Leipzig

177,1 mOverall length

8382 tMaximum displacement

32,0 knMaximum speed

524-850Complement

Design and service

The story of Leipzig

The Leipzig class was the last class of CLs built in Germany. Basically an improved K-Class the Leipzig (Kreuzer E) had a more powerful and easier to maintain engine system, but still had the same structural weaknesses as its predecessor. In difference to the K-Class, the gun turrets were all mounted on the center-line again.

After the construction of the Leipzig between 1928 and 1931, it took several years to plan a new class of CLs which were comparable to the newest foreign designs. In the end no decision was made about a new CL design, and therefore a second ship of the Leipzig class was built.

Operational history

Service timeline

08.10.1931

Commissioned, followed by tests and trials in the North and Baltic Sea.

Spring - Summer 1932

Artillery and engine tests in the Baltic Sea.

Autumn 1932

Fleet operations, used for training in the torpedo trial commando.

21.02 - March 1933

Battle training in the North Atlantic.

1934

Fleet operation, visits to Portsmouth. Training in the North Atlantic, Irish Sea, Hebrides and North Sea.

1935

Fleet operations.

Until February 1936

Together with CL Köln tests and trials of the new radar equipment.

15.04 - 08.05.1936

Together with CL Köln and Nürnberg battle and radar training in the North Atlantic.

20.08 - 10.10.1936

First Spain operation.

Oct 1936 - Jan 1937

Repairs and refits.

09.03 - 19.05.1937

Second Spain operation.

01.06 - 29.06.1937

Third Spain operation, followed by fleet operations in coastal waters.

1938

Several combined training operations with other Kriegsmarine ships: Battle and refueling with destroyer Georg Thiele, Navigation with CL Karlsruhe, towing with CL Nürnberg.

17.12.1938-15.03.1939

Repairs and refits.

24.08 - 02.09.1939

Patrols in the Baltic Sea.

07.11.1939

Collision with training ship Bremse.

12-13.12.1939

A squadron of the B.d.A (=Befehlshaber der Aufklärungskräfte, Reconnaissance Forces) consisting of the CLs Nürnberg, Leipzig and Köln covers a mining mission of 5 DDs. After joined by the DDs, the British submarine Salomon torpedoes both, Nürnberg and Leipzig. The damaged CLs escaped while the DDs hunted the submarine for 5 hours.

15.12.1939

On its return to the German coast, the British submarine Ursula attacks the damaged Leipzig, but the torpedoes hit and sink the escort ship F9.

Dec 1939 - Nov 1940

Repairs in dock. The ship never got fully operational again and was only used for training purposes. The destroyed boiler rooms are converted into cadet quarters.

February 1940

Withdrawn from service.

01.12.1940

Recommissioned.

September 1941

Part of the Baltic Fleet at Ösel and Dagö.

27.09.1941

Together with the CL Emden, the Leipzig sinks the Soviet MTB 83 in the Lyu Beight off Sworbe.

Nov 1941 - Sep 1943

Part of the Training Section of the fleet.

01.08.1943-05.09.1943

Returned to service with reduced crew.

15.10.1944

During the evening, the Leipzig left Gotenhafen (Gdynia) during poor visible condition for taking a load of mines in Swinemünde. Outside of Hela the cruiser stopped to change engines, from diesel (central shaft) to turbines (two outer shafts). Since the power plants were quite complicated this maneuver took about 15 minutes. At 8:04 pm the cruiser was rammed by the CA Prinz Eugen, returning to Gotenhafen (Gdynia) at 20 knots. The ships were jammed for 14 hours until it was possible to separate them. The heavy damaged Leipzig was in danger to break up and was towed back to Gotenhafen (Gdynia) for temporary repairs.

March 1945

The Leipzig fires her guns in the land battle for Gotenhafen (Gdynia).

25-29.03.1945

Moved to Apenrade.

16.12.1946

After the war the ship was taken to Wilhelmshaven, loaded with gas shells and sunk in the North Sea.

At a glance