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Schlesien in 1943
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History
After World War I Germany was only allowed to keep
six old pre Dreadnought battleships (plus two on reserve). These
were the ships of the Braunschweig and Deutschlandclass. Build
between 1904 and 1905, the Braunschweig class was already
obsolete during World War I and were decommissioned in 1917, but the
lack of available ships forced those veterans of the Battle of
Jutland into service again. They were not able to fight any
modern warship of their time and could only be used as coast defense
or training ships. In this role, they made intensive voyages to
Africa, Middle- and South America between 1926 and 1939.
Most of those ships didn't see action in World War
II anymore, since they were replaced by modern units, only the Schleswig
Holstein and Schlesien did.
The Braunschweig was broken down in 1931,
the Elsass in 1936, the Hessen was replaced by the
Admiral Scheer and used as a target ship, the Lothringen
was only used as a naval reserve, the Preussen was broken
down in 1931 while some parts were used for torpedo and mine tests.
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| Construction
Data |
Dimensions |
Commanders |
| Laid
down: |
Schichau-Werft
Danzig |
| Launched: |
28.05.1906 |
| Commissioned: |
05.05.1908 |
| Fate: |
blown
up 04.05.1945 (Swinemünde) |
| Costs: |
25
Mio Reichsmark |
|
| Size
(Max): |
14218
t |
| Length
(Total): |
127,6
m |
| Length
(Waterline): |
125,9
m |
| Beam: |
22,2
m |
| Draft: |
8,21
m |
| Crew: |
742
- 802 |
|
|
|
Weapons |
Armour and
Aircraft |
Engines
& Performance |
| 28
cm L/20: |
4 |
| 15
cm L/45: |
14
(12 since 1931, 10 since 1935, 0 since 1939) |
| 8.8
cm L/45: |
20
(4 since 1919; 2 since 1927) |
| 3,7
cm L/83 C/30: |
4
(since 1936) |
| 2
cm MG L/83: |
4
- 22 |
|
| Deck: |
240
mm (max) |
| Belt: |
40
mm |
| Command
Tower: |
300
mm |
| Turrets: |
280
mm (max) |
|
| Shafts: |
3 |
| Engines: |
3 |
| Type: |
3-cyl
expansion engines |
| Total
Performance: |
18923
shp |
| Speed: |
18,5
kn |
| Range: |
4800
sm at 10 kn |
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Operational
History
| 31.05.1916: |
Participated
at the Battle of Jutland, formed 2nd Squadron together with Schleswig
Holstein . |
| 1918-1939: |
Used
as a training ship. |
| September
1939: |
Operations
at Hela. |
| Oct
1939 - Mar 1940: |
Used
to train new officers. |
| April
1940: |
"Operation
Weserübung":
Protects minesweepers off the coast. |
| July
1940: |
Withdrawn
from service, used as a dormitory ship in Gotenhafen. |
| January
- March 1941: |
Used
a an ice-breaker with reduced crew. |
| May
- October 1941: |
Together
with Schleswig Holstein and the 6th E-Boat
Flotilla, the Schlesien covers mine laying operations
in the Baltic Sea to prevent a breakthrough of Russian ships
to Britain. |
| 1944: |
Additional
Flag guns installed. |
| March
- April 1945: |
Used
in the Battle for Gotenhafen. |
| April
1945: |
Moved
to Swinemünde with over 1000 wounded men. |
| 03.05.1945: |
Hit
by a mine at Zinnowitz, NW of Swinemünde. The ship is
beached. |
| 04.05.1945: |
Blown
up, the wreck was broken up between 1949 and 1956. |
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