Germaniawerft file photo [29432]

Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft

Type   208 Shipyard
Historical Name of Location   Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Coordinates   54.311667000, 10.134844000

Contributor:

ww2dbaseIn 1867, a group of British and German financiers including Lloyd Foster, along with the Prussian Navy, took over an existing shipyard in Gaarden near Kiel, Germany and modernized it for the construction of warships; it was named the Norddeutsche Schiffbau-Gesellschaft. In 1876, the company built the personal yacht of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the SMY Hohenzollern. In 1879, it became bankrupt and was sold to the Märkisch-Schlesischen Maschinenbau und Hütten-Aktiengesellschaft of Berlin. In late 1882, the Märkisch-Schlesischen also underwent financial trouble, and the Kiel-based operations were restructured and was renamed as Schiff- und Maschinenbau-Actien-Gesellschaft Germania. In Aug 1896, German industrialist Friedrich Krupp signed a 25-year lease on the property; in 1902, he would place his own name upon the shipyard, creating Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft. In 1899, a fire destroyed many buildings and all slips. Later in the year, on 1 Oct 1899, work began to rebuild and modernize Germaniawerft. Shipyard plans were for ten slips. Most existing shipyard shops and existing machinery were either upgraded or replaced. Shipyard area increased from 14.8 acres to 22 acres. The pier, mainly used as the equipping pier, doubled in length to over 860 yards. Slips I to IV were built in an enclosed building, with ample glass panes, allowing year-round construction with natural lighting. Slips V to VIII were designed with the latest construction arrangements. Slips IX and X were to be built later but never started. Seven of the slips were completed by 1907. In 1908, it launched the schooner Germania for Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach, Friedrich Krupp's son-in-law, based on a design by Max Oertz; the schooner was the first of its size built in Germany. Between 1908 and 1910, torpedo boat slips were constructed; these were classified as an open slip like the Elbing torpedo boat slips, with room to build up to 4 boats of 500 to 600 tons (Note: Shipyard photographs showed these torpedo boat slips to still be there through the early 1930s although there was no reference to any torpedo boats being built since WW1). In the period preceding WW1, it also built a number of battleships for the Germany Navy, including SMS Posen, SMS Prinzregent Luitpold, SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm, and SMS Sachsen. During WW1, the company launched 84 submarines for the German Navy. In 1920, Germaniawerft began building yachts and sailing boats to keep employees working during the inter-war period. In 1934, the shipyard was awarded contracts for small experimental submarines. In the late 1930s, it launched a number of Type 1934A and Type 1936A (Mob) destroyers that would be used in WW2. Its greatest contribution to the WW2-era German Navy, however, was in its launching of 131 submarines. In 1944, the shipyard occupied 244,834 square meters and employed as many as 10,000 (about 1,100 of whom were forced laborers) at one time; on average, it employed about 5,000 workers during the WW2 years. The shipyard launched its last submarine in Apr 1945, U-4714, although this submarine would not be commissioned into service before the German surrender. After the end of the European War, Germaniawerft was dismantled by the Allies, much to the frustration of the civilian population of Kiel. In the late 1960s, Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft purchased the grounds formerly occupied by Germaniawerft, resuming shipbuilding activities that would last through the date of this writing in 2020.

Last Major Update: Jun 2020

Ships Constructed at Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft

Ship NameYard NoSlip/Drydock NoOrderedLaid DownLaunchedCommissioned
U-11631 Jan 1939
U-11731 Jan 1939
U-11831 Jan 1939
U-1197 Aug 1939
U-20963816 Oct 1939
U-21016 Oct 1939
U-21116 Oct 1939
U-21216 Oct 1939
U-21516 Feb 1940
U-216II16 Feb 1940
U-21716 Feb 1940
U-218IV16 Feb 1940
U-226III
U-228VI
U-235I
U-238V
U-239IV
U-240IV
U-241II
U-249VIII
Z40 (Planned)642VI1 Feb 1941
Z41 (Planned)643V1 Feb 1941
Z42 (Planned)643V1 Feb 1941
Z57 (Planned)
Z58 (Planned)
StierIII7 Oct 193625 Nov 1939
UA28 Aug 193830 Apr 1939
Kormoran214I15 Sep 19389 Oct 1940
U-47149567 Jul 194426 Apr 1945
Schleswig-Holstein2 Sep 190517 Dec 19066 Jul 1908
Saar19 Jun 193319 Sep 19334 May 19341 Oct 1934
F153017 May 19342 Aug 19341 Mar 193515 Dec 1935
F253117 May 19347 Aug 19342 Apr 193527 Feb 1936
F353217 May 193422 Aug 19341 Jun 19357 Mar 1936
F453317 May 193422 Aug 19342 Jul 19355 Apr 1936
F553417 May 19346 Sep 193414 Aug 19351 May 1936
F654017 May 19346 Sep 19341 Oct 193525 May 1936
U-7541I8 Feb 193511 Mar 193529 Jun 193528 Jul 1935
Z9 Wolfgang Zenker5354 Aug 193422 Mar 193527 Mar 19362 Jul 1938
U-8542I8 Feb 193525 Mar 193516 Jul 19355 Aug 1935
Z10 Hans Lody5364 Aug 19341 Apr 193514 May 193617 Mar 1938
U-9543I8 Feb 19358 Apr 193530 Jul 193521 Aug 1935
U-10544II8 Feb 193522 Apr 193513 Aug 193511 Sep 1935
Z11 Bernd Von Arnim53710 Nov 193426 Apr 19358 Jul 19368 Jun 1938
Z12 Erich Giese53810 Nov 19343 May 193512 Mar 19374 Mar 1939
U-11545II8 Feb 19356 May 193527 Aug 193521 Sep 1935
U-12546II20 Jul 193420 May 193511 Sep 193530 Sep 1935
U-17547I2 Feb 19351 Jul 193514 Nov 19353 Dec 1935
U-18548I2 Feb 193510 Jul 19357 Dec 19354 Jan 1936
U-20550I2 Feb 19351 Aug 193514 Jan 19361 Feb 1936
Z13 Erich Koellner53910 Nov 193412 Oct 193518 Mar 193728 Aug 1939
U-3355625 Mar 193515 Oct 193511 Jun 193625 Jul 1936
U-3455725 Mar 193515 Oct 193517 Jul 193612 Sep 1936
U-19549I2 Feb 19357 Dec 193521 Dec 193516 Jan 1936
U-36559I25 Mar 19352 Mar 19364 Nov 193616 Dec 1936
U-21551II2 Feb 19354 Mar 193613 Jul 19366 Aug 1936
U-22552II2 Feb 19354 Mar 193629 Jul 193621 Aug 1936
U-35558I25 Mar 19352 Apr 193624 Sep 19363 Nov 1936
U-23553II2 Feb 193511 Apr 193628 Aug 193624 Sep 1936
U-24554II2 Feb 193521 Apr 193624 Sep 193610 Oct 1936
Prinz Eugen564VIII16 Nov 193523 Apr 193622 Aug 19381 Aug 1940
U-4558021 Nov 193623 Feb 193727 Apr 193825 Jun 1938
U-46582III21 Nov 193624 Feb 193710 Sep 19382 Nov 1938
U-47583III21 Nov 193625 Feb 193729 Oct 193817 Dec 1938
U-51581III21 Nov 193726 Feb 193711 Jun 19386 Aug 1938
U-52584II15 May 19379 Mar 193721 Dec 19384 Feb 1939
U-48585II21 Nov 193610 Mar 19378 Mar 193922 Apr 1939
U-53586II15 Mar 193713 Mar 19376 May 193924 Jun 1939
B (Planned)555VIII20 Apr 193821 Apr 1938 *1 Jul 1940 *1 Jul 1940 *
U-54588III16 Jul 193713 Sep 193815 Aug 193923 Sep 1939
U-49587IV21 Nov 193615 Sep 193824 Jun 193912 Aug 1939
U-5559016 Jul 19372 Nov 193819 Oct 193921 Nov 1939
U-5058921 Nov 19363 Nov 19381 Nov 193912 Dec 1939
U-101594II15 Dec 193731 Mar 193913 Jan 194011 Mar 1940
U-99593I15 Dec 193731 Mar 193912 Mar 194018 Apr 1940
U-10259615 Dec 193722 May 193921 Mar 194027 Apr 1940
U-10059530 May 193822 May 193910 Apr 194030 May 1940
U-93III30 May 19389 Sep 19398 Jun 194030 Jul 1940
U-94III30 May 19389 Sep 193912 Jun 194010 Aug 1940
U-95600IV30 May 193816 Sep 193918 Jul 194031 Aug 1940
U-9660130 May 193816 Sep 19391 Aug 194014 Sep 1940
U-9760230 May 193827 Sep 193915 Aug 194028 Sep 1940
U-98603IV30 May 193827 Sep 193931 Aug 194012 Dec 1940
U-69604VII30 May 193811 Nov 193919 Sep 19402 Nov 1940
U-7060530 May 193819 Dec 193912 Oct 194023 Nov 1940
U-71618III25 Jan 193921 Dec 193931 Oct 194014 Dec 1940
U-72619III25 Jan 193928 Dec 193922 Nov 19404 Jan 1941
U-20163023 Sep 193920 Jan 19407 Dec 194025 Jan 1941
U-20263123 Sep 193918 Mar 194010 Feb 194122 Mar 1941
U-20363223 Sep 193928 Mar 19404 Jan 194118 Feb 1941
Z3862819 Sep 193915 Apr 194015 Aug 194120 Mar 1943
U-20463323 Sep 193922 Apr 194023 Jan 19418 Mar 1941
U-20663516 Oct 193917 Jun 19404 Apr 194117 May 1941
U-20563416 Oct 193919 Jun 194020 Mar 19413 May 1941
U-20863716 Oct 19395 Aug 194021 May 19415 Jul 1941
U-207636IV16 Oct 193914 Aug 194024 Apr 19417 Jun 1941
Z3962926 Jun 193915 Aug 19402 Dec 194121 Aug 1943
U-21316 Feb 19401 Oct 194024 Jul 194130 Aug 1941
U-21464616 Feb 19405 Oct 194018 Sep 19411 Nov 1941
Q (Planned)623VIII8 Aug 19391 Dec 1940 *1 Dec 1942 *1 Dec 1944 *
Z3762719 Sep 19392 Jan 194124 Feb 194216 Jul 1943
P (Planned)607VII24 May 19381 Feb 1941 *1 Feb 1943 *1 Feb 1944 *
SP1VII1 Feb 194120 Aug 1941
SP2 (Planned)V1 Feb 194131 Aug 1941 *1 Dec 1942 *1 Jun 1944 *
U-1059693III25 Aug 19414 Jun 194212 Mar 19431 May 1943
SP3 (Planned)V1 Feb 19411 Jan 1943 *1 Apr 1944 *1 Oct 1945 *
P6 (Planned)VII1 May 1943 *1 May 1945 *1 Oct 1946 *
P12 (Planned)VIII15 May 19391 Sep 1943 *1 Sep 1945 *1 Feb 1947 *
SP21 (Planned)VI1 Sep 1945 *1 Dec 1946 *1 Jun 1948 *
SP22 (Planned)VII1 Sep 1945 *1 Dec 1946 *1 Jun 1948 *

* Projected dates; not actual

Slip/Drydock Utilization

[Con]: Construction; [FO]: Fitting Out



Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft Interactive Map

Photographs

Battleship Hessen under construction in slip III of Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany, 1903, photo 1 of 2Battleship Hessen under construction in slip III of Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany, 1903, photo 2 of 2Aerial view of Germaniawerft yard in Kiel, Germany, early 1900s; note battleship Deutschland or Schleswig-Holstein under construction, 4 torpedo boat slips ahead of the battleship, and building slips V through VIIIDrawing of Germaniawerft
See all 27 photographs of Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft

Maps

Shipyard plan of Germaniawerft yard in Kiel, Germany, circa 1900; green areas represented the existing shipyard, while unshaded areas to the south (right) represented the expansion areaShipyard plan of Germaniawerft yard in Kiel, Germany, circa 1905Shipyard plan of Germaniawerft yard in Kiel, Germany, circa 1905Plan of Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany, circa 1930
See all 5 maps of Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft

Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft Timeline

1 Oct 1899 Work began to modernize Germaniawerft in Kiel, Germany.
2 Aug 1934 The keel of fleet escort ship F1 was laid down at the Krupp Germania Werft yard in Kiel, Germany.
22 Aug 1934 The keel of fleet escort ship F4 was laid down at the Krupp Germania Werft yard in Kiel, Germany.
6 Sep 1934 The keel of fleet escort ship F5 was laid down at the Krupp Germania Werft yard in Kiel, Germany.
6 Sep 1934 The keel of fleet escort ship F6 was laid down at the Krupp Germania Werft yard in Kiel, Germany.
1 Mar 1935 Fleet escort ship F1 was launched at the Krupp Germania Werft yard in Kiel, Germany.
2 Apr 1935 Fleet escort ship F2 was launched at the Krupp Germania Werft yard in Kiel, Germany.
20 May 1935 The keel of U-12 was laid down at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel, Germany.
1 Jun 1935 Fleet escort ship F3 was launched at the Krupp Germania Werft yard in Kiel, Germany.
2 Jul 1935 Fleet escort ship F4 was launched at the Krupp Germania Werft yard in Kiel, Germany.
14 Aug 1935 Fleet escort ship F5 was launched at the Krupp Germania Werft yard in Kiel, Germany.
11 Sep 1935 U-12 was launched at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel, Germany.
1 Oct 1935 Fleet escort ship F6 was launched at the Krupp Germania Werft yard in Kiel, Germany.
16 Nov 1935 The order for the construction of Prinz Eugen was awarded to Germaniawerft of Kiel, Germany.
11 Apr 1936 The keel of U-23 was laid down by Germaniawerft in Kiel, Germany.
23 Apr 1936 The keel of Prinz Eugen was laid down by Germaniawerft in Kiel, Germany.
28 Aug 1936 U-23 was launched by Germaniawerft in Kiel, Germany.
22 Aug 1938 Prinz Eugen was launched at the Germaniawerft yard in Kiel, Germany.
20 Aug 1941 The keel of SP1 (later renamed Z40) was laid down by the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel, Germany.
4 Jun 1942 The keel of U-1059 was laid down at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel, Germany.
12 Mar 1943 U-1059 was launched by the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel, Germany.
5 May 1943 The USAAF 44th Bomber Group dispatched 21 B-24 Liberator bombers from their base at Shipham, Norfolk on England's east coast to join a raid on the submarine building yards of Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel, Germany. They joined a force of 125 B-17 Flying Fortress bombers from other units, making them the only B-24 Liberator bombers participating. The group earned their first Unit Citation in what would be a memorable action. German anti-aircraft fire was terrific and German fighters engaged the aircraft on both the fight to and from the target. The group claimed 32 aircraft destroyed, five probables and many damaged. The 67th Squadron lost all three of their aircraft flying as the tail end Charlies, the 68th and 506th both had an aircraft shot down whilst the Liberator piloted by Lieutenant Reed of the 66th Squadron was so severely damaged by fighters and anti-aircraft fire that he ordered the crew to bail out whilst he headed out to sea and jumped. The control tower at the Shipham base, not wanting the runways blocked, diverted one of the homeward 506th aircraft to another base due to noticing how much damage they had suffered plus the tyres being shot flat. The aircraft made it all the way to Belfast in Ireland where the pilot made a landing without any incident. The 44th was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for its conduct on this operation; this was the first such honour granted to a combat unit of the 8th Air Force. In 1991 Lieutenant Colonel Tom Holmes, then a Captain in the 68th Squadron wrote a piece about the action including a brush with an enemy fighter: "One fighter came in so close and so straight at us I couldn't see how we could avoid running into him. Occasionally the fighter pilots would be shot and come in out of control, taking one or two bombers with them. But this fighter was coming directly at us from just slightly above and a little to our left. At the very last moment it looked as if there was no way to avoid a head-on collision and I ducked my head to get set for the collision which, miraculously, never took place."
9 Mar 1944 The order to build the prototype of Type XXVIIA midget submarines was issued to Germaniawerft of Kiel, Germany.
28 Mar 1944 The order to build 52 Type XXVIIA Hecht midget submarines was issued to Germaniawerft of Kiel, Germany.
30 Jul 1944 The order to build 1,000 Type XXVIIB5 Seehund submarines was issued was issued to Germaniawerft of Kiel, Germany.
26 Apr 1945 U-4714 was launched by Germaniawerft in Kiel, Germany; it was the last submarine launched by the shipyard.




Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Share this article with your friends:

 Facebook
 Reddit
 Twitter

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds


Posting Your Comments on this Topic

Your Name
Your Email
 Your email will not be published
Comment Type
Your Comments
 

Notes:

1. We hope that visitor conversations at WW2DB will be constructive and thought-provoking. Please refrain from using strong language. HTML tags are not allowed. Your IP address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous. WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment. All comment submissions will become the property of WW2DB.

2. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ.

Search WW2DB
Modern Day Location
WW2-Era Place Name Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Lat/Long 54.3117, 10.1348
Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft Photo Gallery
Battleship Hessen under construction in slip III of Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft, Kiel, Germany, 1903, photo 1 of 2
See all 27 photographs of Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft


Famous WW2 Quote
"Since peace is now beyond hope, we can but fight to the end."

Chiang Kaishek, 31 Jul 1937


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!