Kiel 1945: The Graveyard of the Kriegsmarine

In April 1945, as World War II neared its end, the Kriegsmarine’s primary Baltic base, Kiel, harbored three significant German cruisers: the heavy cruisers Admiral Scheer and Admiral Hipper, and the light cruiser Emden. These ships, in varying states of readiness, faced relentless RAF bombings, which led to their eventual destruction. The Admiral Hipper, heavily damaged during the Battle of the Barents Sea in 1942, had been decommissioned and was stationed in Pilau by early 1943. Recommissioned in March 1944 for cadet training, it remained partially inoperable. By January 1945, due to further damage and the deteriorating war situation, the Hipper was used to transport refugees to Kiel for repairs. However, RAF bombings on April 3 and 9 left the ship severely damaged, rendering it irreparable. The ship was scuttled in drydock in May, later raised, and scrapped under British supervision. The Emden, the first German cruiser built after WWI, was an older and less effective vessel by WWII. After