Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft
Type | 208 Shipyard | |
Historical Name of Location | Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany | |
Coordinates | 54.311667000, 10.134844000 |
Contributor: Al Griffis
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 Name | Yard No | Slip/Drydock No | Ordered | Laid Down | Launched | Commissioned |
U-116 | 31 Jan 1939 | |||||
U-117 | 31 Jan 1939 | |||||
U-118 | 31 Jan 1939 | |||||
U-119 | 7 Aug 1939 | |||||
U-209 | 638 | 16 Oct 1939 | ||||
U-210 | 16 Oct 1939 | |||||
U-211 | 16 Oct 1939 | |||||
U-212 | 16 Oct 1939 | |||||
U-215 | 16 Feb 1940 | |||||
U-216 | II | 16 Feb 1940 | ||||
U-217 | 16 Feb 1940 | |||||
U-218 | IV | 16 Feb 1940 | ||||
U-226 | III | |||||
U-228 | VI | |||||
U-235 | I | |||||
U-238 | V | |||||
U-239 | IV | |||||
U-240 | IV | |||||
U-241 | II | |||||
U-249 | VIII | |||||
Z40 (Planned) | 642 | VI | 1 Feb 1941 | |||
Z41 (Planned) | 643 | V | 1 Feb 1941 | |||
Z42 (Planned) | 643 | V | 1 Feb 1941 | |||
Z57 (Planned) | ||||||
Z58 (Planned) | ||||||
Stier | III | 7 Oct 1936 | 25 Nov 1939 | |||
UA | 28 Aug 1938 | 30 Apr 1939 | ||||
Kormoran | 214 | I | 15 Sep 1938 | 9 Oct 1940 | ||
U-4714 | 956 | 7 Jul 1944 | 26 Apr 1945 | |||
Schleswig-Holstein | 2 Sep 1905 | 17 Dec 1906 | 6 Jul 1908 | |||
Saar | 19 Jun 1933 | 19 Sep 1933 | 4 May 1934 | 1 Oct 1934 | ||
F1 | 530 | 17 May 1934 | 2 Aug 1934 | 1 Mar 1935 | 15 Dec 1935 | |
F2 | 531 | 17 May 1934 | 7 Aug 1934 | 2 Apr 1935 | 27 Feb 1936 | |
F3 | 532 | 17 May 1934 | 22 Aug 1934 | 1 Jun 1935 | 7 Mar 1936 | |
F4 | 533 | 17 May 1934 | 22 Aug 1934 | 2 Jul 1935 | 5 Apr 1936 | |
F5 | 534 | 17 May 1934 | 6 Sep 1934 | 14 Aug 1935 | 1 May 1936 | |
F6 | 540 | 17 May 1934 | 6 Sep 1934 | 1 Oct 1935 | 25 May 1936 | |
U-7 | 541 | I | 8 Feb 1935 | 11 Mar 1935 | 29 Jun 1935 | 28 Jul 1935 |
Z9 Wolfgang Zenker | 535 | 4 Aug 1934 | 22 Mar 1935 | 27 Mar 1936 | 2 Jul 1938 | |
U-8 | 542 | I | 8 Feb 1935 | 25 Mar 1935 | 16 Jul 1935 | 5 Aug 1935 |
Z10 Hans Lody | 536 | 4 Aug 1934 | 1 Apr 1935 | 14 May 1936 | 17 Mar 1938 | |
U-9 | 543 | I | 8 Feb 1935 | 8 Apr 1935 | 30 Jul 1935 | 21 Aug 1935 |
U-10 | 544 | II | 8 Feb 1935 | 22 Apr 1935 | 13 Aug 1935 | 11 Sep 1935 |
Z11 Bernd Von Arnim | 537 | 10 Nov 1934 | 26 Apr 1935 | 8 Jul 1936 | 8 Jun 1938 | |
Z12 Erich Giese | 538 | 10 Nov 1934 | 3 May 1935 | 12 Mar 1937 | 4 Mar 1939 | |
U-11 | 545 | II | 8 Feb 1935 | 6 May 1935 | 27 Aug 1935 | 21 Sep 1935 |
U-12 | 546 | II | 20 Jul 1934 | 20 May 1935 | 11 Sep 1935 | 30 Sep 1935 |
U-17 | 547 | I | 2 Feb 1935 | 1 Jul 1935 | 14 Nov 1935 | 3 Dec 1935 |
U-18 | 548 | I | 2 Feb 1935 | 10 Jul 1935 | 7 Dec 1935 | 4 Jan 1936 |
U-20 | 550 | I | 2 Feb 1935 | 1 Aug 1935 | 14 Jan 1936 | 1 Feb 1936 |
Z13 Erich Koellner | 539 | 10 Nov 1934 | 12 Oct 1935 | 18 Mar 1937 | 28 Aug 1939 | |
U-33 | 556 | 25 Mar 1935 | 15 Oct 1935 | 11 Jun 1936 | 25 Jul 1936 | |
U-34 | 557 | 25 Mar 1935 | 15 Oct 1935 | 17 Jul 1936 | 12 Sep 1936 | |
U-19 | 549 | I | 2 Feb 1935 | 7 Dec 1935 | 21 Dec 1935 | 16 Jan 1936 |
U-36 | 559 | I | 25 Mar 1935 | 2 Mar 1936 | 4 Nov 1936 | 16 Dec 1936 |
U-21 | 551 | II | 2 Feb 1935 | 4 Mar 1936 | 13 Jul 1936 | 6 Aug 1936 |
U-22 | 552 | II | 2 Feb 1935 | 4 Mar 1936 | 29 Jul 1936 | 21 Aug 1936 |
U-35 | 558 | I | 25 Mar 1935 | 2 Apr 1936 | 24 Sep 1936 | 3 Nov 1936 |
U-23 | 553 | II | 2 Feb 1935 | 11 Apr 1936 | 28 Aug 1936 | 24 Sep 1936 |
U-24 | 554 | II | 2 Feb 1935 | 21 Apr 1936 | 24 Sep 1936 | 10 Oct 1936 |
Prinz Eugen | 564 | VIII | 16 Nov 1935 | 23 Apr 1936 | 22 Aug 1938 | 1 Aug 1940 |
U-45 | 580 | 21 Nov 1936 | 23 Feb 1937 | 27 Apr 1938 | 25 Jun 1938 | |
U-46 | 582 | III | 21 Nov 1936 | 24 Feb 1937 | 10 Sep 1938 | 2 Nov 1938 |
U-47 | 583 | III | 21 Nov 1936 | 25 Feb 1937 | 29 Oct 1938 | 17 Dec 1938 |
U-51 | 581 | III | 21 Nov 1937 | 26 Feb 1937 | 11 Jun 1938 | 6 Aug 1938 |
U-52 | 584 | II | 15 May 1937 | 9 Mar 1937 | 21 Dec 1938 | 4 Feb 1939 |
U-48 | 585 | II | 21 Nov 1936 | 10 Mar 1937 | 8 Mar 1939 | 22 Apr 1939 |
U-53 | 586 | II | 15 Mar 1937 | 13 Mar 1937 | 6 May 1939 | 24 Jun 1939 |
B (Planned) | 555 | VIII | 20 Apr 1938 | 21 Apr 1938 * | 1 Jul 1940 * | 1 Jul 1940 * |
U-54 | 588 | III | 16 Jul 1937 | 13 Sep 1938 | 15 Aug 1939 | 23 Sep 1939 |
U-49 | 587 | IV | 21 Nov 1936 | 15 Sep 1938 | 24 Jun 1939 | 12 Aug 1939 |
U-55 | 590 | 16 Jul 1937 | 2 Nov 1938 | 19 Oct 1939 | 21 Nov 1939 | |
U-50 | 589 | 21 Nov 1936 | 3 Nov 1938 | 1 Nov 1939 | 12 Dec 1939 | |
U-101 | 594 | II | 15 Dec 1937 | 31 Mar 1939 | 13 Jan 1940 | 11 Mar 1940 |
U-99 | 593 | I | 15 Dec 1937 | 31 Mar 1939 | 12 Mar 1940 | 18 Apr 1940 |
U-102 | 596 | 15 Dec 1937 | 22 May 1939 | 21 Mar 1940 | 27 Apr 1940 | |
U-100 | 595 | 30 May 1938 | 22 May 1939 | 10 Apr 1940 | 30 May 1940 | |
U-93 | III | 30 May 1938 | 9 Sep 1939 | 8 Jun 1940 | 30 Jul 1940 | |
U-94 | III | 30 May 1938 | 9 Sep 1939 | 12 Jun 1940 | 10 Aug 1940 | |
U-95 | 600 | IV | 30 May 1938 | 16 Sep 1939 | 18 Jul 1940 | 31 Aug 1940 |
U-96 | 601 | 30 May 1938 | 16 Sep 1939 | 1 Aug 1940 | 14 Sep 1940 | |
U-97 | 602 | 30 May 1938 | 27 Sep 1939 | 15 Aug 1940 | 28 Sep 1940 | |
U-98 | 603 | IV | 30 May 1938 | 27 Sep 1939 | 31 Aug 1940 | 12 Dec 1940 |
U-69 | 604 | VII | 30 May 1938 | 11 Nov 1939 | 19 Sep 1940 | 2 Nov 1940 |
U-70 | 605 | 30 May 1938 | 19 Dec 1939 | 12 Oct 1940 | 23 Nov 1940 | |
U-71 | 618 | III | 25 Jan 1939 | 21 Dec 1939 | 31 Oct 1940 | 14 Dec 1940 |
U-72 | 619 | III | 25 Jan 1939 | 28 Dec 1939 | 22 Nov 1940 | 4 Jan 1941 |
U-201 | 630 | 23 Sep 1939 | 20 Jan 1940 | 7 Dec 1940 | 25 Jan 1941 | |
U-202 | 631 | 23 Sep 1939 | 18 Mar 1940 | 10 Feb 1941 | 22 Mar 1941 | |
U-203 | 632 | 23 Sep 1939 | 28 Mar 1940 | 4 Jan 1941 | 18 Feb 1941 | |
Z38 | 628 | 19 Sep 1939 | 15 Apr 1940 | 15 Aug 1941 | 20 Mar 1943 | |
U-204 | 633 | 23 Sep 1939 | 22 Apr 1940 | 23 Jan 1941 | 8 Mar 1941 | |
U-206 | 635 | 16 Oct 1939 | 17 Jun 1940 | 4 Apr 1941 | 17 May 1941 | |
U-205 | 634 | 16 Oct 1939 | 19 Jun 1940 | 20 Mar 1941 | 3 May 1941 | |
U-208 | 637 | 16 Oct 1939 | 5 Aug 1940 | 21 May 1941 | 5 Jul 1941 | |
U-207 | 636 | IV | 16 Oct 1939 | 14 Aug 1940 | 24 Apr 1941 | 7 Jun 1941 |
Z39 | 629 | 26 Jun 1939 | 15 Aug 1940 | 2 Dec 1941 | 21 Aug 1943 | |
U-213 | 16 Feb 1940 | 1 Oct 1940 | 24 Jul 1941 | 30 Aug 1941 | ||
U-214 | 646 | 16 Feb 1940 | 5 Oct 1940 | 18 Sep 1941 | 1 Nov 1941 | |
Q (Planned) | 623 | VIII | 8 Aug 1939 | 1 Dec 1940 * | 1 Dec 1942 * | 1 Dec 1944 * |
Z37 | 627 | 19 Sep 1939 | 2 Jan 1941 | 24 Feb 1942 | 16 Jul 1943 | |
P (Planned) | 607 | VII | 24 May 1938 | 1 Feb 1941 * | 1 Feb 1943 * | 1 Feb 1944 * |
SP1 | VII | 1 Feb 1941 | 20 Aug 1941 | |||
SP2 (Planned) | V | 1 Feb 1941 | 31 Aug 1941 * | 1 Dec 1942 * | 1 Jun 1944 * | |
U-1059 | 693 | III | 25 Aug 1941 | 4 Jun 1942 | 12 Mar 1943 | 1 May 1943 |
SP3 (Planned) | V | 1 Feb 1941 | 1 Jan 1943 * | 1 Apr 1944 * | 1 Oct 1945 * | |
P6 (Planned) | VII | 1 May 1943 * | 1 May 1945 * | 1 Oct 1946 * | ||
P12 (Planned) | VIII | 15 May 1939 | 1 Sep 1943 * | 1 Sep 1945 * | 1 Feb 1947 * | |
SP21 (Planned) | VI | 1 Sep 1945 * | 1 Dec 1946 * | 1 Jun 1948 * | ||
SP22 (Planned) | VII | 1 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
Maps
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. |
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WW2-Era Place Name | Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany |
Lat/Long | 54.3117, 10.1348 |
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Chiang Kaishek, 31 Jul 1937
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