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The list of ships of the Imperial German Navy includes all ships commissioned into service with the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) of Germany, covering the period from 1871, the creation of the German Empire, through to the end of the Empire in 1918.

Capital ships

Ironclad warships

A 1902 lithograph of SMS Oldenburg, Germany's last ironclad

Main article: List of ironclad warships of Germany

Coastal defense ships

Lithograph of SMS Hagen in 1902

Main article: List of coastal defense ships of Germany

Battleships

A line of nine large gray battleships stretches into the distance, all belching dark black smoke from their funnels
Dreadnoughts of the High Seas Fleet steam in a line of battle

Main article: List of battleships of Germany

Pre-Dreadnoughts

Dreadnoughts Main dreadnought classes

Battlecruisers

A line of large warships. Thick black smoke pours from their funnels as they steam through choppy seas.
Seydlitz leads Moltke, Hindenburg, Derfflinger and Von der Tann into internment in Scapa Flow

Main article: List of battlecruisers of Germany

Cruisers

Protected cruisers

Hertha on a visit to the United States in 1909

Main article: List of protected cruisers of Germany

Armored cruisers

Scharnhorst steaming at top speed

Main article: List of armored cruisers of Germany

Unprotected cruisers

1902 lithograph of SMS Gefion

Main article: List of unprotected cruisers of Germany

Light cruisers

Karlsruhe underway

Main article: List of light cruisers of Germany

Minelaying cruisers

Nautilus passing under the Levensau High Bridge in the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal

Aircraft carriers

Auxiliary minelayers

Auxiliary warship

Avisos

Lithograph of Greif (left), Meteor (center), and Jagd (right) by Willy Stöwer

Main article: List of avisos of Germany

Gunboats

1902 lithograph of Iltis

Corvettes

A painting of Stosch, Stein, and Gneisenau under sail, by Alexander Kircher

Main article: List of screw corvettes of Germany

Torpedo-boats and destroyers

Illustration of a division of torpedo boats in 1902

Main article: German ocean-going torpedo boats of World War I

In the Imperial German Navy, there was no clear distinction between torpedo boats and torpedo boat destroyers, which were all numbered in the same series, the number being preceded by a letter that represented the building contractor. A new numbering series began in 1911; hence years of construction are appended in brackets below, to distinguish the two series.

Illustration of G108 and S102 in 1902
G137 on trials in 1907

Survey Ships

Tankers

See also

References

Categories