After World War I, the German Navy was allowed ot keep 34 of the 130 Minesweepers build during the war. Most of 450ts ships of the 1916 type were used for mine hunting, but some of them did perform as submarine tenders, training ships or escorts. Well known with their black color and coal fired steam engines, those vessels were replaced by modern ships in the mid 1930s.

Until the end of World War II, about 540 minehunters and minesweepers of four different classes were build.