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Schleswig Holstein
in winter 1941/1942
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.
|
| Construction
Data |
Dimensions |
Commanders |
| Laid
down: |
Germaniawerft
Kiel, 1905 |
| Launched: |
07.12.1906 |
| Commissioned: |
06.07.1908 |
| Fate: |
scrapped
after 1946 |
| 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 |
|
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|
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: |
19330
shp |
| Speed: |
19,1
kn |
| Range: |
4800
sm at 10 kn |
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Operational
History
| 31.05.1916: |
Participated
in Battle of Jutland in 2nd Squadron. |
| 01.09.1939: |
At
4.45 AM the Schleswig Holstein opens World War II by
firing on the western flats of the Vistula island. |
| 08.04.1940: |
"Operation
Weserübung":
Together with MTBs and fishing craft, the Schleswig
Holstein transports army soldiers from Eckernförde
Bight. |
| 09.04.1940: |
Troop
landings in Nyborg. |
| 1941-1944: |
Used
as a dormitory ship at Gotenhafen or as a training ship. The
ship sails about 6000 nautical miles in this period. |
| Sep
- Dec 1944: |
Used
as Flak Ship, equipped with more AA guns. |
| 18.12.1944: |
After
brought in a battle ready state, the Schleswig Holstein
was hit by three bombs during an air raid on Gotenhafen. The
ship sink on its keel. |
| 20.12.1944: |
Large
fire on board. |
| 25.01.1945: |
Removed
from fleet list, most of the crew is killed in defense of
Marienburg. |
| 21.03.1945: |
The
wreck is blown up. |
| Spring
1946: |
The wreck us raised by the 4th Soviet fleet and towed
to Tallin. |
| 29.09.1946: |
Added
to Soviet fleet lists, some sources say that it was renamed to
Borodino . |
| 25.06.1947: |
Since
the damage to the ship was too heavy making repairing
impossible, the ship is scuttled near the Neugrund shoal. |
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