German Navy Handbook, 1939-1945Synonymous with such infamous battleships as the Bismarck, Scharnhorst and Tirpitz, the German Navy (or Reichsmarine) was renamed the Kriegsmarine in 1935, shortly after the emergence of the Nazi State, and went through a major re-organization in 1939. During World War II, it became a much-feared adversary both on and beneath the high seas, with its marauding U-boat wolf packs coming close to defeating Britain in the Battle of the Atlantic. The author of this text examines the different roles of the Fleet, and its organization and training activities during the war years. Incidents and operations are described, together with technical data for ships, U-boats and their weaponry. A guide to German Navy uniforms and insignia is included, together with full details of rank structure and specialist trades. |
Contents
After the First World War New Beginnings | 1 |
Treaties Agreements Ultimatums and Plans | 10 |
The Organisation of the Kriegsmarine November 1938 | 19 |
Copyright | |
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aboard action Admiral Graf Spee Admiral Scheer aircraft Allies anti-aircraft April armament Atlantic attack August auxiliary cruiser B-Dienst Badge Baltic baton battle became Bismarck blockade breaker bombing Britain British coast coastal convoy craft crew cruise deck destroyer Elbe enemy engines Erich Raeder escort fleet Flotilla Founded forces France Fregkpt German Germany's Gneisenau Grand Admiral guns Hamburg heavy cruiser Hipper Hitler Karl Dönitz Kiel Komet Korvkpt Kptlt Kriegsmarine later launched light cruiser majority merchant ships Midget Weapons minesweepers Naval High Command Naval Memorial North Sea Norway Norwegian November NSDAP operations Otto pocket battleship pocket battleship Deutschland port Prinz Eugen purpose-built radar radio raiders raiding rangefinder rank reconnaissance refuelled Reichsmarine Royal Navy S-boat Flotilla sailing Scharnhorst scuttled Second World sinking speed submarine sunk supply ship Supreme Commander-in-Chief Supreme Naval Command target Tirpitz Torpedo Boat Type U-boat U-boat Command Versailles Diktat vessels warships waters Wilhelm Wilhelmshaven worn