', meaning the distance to the central funnel was greater than that between the middle and front...
      
      , 1906
    • SMS Nürnberg
      SMS Nürnberg (1906)
      SMS Nürnberg, named after the Bavarian city of Nuremberg, was a Königsberg class light cruiser of 3,450 tons laid down in 1905 and launched in 1907. Nürnberg's was similar in both size and appearance to the famous , differing mainly in its uneven funnel spacing. She was armed with ten guns, eight...
      
      , 1906
  • Dresden Class
    Dresden class light cruiser
    The Dresden class of light cruisers was a class of two ships built for the German Imperial Navy in the early part of the 20th century. The class was composed of Dresden and Emden. Dresden and Emden both participated in well known battles during World War I...
    
     (3,700 tons)
    • , 1907
    • , 1908
  • Kolberg Class (4,400 tons)
    • SMS Kolberg
      SMS Kolberg
      SMS Kolberg was a light cruiser of the German Navy during the First World War.It took part in the raid on Yarmouth and the raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby in 1914, and the Battle of the Gulf of Riga in 1915.- References :...
      
      , 1908
    • SMS Mainz
      SMS Mainz
      SMS Mainz was a light cruiser of the Kolberg class in the Imperial German Navy, launched in 1909, with 4,400 tons displacement. She was armed with twelve 10.5 cm guns and had a top speed of 27 knots...
      
      , 1909
    • SMS Köln, 1909
    • SMS Augsburg
      SMS Augsburg
      The SMS Augsburg was a Kolberg class light cruiser of the German Kaiserliche Marine. Named after the city of Augsburg, she was laid down at the Kaiserliche Werft Kiel in 1908, launched on 10 July 1909 and commissioned 1 November 1910....
      
      , 1909
  • Magdeburg Class
    Magdeburg class light cruiser
    The Magdeburg class of light cruisers was a group of four ships built for the German Imperial Navy before World War I. The ships were all laid down in 1910, and completed by the end of 1912...
    
    
    • SMS Magdeburg
      SMS Magdeburg
      Seiner Majestät Schiff Magdeburg was a light cruiser of the German Imperial Navy. The first of her class, she was built as part of the 1908 German naval program. Her class was notable for being the first to introduce a new hull form and replace the bow ram with a cruiser bow shape...
      
      , 1911
    • SMS Breslau
      SMS Breslau
      SMS Breslau was a Magdeburg-class light cruiser of the German Kaiserliche Marine , built in the early 1910s. Following her commissioning, Breslau and the battlecruiser were assigned to the Mittelmeerdivision in response to the Balkan Wars...
      
      , 1911
    • SMS Straßburg, 1911
    • SMS Stralsund
      SMS Stralsund
      SMS Stralsund was a Magdeburg class light cruiser of the German Kaiserliche Marine.-Service history:Stralsund was assigned to the II Scouting Group, alongside her sistership Strassburg, at the start of World War I. She participated in the Battle of Dogger Bank on 24 January 1915, as part of the...
      
      , 1911
  • Karlsruhe Class
    Karlsruhe class light cruiser
    The Karlsruhe class of light cruisers was a pair of two ships built for the German Imperial Navy before the start of World War I. The ships— and —were very similar to the previous s, mounting the same armament and similar armor protection, though they were larger and faster than the...
    
    
    • SMS Karlsruhe
      SMS Karlsruhe (1912)
      SMS Karlsruhe was a light cruiser of the built by the German Kaiserliche Marine . She had one sister ship, ; the ships were very similar to the previous s. The ship was laid down in 1911, launched in November 1912, and completed by January 1914...
      
      , 1912
    • SMS Rostock
      SMS Rostock
      SMS Rostock was a light cruiser of the built by the German Kaiserliche Marine . She had one sister ship, ; the ships were very similar to the previous s. The ship was laid down in 1911, launched in November 1912, and completed by February 1914...
      
      , 1912
  • Graudenz Class
    Graudenz class light cruiser
    The Graudenz class of light cruisers was a class of two ships built for the German Imperial Navy. The ships were laid down in 1912, and completed within the first few months of World War I.-Dimensions and machinery:...
    
    
    • SMS Graudenz
      SMS Graudenz
      SMS Graudenz was the lead ship of the her class of light cruisers. The ship was built by the German Imperial Navy in the Kiel Navy Yard, laid down in 1912 and completed in August 1914, at the outbreak of World War I. It was named for the German town of Graudenz, West Prussia...
      
      , 1913
    • SMS Regensburg
      SMS Regensburg
      SMS Regensburg"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was a light cruiser built for the German Imperial Navy by AG Weser in Bremen shortly before World War I. She was laid down in 1912, launched on 25 April 1914, and completed by 3 January 1915. Regensburg...
      
      , 1914
  • Pillau Class
    Pillau class light cruiser
    The Pillau class of light cruisers was a pair of ships built in Germany just before the start of World War I. The ships were initially ordered for the Russian Navy, but after the outbreak of war, Germany confiscated the ships before they were transferred to Russia. The ships were similar in design...
    
    
    • SMS Pillau
      SMS Pillau
      SMS Pillau was a German light cruiser in World War I. She and her sistership SMS Elbing were originally ordered from German shipyards by the Russian Navy, but were confiscated at the outbreak of war and taken over by the German Navy...
      
      , 1914
    • SMS Elbing
      SMS Elbing
      The SMS Elbing was a German Pillau class light cruiser, named after the East Prussian city of Elbing. Intended for the Russian navy under the name Admiral Newelski , the ship was built at F. Schichau-Werft in Danzig in 1913-1914...
      
      , 1914
  • Wiesbaden Class
    Wiesbaden class light cruiser
    The Wiesbaden class of light cruisers was a class of ships in the German Imperial Navy in the 1910s. Two ships were built to this class.-Details of construction:...
    
    
    • SMS Wiesbaden
      SMS Wiesbaden
      SMS Wiesbaden was the lead ship of the Wiesbaden-class of light cruisers of the German Imperial Navy in World War I, the other being the Frankfurt-Specifications:...
      
      , 1915
    • SMS Frankfurt
      SMS Frankfurt
      SMS Frankfurt was a Wiesbaden class light cruiser of the German Imperial Navy. Construction of the ship started before World War I, but she was not completed until after hostilities began. She was laid down at the Kiel Navy dockyard in January 1913 and launched in 1915.-Dimensions and...
      
      , 1915
  • Königsberg Class (1915)
    Königsberg class light cruiser (1915)
    The Königsberg class of light cruisers was a group of four ships commissioned into Germany's Imperial Navy shortly before the end of World War I. The class comprised , , , and , all of which were named after light cruisers lost earlier in the war...
    
    
    • SMS Königsberg
      SMS Königsberg (1915)
      SMS Königsberg was the lead ship of the Königsberg class of light cruisers, built for the German Imperial Navy during World War I. She took the name of the earlier , which had been destroyed during the Battle of Rufiji Delta in 1915. The new ship was laid down in 1914 at the AG Weser shipyard,...
      
      , 1915
    • SMS Karlsruhe
      SMS Karlsruhe (1915)
      SMS Karlsruhe was a light cruiser of the Königsberg class, built for the German Imperial Navy during World War I. She was named after the earlier Karlsruhe, which had sunk in November 1914, from an accidental explosion.-Construction:...
      
      , 1915
    • SMS Emden
      SMS Emden (1915)
      SMS Emden was a German light cruiser belonging to the Königsberg class, built during the First World War. Emden served in the German Imperial Navy until the end of the war, at which point she was ceded to France...
      
      , 1915
    • SMS Nürnberg
      SMS Nürnberg (1916)
      SMS Nürnberg was a Königsberg class light cruiser built during World War I by Germany for the Imperial Navy. The ship was named after the previous light cruiser Nürnberg, which had been sunk at the Battle of the Falkland Islands.-Construction:...
      
      , 1916
  • Köln Class
    Köln class light cruiser
    The Cöln class of light cruisers was Germany's last class commissioned before her defeat in World War I. Originally planned to comprise ten ships, only two were completed; and...
    
     (5,600 tons)
    • SMS Köln, 1916
    • SMS Dresden
      SMS Dresden (1916)
      SMS Dresden was the second and final ship of the of light cruisers to be completed and commissioned in the Kaiserliche Marine. The ship was laid down in 1916 and launched on 25 April 1917; she was commissioned into the High Seas Fleet on 28 March 1918...
      
      , 1917

Minelaying Cruisers

Minenlegekreuzer

• • Nautilus Class
    Nautilus class cruiser
    The Nautilus class was a pair of light cruisers designed for minelaying operations. Nautilus was laid down in 1905 and completed by 1907, and Albatross was laid down in 1907, and completed the same year...
    
     (2,000 tons, 8 x 8.8 cm guns)
    • SMS Nautilus
      SMS Nautilus
      SMS Nautilus"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was a German minelaying cruiser built before World War I. The ship was built by AG Weser, Bremen. The ship served during the war, and was scrapped in 1928...
      
      , 1907
    • SMS Albatross
      SMS Albatross
      SMS Albatross"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff", or "His Majesty's Ship" in German. was a German minelaying cruiser built before World War I. Albatross took part in a battle with Russian cruisers off the island of Gotland on 2 July 1915, where the ship was severely damaged, and forced to...
      
      , 1907
  • Brummer Class
    Brummer class cruiser
    The Brummer class were a group of two light mine-laying cruisers built for the Imperial German Navy in World War I. When the war broke out the Germans had only two older mine-laying cruisers: and . Although most German cruisers were fitted for mine-laying, a need for fast specialized ships existed...
    
     (4,400 tons) )
    • SMS Brummer
      SMS Brummer
      SMS Brummer was a minelaying light cruiser of the German Kaiserliche Marine; she was the lead ship of her class. Her sister ship was . Brummer was laid down at AG Vulcan's shipyard in Stettin in 1915 and launched on 11 December 1915 and completed on 2 April 1916...
      
      , 1915
    • SMS Bremse
      SMS Bremse
      SMS Bremse was a Brummer-class minelaying light cruiser of the German Kaiserliche Marine. She was built by AG Vulcan Stettin in 1915 and launched on 11 March 1916 at Stettin, Germany, the second of the two-ship class after her sister, . She served during the First World War, operating for most of...
      
      , 1915

Cruiser Frigates

Kreuzerfregatte

• • Bismarck Class (3,386 tonnes, 16 x 15 cm L/22 guns)
    • SMS Bismarck
    • SMS Blücher
    • SMS Stosch
    • SMS Moltke
      SMS Moltke (1877)
      SMS Moltke was a German three-masted, full-rigged frigate of the Kaiserliche Marine. Construction of the ship began in 1875; on 18 October 1877 SMS Moltke was launched and commissioned on 16 April 1878. She had an unplated iron hull and a steam engine...
      
      
    • SMS Gneisenau
      SMS Gneisenau (1879)
      SMS Gneisenau was a three-masted, full-rigged sail frigate of the German Kaiserliche Marine [Imperial Navy] with an unplated iron hull and a steam engine. The ship was named after the Prussian field marshal August von Gneisenau....
      
      
    • SMS Stein
      SMS Stein
      The SMS Stein was a sailing ship of the Kaiserliche Marine, later converted to steam turbine. She was a 'Gedeckte Korvette' , also called a 'Kreuzerfregatte' , of the 1877 Bismarck class. She was laid down at AG Vulcan Stettin in 1878 and launched on 4 September 1879, entering service the following...
      
      

Torpedo-boats

Torpedoboot

• • G 132 Class
    G132 class torpedo boat
    The G132 class of torpedo boats was a group of large torpedo boats built for the German Kaiserliche Marine in the early 20th century. The class comprised five ships: G132, G133, G134, G135, and G136. German torpedo boats were designated by shipbuilder; in the case of the G132 class, the ships were...
    
    
    • SMS G 132
    • SMS G 133
    • SMS G 134
    • SMS G 135
    • SMS G 136

• • G 137 Class
    • SMS G 137

• • S 138 Class
    • SMS G 138
    • SMS G 139
    • SMS G 140
    • SMS G 141
    • SMS G 142
    • SMS G 143
    • SMS G 144
    • SMS G 145
    • SMS G 146
    • SMS G 147
    • SMS G 148
    • SMS G 149

• • V 150 Class
    • SMS V 150
    • SMS V 151
    • SMS V 152
    • SMS V 153
    • SMS V 154
    • SMS V 155
    • SMS V 156
    • SMS V 157
    • SMS V 158
    • SMS V 159
    • SMS V 160

• • V 161 Class
    • SMS V 161

• • V 162 Class
    • SMS V 162
    • SMS V 163
    • SMS V 164

• • S 165 Class
    • SMS S 165
    • SMS S 166
    • SMS S 167
    • SMS S 168

• • G 169 Class
    • SMS G 169
    • SMS G 170
    • SMS G 171
    • SMS G 172
    • SMS G 173
    • SMS G 174
    • SMS G 175

• • S 176 Class
    • SMS S 176
    • SMS S 177
    • SMS S 178
    • SMS S 179

• • V 180 Class
    • SMS V 180
    • SMS V 181
    • SMS V 182
    • SMS V 183
    • SMS V 184
    • SMS V 185
    • SMS V 186
    • SMS V 187
    • SMS V 188
    • SMS V 189
    • SMS V 190
    • SMS V 191

• • G 192 Class
    • SMS G 192
    • SMS G 193
    • SMS G 194
    • SMS G 195
    • SMS G 196
    • SMS G 197

• • V 1 Class
    • SMS V 1
    • SMS V 2
    • SMS V 3
    • SMS V 4
    • SMS V 5
    • SMS V 6

• • G 7 Class
    • SMS G 7
    • SMS G 8
    • SMS G 9
    • SMS G 10
    • SMS G 11
    • SMS G 12

• • S 13 Class
    • SMS S 13
    • SMS S 14
    • SMS S 15
    • SMS S 16
    • SMS S 17
    • SMS S 18
    • SMS S 19
    • SMS S 20
    • SMS S 21
    • SMS S 22
    • SMS S 23
    • SMS S 24

• • V 25 Class
    • SMS V 25
    • SMS V 26
    • SMS V 27
    • SMS V 28
    • SMS V 29
    • SMS V 30

• • S 31 Class
    • SMS S 31
    • SMS S 32
    • SMS S 33
    • SMS S 34
    • SMS S 35
    • SMS S 36

• • G 37 Class
    • SMS G 37
    • SMS G 38
      SMS G38
      SMS G38 was a Großes Torpedoboot 1913 class torpedo boat of the Deutschen Kaiserliche Marine during World War I, and the 14th ship of her class.-Construction:Built by Germaniawerft in Kiel, Germany, she was launched in December 1914.-Service:...
      
      
    • SMS G 39
      SMS G39
      SMS G39 was a Großes Torpedoboot 1913 class torpedo boat of the German Kaiserliche Marine during World War I, and the 15th ship of her class.-Construction:Built by Germaniawerft in Kiel, Germany, she was commissioned in August 1915...
      
      
    • SMS G 40
      SMS G40
      SMS G40 was a Großes Torpedoboot 1913 class torpedo boat of the Deutschen Kaiserliche Marine during World War I, and the 16th ship of her class.-Construction:Built by Germaniawerft in Kiel, Germany, she was launched in February 1915.-Service:...
      
      
    • SMS G 41
      SMS G41
      SMS G41 was a Großes Torpedoboot 1913 class torpedo boat of the Deutschen Kaiserliche Marine during World War I, and the 17th ship of her class.-Construction:Built by Germaniawerft in Kiel, Germany, she was launched in April 1915...
      
      
    • SMS G 42
      SMS G42
      SMS G42 was a Großes Torpedoboot 1913 class torpedo boat of the German Kaiserliche Marine during World War I, and the 18th ship of her class.-Construction:Built by Germaniawerft in Kiel, Germany, she was laid down in February 1915...
      
      

• • V 43 Class
    • SMS V 43
    • SMS V 44
    • SMS V 45
      SMS V45
      SMS V45 was a Großes Torpedoboot 1913 class torpedo boat of the Deutschen Kaiserliche Marine during World War I, and the 21st ship of her class.-Construction:Built by AG Vulcan Stettin shipyard, Germany, she was launched in December 1914...
      
      
    • SMS V 46
    • SMS V 47
    • SMS V 48
      SMS V48
      SMS V48 was a Großes Torpedoboot 1913 class torpedo boat of the Deutschen Kaiserliche Marine during World War I, and the 24th ship of her class.-Construction:Built by AG Vulcan Stettin shipyard, Germany, she was launched in August 1915...
      
      

• • S 49 Class
    • SMS S 49
    • SMS S 50
    • SMS S 51
    • SMS S 52
    • SMS S 53
    • SMS S 54
    • SMS S 55
    • SMS S 56
    • SMS S 57
    • SMS S 58
    • SMS S 59
    • SMS S 60
    • SMS S 61
    • SMS S 62
    • SMS S 63
    • SMS S 64
    • SMS S 65
    • SMS S 66

• • V 67 Class
    • SMS V 67
    • SMS V 68
    • SMS V 69
    • SMS V 70
    • SMS V 71
    • SMS V 72
    • SMS V 73
    • SMS V 74
    • SMS V 75
    • SMS V 76
    • SMS V 77
    • SMS V 78
    • SMS V 79
    • SMS V 80
    • SMS V 81
    • SMS V 82
    • SMS V 83
    • SMS V 84

• • G 85 Class
    • SMS G 85
      SMS G85
      SMS G85 was a Großes Torpedoboot 1913 class torpedo boat of the German Kaiserliche Marine during World War I, and the 40th ship of her class.-Construction:Built by Germaniawerft in Kiel, Germany, she was launched in December 1915...
      
      
    • SMS G 86
    • SMS G 87
    • SMS G 88
    • SMS G 89
    • SMS G 90
    • SMS G 91
    • SMS G 92
    • SMS G 93
    • SMS G 94
    • SMS G 95

• • G 96 Class
    • SMS G 96

• • B 97 Class
    • SMS B 97
    • SMS B 98
    • SMS V 99
    • SMS V 100
    • SMS B 109
    • SMS B 110
    • SMS B 111
    • SMS B 112

• • G 101 Class
    • SMS G 101
    • SMS G 102
    • SMS G 103
    • SMS G 104

• • V 105 Class
    • SMS V 105
    • SMS V 106
    • SMS V 107
      SMS V107
      SMS V107 was a destroyer of the Kaiserliche Marine. She was launched on 12 December 1914 and sunk by mines in Libau harbour on 8 May 1915....
      
      
    • SMS V 108

• • S 113 Class
    • SMS S 113
      SMS S113
      SMS S113 was a Großes Torpedoboot 1916 class torpedo boat of the Deutschen Kaiserliche Marine during World War I. She was the first ship of her class to be laid down, but the second and final ship of her class to be launched.-Design:...
      
      
    • SMS S 114
    • SMS S 115

• • V 116 Class
    • SMS V 116
      SMS V116
      SMS V116 was a Großes Torpedoboot 1916 class torpedo boat of the Deutschen Kaiserliche Marine during World War I. She was the fourth ship of her class to be laid down, but the first ship of her class to be launched.-Design:...
      
      
    • SMS V 117
    • SMS V 118
    • SMS V 119
    • SMS V 120
    • SMS V 121

• • B 122 Class
    • SMS B 122
    • SMS B 123
    • SMS B 124

• • V 125 Class
    • SMS V 125
    • SMS V 126
    • SMS V 127
    • SMS V 128
    • SMS V 129
    • SMS V 130
    • SMS V 140
    • SMS V 141
    • SMS V 142
    • SMS V 143
    • SMS V 144

• • S 131 Class
    • SMS S 131
    • SMS S 132
    • SMS S 133
    • SMS S 134
    • SMS S 135
    • SMS S 136
    • SMS S 137
    • SMS S 138
    • SMS S 139

• • H 145 Class
    • SMS H 145
    • SMS H 146
    • SMS H 147

• • G 148 Class
    • SMS G 148
    • SMS G 149
    • SMS G 150

• • S 152 Class
    • SMS S 152
    • SMS S 153
    • SMS S 154
    • SMS S 155
    • SMS S 156
    • SMS S 157

• • V 158 Class
    • SMS V 158
    • SMS V 159
    • SMS V 160
    • SMS V 161
    • SMS V 162
    • SMS V 163
    • SMS V 164
    • SMS V 165

• • H 166 Class
    • SMS H 166
    • SMS H 167
    • SMS H 168
    • SMS H 169

• • V 170 Class
    • SMS V 170
    • SMS V 171
    • SMS V 172
    • SMS V 173
    • SMS V 174
    • SMS V 175
    • SMS V 176
    • SMS V 177
    • SMS V 203
    • SMS V 204
    • SMS V 205
    • SMS V 206
    • SMS V 207
    • SMS V 208
    • SMS V 209
    • SMS V 210

• • S 178 Class
    • SMS S 178
    • SMS S 179
    • SMS S 180
    • SMS S 181
    • SMS S 182
    • SMS S 183
    • SMS S 184
    • SMS S 185
    • SMS S 211
    • SMS S 212
    • SMS S 213
    • SMS S 214
    • SMS S 215
    • SMS S 216
    • SMS S 217
    • SMS S 218
    • SMS S 219
    • SMS S 220
    • SMS S 221
    • SMS S 222
    • SMS S 223

• • H 186 Class
    • SMS H 186
    • SMS H 187
    • SMS H 188
    • SMS H 189
    • SMS H 190
    • SMS H 191
    • SMS H 192
    • SMS H 193
    • SMS H 194
    • SMS H 195
    • SMS H 196
    • SMS H 197
    • SMS H 198
    • SMS H 199
    • SMS H 200
    • SMS H 201
    • SMS H 202