German cruiser Nürnberg
Encyclopedia
The Nürnberg, was a German light cruiser
of the Leipzig class
named after the city of Nuremberg
. Some sources consider the Leipzig and Nürnberg to be of separate, single ship, classes. After World War II
, Nürnberg was transferred to the Soviet Union and renamed Admiral Makarov after the Russian admiral Stepan Makarov
.
While covering minelaying operations off the British North Sea
coast, the ship was torpedoed during the night of 12 December/13 December 1939 by HMS Salmon
- as was her older (and smaller) sistership Leipzig
. She was under repair until May 1940, and so missed the Norwegian Campaign
. From July 1940 through January 1945, Nürnberg served either in and off Norway or in German home waters. At the end of the war the ship was surrendered in Copenhagen
.
Assigned as a war prize to the Soviet Navy
, she was entered on the Soviet navy records on 5 November 1945 and assigned to the Baltic Fleet
. In January 1946, she and five other formerly German ships - the destroyer Erich Steinbrinck
, torpedo boats T33 and T107, dispatch vessel Blitz and the target ship Hessen
, a disarmed World War I battleship - sailed for Libau
(Liepāja), then in the Latvian SSR
. On arrival on 5 January 1946, Nürnberg was renamed Admiral Makarov (Адмирал Макаров) and classified as light cruiser. She then served as flagship of the 8th (Northern Baltic) fleet, based at Tallinn
, until 1955. When the main boilers broke down on February 21, 1957, she was re-classified a training cruiser and based at Kronstadt
and, on February 20, 1959, stricken from the navy records and scrapped.
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
of the Leipzig class
Leipzig class cruiser
The Leipzig class was a class of light cruisers of the German Kriegsmarine, consisting of two ships named after German cities, Leipzig and Nürnberg.-History:...
named after the city of Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
. Some sources consider the Leipzig and Nürnberg to be of separate, single ship, classes. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Nürnberg was transferred to the Soviet Union and renamed Admiral Makarov after the Russian admiral Stepan Makarov
Stepan Makarov
Stepan Osipovich Makarov was a Ukrainian - born Russian vice-admiral, a highly accomplished and decorated commander of the Imperial Russian Navy, an oceanographer, awarded by the Russian Academy of Sciences, and author of several books. Makarov also designed a small number of ships...
.
While covering minelaying operations off the British North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
coast, the ship was torpedoed during the night of 12 December/13 December 1939 by HMS Salmon
HMS Salmon (N65)
HMS Salmon was a Royal Navy S-class submarine which was launched on April 30, 1934, and fought in the Second World War. Salmon is one of 12 boats named in the song "Twelve Little S-Boats"....
- as was her older (and smaller) sistership Leipzig
German cruiser Leipzig
The German light cruiser Leipzig was the lead ship of her class . She was the fourth German warship to carry the name of the city of Leipzig.-History:...
. She was under repair until May 1940, and so missed the Norwegian Campaign
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
. From July 1940 through January 1945, Nürnberg served either in and off Norway or in German home waters. At the end of the war the ship was surrendered in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
Assigned as a war prize to the Soviet Navy
Soviet Navy
The Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...
, she was entered on the Soviet navy records on 5 November 1945 and assigned to the Baltic Fleet
Baltic Fleet
The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
. In January 1946, she and five other formerly German ships - the destroyer Erich Steinbrinck
German World War II destroyers
At the outbreak of the Second World War, the German Navy, the Kriegsmarine, had 21 destroyers . These had all been built in the 1930s, making them modern vessels...
, torpedo boats T33 and T107, dispatch vessel Blitz and the target ship Hessen
SMS Hessen
SMS Hessen"SMS" stands for "Seiner Majestät Schiff" was the third of five pre-dreadnought battleships of the Braunschweig class. She was laid down in 1902, launched the following year, and commissioned into the German Imperial Navy in 1905. She was named after the state of Hesse. Her sister ships...
, a disarmed World War I battleship - sailed for Libau
Liepaja
Liepāja ; ), is a republican city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea directly at 21°E. It is the largest city in the Kurzeme Region of Latvia, the third largest city in Latvia after Riga and Daugavpils and an important ice-free port...
(Liepāja), then in the Latvian SSR
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. On arrival on 5 January 1946, Nürnberg was renamed Admiral Makarov (Адмирал Макаров) and classified as light cruiser. She then served as flagship of the 8th (Northern Baltic) fleet, based at Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, until 1955. When the main boilers broke down on February 21, 1957, she was re-classified a training cruiser and based at Kronstadt
Kronstadt
Kronstadt , also spelled Kronshtadt, Cronstadt |crown]]" and Stadt for "city"); is a municipal town in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal city of St. Petersburg, Russia, located on Kotlin Island, west of Saint Petersburg proper near the head of the Gulf of Finland. Population: It is also...
and, on February 20, 1959, stricken from the navy records and scrapped.