The list of ships of the Imperial German Navy includes all ships commissioned into service with the
Imperial German Navy
The Imperial German Navy or the Imperial Navy () was the navy of the German Empire, which existed between 1871 and 1919. It grew out of the small Prussian Navy (from 1867 the North German Federal Navy), which was mainly for coast defence. Wilhel ...
(''Kaiserliche Marine'') of
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, covering the period from 1871, the creation of the
German Empire
The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
, through to the end of the Empire in 1918.
Capital ships
Ironclad warships
![S](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/S.M._Linienschiff_Oldenburg.jpg)
* ''Arminius'' class
** , 1864
* ''Prinz Adalbert'' class (1,560 tons, 5 x 36pdr guns)
** , 1865
* ''Kronprinz''
** , 1867
* ''Friedrich Carl'' class
** , 1867
* ''König Wilhelm'' class, (9,750 tons, 33 x 72pdr guns)
** , 1868
* ''Hansa'' class
** , 1872
* (6,800 tons)
** , 1873
** , 1874
** , 1875
* (7,319 tons, 8 x 26 cm guns)
** , 1875
** , 1875
* (7,800 tons, 6 x 26 cm guns)
** , 1877
** , 1878
** , 1878
** , 1880
* ''Oldenburg'' class (5,250 tons, 8 x 24 cm guns)
** , 1884
Coastal defense ships
![S](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/S.M._k%C3%BCstenpanzerschiff_Hagen.jpg)
* (3,700 tons, 3 x 24 cm guns)
** , 1889
** , 1890
** , 1892
** , 1892
** , 1892
** , 1893
* (4,250 tons, 3 x 24 cm guns)
** , 1894
** , 1895
Battleships
![Hochseeflotte 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Hochseeflotte_2.jpg)
Pre-Dreadnoughts
* (10,500 tons, 6 x 28 cm guns)
** , 1891
** , 1891
** , 1891
** , 1892
* (11,600 tons, 4 x 24 cm guns)
** , 1896
** , 1897
** , 1899
** , 1899
** , 1900
* (12,000 tons, 4 x 24 cm guns)
** , 1900
** , 1900
** , 1901
** , 1901
** , 1901
* (13,000 tons, 4 x 28 cm guns)
** , 1901
** , 1903
** , 1903
** , 1903
** , 1904
* (13,000 tons, 4 x 28 cm guns)
** , 1904
** , 1905
** , 1905
** , 1906
** , 1906
Dreadnoughts
Main dreadnought classes
* (19,000 tons, 12 x 28 cm guns)
** , 1908
** , 1908
** , 1908
** , 1908
* (23,000 tons, 12 x 30.5 cm guns)
** , 1909
** , 1909
** , 1909
** , 1910
* (25,000 tons, 10 x 30.5 cm guns)
** , 1911
** , 1911
** , 1911
** , 1911
** , 1912
* (26,000 tons, 10 x 30.5 cm guns)
** , 1913
** , 1913
** , 1913
** , 1914
* (29,000–32,000 tons, 8 x 38 cm guns)
** , 1915
** , 1915
** , not completed
** , not completed
* (43,800–48,700 tons, 8 x 42 cm guns)
** None built
Battlecruisers
![German battlecruisers steaming to Scapa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/German_battlecruisers_steaming_to_Scapa.jpg)
* ''Von der Tann'' class (19,400 tons, 8 x 28 cm guns)
** , 1909
* (23,000 tons, 10 x 28 cm guns)
** , 1910
** , 1911
* ''Seydlitz'' class (25,000 tons, 10 x 28 cm guns)
** , 1912
* (27,000 tons, 8 x 30.5 cm guns)
** , 1913
** , 1913
** , 1915
* (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
* (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
Cruisers
Protected cruisers
![SMS Hertha 1 1909](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/SMS_Hertha_1_1909.jpg)
* (5,000 tons, 14 x 15 cm guns, 4 x 15 cm guns)
**
**
* ''Kaiserin Augusta'' class (6,000 tons, 4 x 15 cm guns)
** , 1892
* (5,700 tons, 2 x 21 cm guns, 8 x 15 cm guns)
** , 1897
** , 1897
** , 1897
** , 1897
** , 1898
Armored cruisers
![SMS Scharnhorst by Arthur Renard](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/SMS_Scharnhorst_by_Arthur_Renard.jpg)
* ''Fürst Bismarck'' class (10,700 tons, 4 x 24 cm guns, 12 x 15 cm guns)
** , 1897
* ''Prinz Heinrich'' class (9,000 tons, 2 x 24 cm guns)
** , 1900
* (9,000 tons, 4 x 21 cm guns)
** , 1901
** , 1901
* (10,000 tons, 4 x 21 cm guns)
** , 1903
** , 1904
* (11,600 tons, 8 x 21 cm guns)
** , 1906
** , 1906
* ''Blücher'' class (15,800 tons, 12 x 21 cm guns)
** , 1908
Unprotected cruisers
![S](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/S.M._kleiner_kreuzer_Gefion_-_restoration%2C_borderless.jpg)
* (1,359 tons, 8 x 10.5 cm guns)
** , 1887
** , 1888
* (1,650 tons, 8 x 10.5 cm guns)
** , 1890
** , 1891
** , 1892
** , 1892
** , 1892
** , 1894
* ''Gefion'' class (3,700 tons, 10 x 10.5 cm guns)
** , 1893
Light cruisers
![Bundesarchiv DVM 10 Bild-23-61-01, Kleiner Kreuzer](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Bundesarchiv_DVM_10_Bild-23-61-01%2C_Kleiner_Kreuzer_%22Karlsruhe%22.jpg)
* (2,700 tons, 10 x 10.5 cm guns)
** , 1898
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
** , 1902
* (3,300 tons 10 x 10.5 cm guns, 2 x 15 cm guns)
** , 1903
** , 1903
** , 1903
** , 1904
** , 1904
** , 1905
** , 1905
* (1905) (3,400 tons 10 x 10.5 cm guns)
** , 1905
** , 1907
** , 1906
** , 1906
* (3,700 tons 10 x 10.5 cm guns)
** , 1907
** , 1908
* (4,400 tons 12 x 10.5 cm guns, 6 x 15 cm guns)
** , 1908
** , 1909
** , 1909
** , 1909
* (4,500 tons 12 x 10.5 cm guns, 7 x 15 cm guns)
** , 1911
** , 1911
** , 1911
** , 1911
* (4,900 tons 12 x 10.5 cm guns)
** , 1912
** , 1912
* (4,900 tons 12 x 10.5 cm guns, 7 x 15 cm guns)
** , 1913
** , 1914
* (4,400 tons 8 x 15 cm guns)
** , 1914
** , 1914
* (5,000 tons 8 x 15 cm guns)
** , 1915
** , 1915
* (1915) (5,400 tons 8 x 15 cm guns)
** , 1915
** , 1915
** , 1915
** , 1916
* (5,600 tons 8 x 15 cm guns)
** , 1916
** , 1917
Minelaying cruisers
* (2,000 tons, 8 x 8.8 cm guns)
** , 1907
** , 1907
* (4,400 tons, 4 x 15 cm guns)
** , 1915
** , 1915
Aircraft carriers
* I class (12,585 tons, 23–29 aircraft)
** , 1915 passenger ship ''Ausonia'' and under conversion as naval vessel 1918, not completed and scrapped 1922
Auxilary minelayers
*-2 × 37mm guns
*-4 × 88mm guns, 2 × 50mm guns
Auxiliary warship
* SMS
''Graf von Goetzen'', 1915 1,575 t
× 10.5 cm (4 in) gun; 1 × 8.8 cm (3 in) gun;2 × 37 mm revolver guns
Avisos
* ''Zieten'' class (1,152 tons, 6 x 5 cm guns)
** , 1876
* (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
* (1,499 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
* ''Hela'' class (2,000 tons, 4 x 8.8 cm guns)
** , 1895
Gunboats
![S](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/S.M._kanonenboot_Iltis.jpg)
*
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
* (786 tons, 2 x 15 cm guns; 2 x 12 cm guns)
** , 1871
** , 1871
* (1,163 tons, 1 x 30.5 cm gun, 2 x 8.7 cm guns)
** , 1876
** , 1876
** , 1876
** , 1877
** , 1877
** , 1878
** , 1878
** , 1879
** , 1880
** , 1880
** , 1881
* (1,050 tons, 2 x 10.5 cm guns, 4 x 8.8 cm guns)
** , 1898
** , 1898
** , 1899
** , 1899
** , 1901
** , 1903
Corvettes
*
**
**
*
**
**
*
**
**
**
*
**
**
* (3,386 tonnes, 16 x 15 cm L/22 guns)
**
**
**
**
**
**
*
**
**
**
**
**
**
*
*
Torpedo-boats and destroyers
![S](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/S.M._Torpedobootsdivision.jpg)
In the Imperial German Navy, there was no clear distinction between
torpedo boats and
torpedo boat destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in 1 ...
s, 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.
*
''S90'' class (1898–1907)
**
** SMS ''S91''
** SMS ''S92''
** SMS ''S93''
** SMS ''S94''
** SMS ''S95''
** SMS ''S96''
** SMS ''S97''
** SMS ''S98''
** SMS ''S99''
** SMS ''S100''
** SMS ''S101''
** SMS ''S102''
** SMS ''S103''
** SMS ''S104''
** SMS ''S105''
** SMS ''S106''
** SMS ''S107''
** SMS ''G108''
** SMS ''G109''
** SMS ''G110''
** SMS ''G111''
** SMS ''G112''
**
** SMS ''S114''
**
** SMS ''S116''
** SMS ''S117''
** SMS ''S118''
**
** SMS ''S120''
** SMS ''S121''
** SMS ''S122''
** SMS ''S123''
** SMS ''S124''
** SMS ''S125''
** SMS ''S126''
** SMS ''S127''
** SMS ''S128''
** SMS ''S129''
** SMS ''S130''
** SMS ''S131''
** SMS ''G132''
** SMS ''G133''
** SMS ''G134''
** SMS ''G135''
** SMS ''G136''
** SMS ''G137''
*
''S138'' class (1906–11)
** SMS ''G138''
** SMS ''G139''
** SMS ''G140''
** SMS ''G141''
** SMS ''G142''
** SMS ''G143''
** SMS ''G144''
** SMS ''G145''
** SMS ''G146''
** SMS ''G147''
** SMS ''G148''
** SMS ''G149''
** SMS ''V150''
** SMS ''V151''
** SMS ''V152''
** SMS ''V153''
** SMS ''V154''
** SMS ''V155''
** SMS ''V156''
** SMS ''V157''
** SMS ''V158''
** SMS ''V159''
** SMS ''V160''
** SMS ''V161''
** SMS ''V162''
** SMS ''V163''
** SMS ''V164''
** SMS ''S165''
** SMS ''S166''
** SMS ''S167''
** SMS ''S168''
** SMS ''G169''
** SMS ''G170''
** SMS ''G171''
** SMS ''G172''
** SMS ''G173''
** SMS ''G174''
** SMS ''G175''
** SMS ''S176''
** SMS ''S177''
** SMS ''S178''
** SMS ''S179''
** SMS ''V180''
** SMS ''V181''
** SMS ''V182''
** SMS ''V183''
** SMS ''V184''
** SMS ''V185''
**
**
**
** ''
**
**
** SMS ''G192''
** SMS ''G193''
**
** SMS ''G195''
**
** SMS ''G197''
*
''V1'' class (1911–13)
**
** SMS ''V2''
** SMS ''V3''
**
** SMS ''V5''
** SMS ''V6''
**
** SMS ''G8''
** SMS ''G9''
** SMS ''G10''
** SMS ''G11''
** SMS ''G12''
** SMS ''S13''
** SMS ''S14''
** SMS ''S15''
** SMS ''S16''
** SMS ''S17''
** SMS ''S18''
** SMS ''S19''
** SMS ''S20''
** SMS ''S21''
** SMS ''S22''
** SMS ''S23''
** SMS ''S24''
*
''V25'' class (1913–15)
** ''
** SMS ''V26''
**
** SMS ''V28''
** SMS ''V29''
** SMS ''V30''
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
** SMS ''V43''
** SMS ''V44''
**
**
**
**
** SMS ''S49''
**
** SMS ''S51''
** SMS ''S52''
** SMS ''S53''
** SMS ''S54''
** SMS ''S55''
** SMS ''S56''
** SMS ''S57''
** SMS ''S58''
** SMS ''S59''
** SMS ''S60''
** SMS ''S61''
** SMS ''S62''
** SMS ''S63''
** SMS ''S64''
** SMS ''S65''
** SMS ''S66''
** SMS ''V67''
** SMS ''V68''
** SMS ''V69''
** SMS ''V70''
** SMS ''V71''
** SMS ''V72''
** SMS ''V73''
** SMS ''V74''
** SMS ''V75''
** SMS ''V76''
** SMS ''V77''
** SMS ''V78''
** SMS ''V79''
** SMS ''V80''
** SMS ''V81''
** SMS ''V82''
** SMS ''V83''
** SMS ''V84''
**
** SMS ''G86''
** SMS ''G87''
** SMS ''G88''
** SMS ''G89''
** SMS ''G90''
** SMS ''G91''
** SMS ''G92''
** SMS ''G93''
** SMS ''G94''
** SMS ''G95''
*
''B97'' class
** SMS ''B97''
** SMS ''B98''
** SMS ''V99''
** SMS ''V100''
** SMS ''B109''
** SMS ''B110''
** SMS ''B111''
** SMS ''B112''
*
''G101'' class
** SMS ''G101''
** SMS ''G102''
** SMS ''G103''
** SMS ''G104''
*
''V105'' class
**
**
**
**
*
''S113'' class
**
** SMS ''S114''
** SMS ''S115''
**
** SMS ''V117''
** SMS ''V118''
** SMS ''V119''
** SMS ''V120''
** SMS ''V121''
** SMS ''B122''
** SMS ''B123''
** SMS ''B124''
*
''G96'' class (1915–16)
**
** SMS ''V125''
** SMS ''V126''
** SMS ''V127''
** SMS ''V128''
** SMS ''V129''
** SMS ''V130''
** SMS ''V140''
** SMS ''V141''
** SMS ''V142''
** SMS ''V143''
** SMS ''V144''
** SMS ''S131''
** SMS ''S132''
** SMS ''S133''
** SMS ''S134''
** SMS ''S135''
** SMS ''S136''
** SMS ''S137''
** SMS ''S138''
** SMS ''S139''
** SMS ''H145''
** SMS ''H146''
** SMS ''H147''
** SMS ''G148''
** SMS ''G149''
** SMS ''G150''
** SMS ''WW151''
** SMS ''S152''
** SMS ''S153''
** SMS ''S154''
** SMS ''S155''
** SMS ''S156''
** SMS ''S157''
** SMS ''V158''
** SMS ''V159''
** SMS ''V160''
** SMS ''V161''
** SMS ''V162''
** SMS ''V163''
** SMS ''V164''
** SMS ''V165''
** SMS ''H166''
** SMS ''H167''
** SMS ''H168''
** SMS ''H169''
*
''V170'' class (1918)
** SMS ''V170''
** SMS ''V171''
** SMS ''V172''
** SMS ''V173''
** SMS ''V174''
** SMS ''V175''
** SMS ''V176''
** SMS ''V177''
** SMS ''V203''
** SMS ''V204''
** SMS ''V205''
** SMS ''V206''
** SMS ''V207''
** SMS ''V208''
** SMS ''V209''
** SMS ''V210''
** SMS ''S178''
** SMS ''S179''
** SMS ''S180''
** SMS ''S181''
** SMS ''S182''
** SMS ''S183''
** SMS ''S184''
** SMS ''S185''
** SMS ''S211''
** SMS ''S212''
** SMS ''S213''
** SMS ''S214''
** SMS ''S215''
** SMS ''S216''
** SMS ''S217''
** SMS ''S218''
** SMS ''S219''
** SMS ''S220''
** SMS ''S221''
** SMS ''S222''
** SMS ''S223''
** SMS ''H186''
** SMS ''H187''
** SMS ''H188''
** SMS ''H189''
** SMS ''H190''
** SMS ''H191''
** SMS ''H192''
** SMS ''H193''
** SMS ''H194''
** SMS ''H195''
** SMS ''H196''
** SMS ''H197''
** SMS ''H198''
** SMS ''H199''
** SMS ''H200''
** SMS ''H201''
** SMS ''H202''
Survey Ships
*
**
**
Tankers
*
See also
*
List of naval ships of Germany
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:List of German Imperial Navy Ships
Imperial Navy
List