SMS Baden (1880)
Encyclopedia
SMS Baden was one of four armored frigates of the German
Imperial Navy
. Her sisterships were , , and . Baden was built in the Imperial Dockyard
in Kiel
from 1876 to 1883. The ship was commissioned into the Imperial Navy in September 1883. She was armed with a main battery of six 26 cm (10.2 in) guns in two open barbette
s.
After her commissioning, Baden served with the fleet on numerous training exercises and cruises in the 1880s and 1890s, during which she frequently simulated hostile naval forces. She participated in several cruises escorting Kaiser Wilhelm II on state visits to Great Britain and to various countries in the Baltic Sea
in the late 1880s and early 1890s. During 1896–1897, the ship was extensively rebuilt at the Germaniawerft dockyard in Kiel
. She was removed from active duty in 1910 and thereafter served in a number of secondary roles, finally serving as a target hulk
in the 1920s and 1930s. She was sold in April 1938 and broken up in 1939–1940 in Kiel.
Baden was ordered by the Imperial Navy under the contract name "C," which denoted that the vessel was a new addition to the fleet. She was built at the Imperial Dockyard
in Kiel
; her keel was laid in 1876 under construction number 4. The ship was launched on 28 July 1880 and commissioned into the German fleet on 24 September 1883. Along with her three sisters, Baden was the first large, armored warship built for the German navy that relied entirely on engines for propulsion.
The ship was 98.2 metres (322.2 ft) long overall and had a beam of 18.4 m (60.4 ft) and a draft of 6.32 m (20.7 ft) forward. Baden was powered by two 3-cylinder triple expansion engines, which were supplied with steam by eight coal-fired Dürr boilers. The ship's top speed was 13 knots (7.1 m/s), at 5600 ihp Her standard complement consisted of 32 officers and 285 enlisted men, though while serving as a squadron flagship this was augmented by another 7 officers and 34 men.
She was armed with six 26 cm (10.2 in) guns, two of which were single-mounted in an open barbette
forward of the conning tower
and the remaining four mounted amidships, also on single mounts in an open barbette. As built, the ship was also equipped with six 8.7 cm (3.4 in) L/24 guns and eight 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Hotchkiss revolver cannons
. Badens armor was made of wrought iron
, and was concentrated in an armored citadel amidships. The armor ranged from 203 to 254 mm (8 to 10 in) on the armored citadel, and between 50–75 mm (2–3 in) on the deck. The barbette armor was 254 mm of wrought iron backed by 250 mm of teak
.
for Rear Admiral Alexander von Monts
during the 1884 fleet maneuvers; she was assigned to the I Division alongside her three sisters. The ship was placed in reserve in 1885, but returned to active duty the following year for training exercises with the fleet. In June 1887, Germany dedicated the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal; Baden was among the ships present during the celebrations.
In 1888, Baden returned to active duty to take part in a naval tour of the Baltic by the newly crowned Kaiser Wilhelm II. Rear Admiral Eduard Knorr, the commander of the fleet, raised his flag
aboard Baden during the voyage. The fleet stopped in St. Petersburg, Stockholm
, and Copenhagen
on the seventeen-day cruise. Baden ran aground in the harbors of both Stockholm and Copenhagen, but was not seriously damaged in either incident. Baden also participated in the visit to Great Britain in August 1889, where Wilhelm II took part in the Cowes Regatta. Baden and the rest of the fleet joined the Royal Navy
in a fleet review for Queen Victoria.
During the fleet maneuvers of 1890, Baden and the rest of the capital ships of the I and II Divisions simulated a Russian attack on Kiel
. The exercises were held in conjunction with IX Corps of the German Army, several divisions of which acted as a simulated amphibious invasion. Baden remained in the I Division in 1891, when she was joined by the new coastal defense ship . During the 1891 maneuvers, the I Division generally "fought" on the German side, against either Franco-Russian or Danish-Russian alliances. Baden was present for all of the fleet exercises in 1892 and 1893. The maneuvers of the early 1890s were generally disappointments, as the "hostile" forces were judged to be the victors in the majority of the scenarios.
By the winter of 1894–1895, the last of the four s had been commissioned; these ships were assigned to the I Division, which displaced Baden and her three sisters to the II Division. The eight ships conducted training cruises over the winter and spring before conducting the annual autumn fleet exercises. On 21 June 1895, the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal was opened for traffic, eight years after work had begun. Baden and her three sisters, along with dozens of other warships, attended the ceremonies. The major naval powers sent fleets to join the fleet review. The Autumn 1895 maneuvers simulated a high-seas battle between the I and II Divisions in the North Sea, followed by combined maneuvers with the rest of the fleet in the Baltic.
In 1896, Baden went into drydock in the Germaniawerft dockyard in Kiel for an extensive modernization. The ship's old wrought iron and teak armor was replaced with new Krupp
nickel-steel armor. The four funnels were trunked into a single large funnel and new engines were also installed, which increased the ship's speed to 14.9 kn (8.1 m/s). The ship's 8.7 cm guns were replaced with quick-firing 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 guns and four 3.7 cm (1.5 in) autocannons. Work was completed in 1897. Baden remained with the fleet until 1910, at which point she was removed from active duty. She then served as a blockade and defense hulk
after 1912. In 1920, she was converted into a target hulk and stationed off Stollergrund. The ship was finally sold on 23 April 1938 and broken up for scrap in 1939–1940 in Kiel.
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
Imperial Navy
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
. Her sisterships were , , and . Baden was built in the Imperial Dockyard
Kaiserliche Werft Kiel
Kaiserliche Werft Kiel was a German shipbuilding company founded in 1867, first as Königliche Werft Kiel but renamed in 1871 with the proclamation of the German Empire...
in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
from 1876 to 1883. The ship was commissioned into the Imperial Navy in September 1883. She was armed with a main battery of six 26 cm (10.2 in) guns in two open barbette
Barbette
A barbette is a protective circular armour feature around a cannon or heavy artillery gun. The name comes from the French phrase en barbette referring to the practice of firing a field gun over a parapet rather than through an opening . The former gives better angles of fire but less protection...
s.
After her commissioning, Baden served with the fleet on numerous training exercises and cruises in the 1880s and 1890s, during which she frequently simulated hostile naval forces. She participated in several cruises escorting Kaiser Wilhelm II on state visits to Great Britain and to various countries in the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
in the late 1880s and early 1890s. During 1896–1897, the ship was extensively rebuilt at the Germaniawerft dockyard in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
. She was removed from active duty in 1910 and thereafter served in a number of secondary roles, finally serving as a target hulk
Hulk (ship)
A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. Although sometimes used to describe a ship that has been launched but not completed, the term most often refers to an old ship that has had its rigging or internal equipment removed, retaining only its flotational qualities...
in the 1920s and 1930s. She was sold in April 1938 and broken up in 1939–1940 in Kiel.
Construction
Kaiserliche Werft Kiel
Kaiserliche Werft Kiel was a German shipbuilding company founded in 1867, first as Königliche Werft Kiel but renamed in 1871 with the proclamation of the German Empire...
in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
; her keel was laid in 1876 under construction number 4. The ship was launched on 28 July 1880 and commissioned into the German fleet on 24 September 1883. Along with her three sisters, Baden was the first large, armored warship built for the German navy that relied entirely on engines for propulsion.
The ship was 98.2 metres (322.2 ft) long overall and had a beam of 18.4 m (60.4 ft) and a draft of 6.32 m (20.7 ft) forward. Baden was powered by two 3-cylinder triple expansion engines, which were supplied with steam by eight coal-fired Dürr boilers. The ship's top speed was 13 knots (7.1 m/s), at 5600 ihp Her standard complement consisted of 32 officers and 285 enlisted men, though while serving as a squadron flagship this was augmented by another 7 officers and 34 men.
She was armed with six 26 cm (10.2 in) guns, two of which were single-mounted in an open barbette
Barbette
A barbette is a protective circular armour feature around a cannon or heavy artillery gun. The name comes from the French phrase en barbette referring to the practice of firing a field gun over a parapet rather than through an opening . The former gives better angles of fire but less protection...
forward of the conning tower
Conning tower
A conning tower is a raised platform on a ship or submarine, often armored, from which an officer can con the vessel; i.e., give directions to the helmsman. It is usually located as high on the ship as practical, to give the conning team good visibility....
and the remaining four mounted amidships, also on single mounts in an open barbette. As built, the ship was also equipped with six 8.7 cm (3.4 in) L/24 guns and eight 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Hotchkiss revolver cannons
Hotchkiss gun
The Hotchkiss gun can refer to different products of the Hotchkiss arms company starting in the late 19th century. It usually refers to the 1.65-inch light mountain gun; there was also a 3-inch Hotchkiss gun...
. Badens armor was made of wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
, and was concentrated in an armored citadel amidships. The armor ranged from 203 to 254 mm (8 to 10 in) on the armored citadel, and between 50–75 mm (2–3 in) on the deck. The barbette armor was 254 mm of wrought iron backed by 250 mm of teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
.
Service history
Commissioned in September 1883, Baden joined the fleet too late to participate in the fleet maneuvers that year. Baden served as the flagshipFlagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
for Rear Admiral Alexander von Monts
Alexander von Monts
Alexander Graf von Monts was an officer in the German Imperial navy, the Kaiserliche Marine....
during the 1884 fleet maneuvers; she was assigned to the I Division alongside her three sisters. The ship was placed in reserve in 1885, but returned to active duty the following year for training exercises with the fleet. In June 1887, Germany dedicated the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal; Baden was among the ships present during the celebrations.
In 1888, Baden returned to active duty to take part in a naval tour of the Baltic by the newly crowned Kaiser Wilhelm II. Rear Admiral Eduard Knorr, the commander of the fleet, raised his flag
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
aboard Baden during the voyage. The fleet stopped in St. Petersburg, Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, and 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...
on the seventeen-day cruise. Baden ran aground in the harbors of both Stockholm and Copenhagen, but was not seriously damaged in either incident. Baden also participated in the visit to Great Britain in August 1889, where Wilhelm II took part in the Cowes Regatta. Baden and the rest of the fleet joined the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in a fleet review for Queen Victoria.
During the fleet maneuvers of 1890, Baden and the rest of the capital ships of the I and II Divisions simulated a Russian attack on Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
. The exercises were held in conjunction with IX Corps of the German Army, several divisions of which acted as a simulated amphibious invasion. Baden remained in the I Division in 1891, when she was joined by the new coastal defense ship . During the 1891 maneuvers, the I Division generally "fought" on the German side, against either Franco-Russian or Danish-Russian alliances. Baden was present for all of the fleet exercises in 1892 and 1893. The maneuvers of the early 1890s were generally disappointments, as the "hostile" forces were judged to be the victors in the majority of the scenarios.
By the winter of 1894–1895, the last of the four s had been commissioned; these ships were assigned to the I Division, which displaced Baden and her three sisters to the II Division. The eight ships conducted training cruises over the winter and spring before conducting the annual autumn fleet exercises. On 21 June 1895, the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal was opened for traffic, eight years after work had begun. Baden and her three sisters, along with dozens of other warships, attended the ceremonies. The major naval powers sent fleets to join the fleet review. The Autumn 1895 maneuvers simulated a high-seas battle between the I and II Divisions in the North Sea, followed by combined maneuvers with the rest of the fleet in the Baltic.
In 1896, Baden went into drydock in the Germaniawerft dockyard in Kiel for an extensive modernization. The ship's old wrought iron and teak armor was replaced with new Krupp
Krupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
nickel-steel armor. The four funnels were trunked into a single large funnel and new engines were also installed, which increased the ship's speed to 14.9 kn (8.1 m/s). The ship's 8.7 cm guns were replaced with quick-firing 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 guns and four 3.7 cm (1.5 in) autocannons. Work was completed in 1897. Baden remained with the fleet until 1910, at which point she was removed from active duty. She then served as a blockade and defense hulk
Hulk (ship)
A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. Although sometimes used to describe a ship that has been launched but not completed, the term most often refers to an old ship that has had its rigging or internal equipment removed, retaining only its flotational qualities...
after 1912. In 1920, she was converted into a target hulk and stationed off Stollergrund. The ship was finally sold on 23 April 1938 and broken up for scrap in 1939–1940 in Kiel.