SMS Kaiser Barbarossa
Encyclopedia
SMS Kaiser Barbarossa (His Majesty's Ship Barbarossa
) was a German
pre-dreadnought battleship of the . The ship was built for the Imperial Navy
, which had begun a program of expansion at the direction of Kaiser Wilhelm II. She was constructed at Schichau
, in Danzig. Kaiser Barbarossa was laid down in August 1898, launched on 24 April 1900, and completed in June 1901, at the cost of 20,301,000 Marks
. The ship was armed with a main battery of four 24 centimetres (9.4 in) guns in two twin gun turret
s.
Kaiser Barbarossa served with the German navy from 1901 to 1907. In 1907, the ship was drydocked for an extensive modernization, which lasted until 1910. By this time, the new dreadnought battleships began to enter service, rendering Kaiser Barbarossa obsolete. As a result, the ship was withdrawn from active service and placed in reserve. Following the outbreak of World War I
in August 1914, Kaiser Barbarossa and her sisters were mobilized as coastal defense ships in the V Battle Squadron and assigned to the Baltic Sea
. The ships were withdrawn in February 1915 and relegated to secondary duties; Kaiser Barbarossa spent the remainder of the war as a prison ship in Wilhelmshaven
. Following the end of the war in 1918, Kaiser Barbarossa was decommissioned and sold for scrap metal. The ship was broken up in 1919–1920.
Kaiser Barbarossas keel was laid in 1898, at the Schichau-Werke
in Danzig, under construction number 640. She was ordered under the contract name "A" as an addition to the fleet. Kaiser Barbarossa was launched on 21 April 1900 and commissioned on 10 June 1901. The final cost of the vessel was 20,301,000 marks
. Trials were conducted upon her commissioning with the fleet. Two tests were recorded during the process: a 50-hour endurance test and a 6-hour speed test. The former produced a sustained speed of 15.5 kn (8.4 m/s), while the latter saw a maximum speed of 18 kn (9.8 m/s).
The ship was 125.3 m (411.1 ft) long overall and had a beam
of 20.4 m (66.9 ft) and a draft
of 7.89 m (25.9 ft) forward and 8.25 m (27.1 ft) aft. The ship was powered by three 3-cylinder vertical triple expansion engines that drove three screws. Steam was provided by four Marine-type and eight cylindrical boilers. Kaiser Barbarossas powerplant was rated at 13000 ihp, which generated a top speed of 18 knots (35.3 km/h).
Kaiser Barbarossas armament consisted of a main battery of four 24 cm (9.4 in) SK L/40 guns in twin gun turret
s,In Imperial German Navy gun nomenclature, "SK" (Schnellfeuerkanone) denotes that the gun quick firing, while the L/40 denotes the length of the gun. In this case, the L/40 gun is 40 calibers, meaning that the gun is 40 as times long as it is in diameter. one fore and one aft of the central superstructure
. Her secondary armament consisted of eighteen 15 cm (5.9 inch) SK L/40 guns and twelve 8.8 cm (3.45 in) SK L/30 quick-firing guns. The armament suite was rounded out with six 45 cm torpedo tubes, all in above-water swivel mounts.
In 1903, the fleet, which was composed of only one squadron of battleships, was reorganized as the "Active Battle Fleet." Kaiser Wilhelm der Große remained in the I Squadron along with her sisterships and the newest s, while the older ships were placed in reserve in order to be rebuilt. In October 1905, the Heimatflotte was again reorganized, but Kaiser Barbarossa was not assigned to any unit of the fleet. The Heimatflotte in 1905 consisted of two divisions of three battleships each in the I and II Squadrons. This was supported by a cruiser division, composed of two armored cruiser
s and six protected cruiser
s. In 1907, the newest s were coming into service; along with the s, these provided enough modern battleships to create two full battle squadrons. As a result, the Heimatflotte was renamed the Hochseeflotte
(High Seas Fleet).
Starting in 1907, Kaiser Barbarossa was dry-docked at the Imperial Dockyard
in Kiel for an extensive modernization, which lasted until 1910. Four of her 15 cm guns were removed, though two 8.8 cm guns were added. All twelve machine guns were removed, as was the ship's stern-mounted torpedo tube. Kaiser Barbarossas superstructure was also cut down to reduce the ship's tendency to roll excessively. The ship's funnels were also lengthened. During the reconstruction, the ship was assigned to the II Division of the I Squadron of the High Seas Fleet, along with three of her sister-ships, which were also undergoing reconstruction. After Kaiser Barbarossa emerged from the reconstruction, the ship was moved to the III Squadron, along with her sister-ships. However, in 1910, the new dreadnought battleships were beginning to come into service with the fleet. Thoroughly obsolete compared to the new "all-big-gun" battleships, Kaiser Wilhelm der Große was then decommissioned and placed into reserve.
, signed on 28 June 1919, Germany was permitted to retain only six battleships of the " or Lothringen
types." On 6 December 1919, the ship was struck from the naval list and sold to ship-breakers. Kaiser Barbarossa was broken up for scrap metal in Rüstringen
in 1919–20.
Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
) was a German
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...
pre-dreadnought battleship of the . The ship was built for the 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...
, which had begun a program of expansion at the direction of Kaiser Wilhelm II. She was constructed at Schichau
Schichau-Werke
The Schichau-Werke was a German engineering works and shipyard based in Elbing, formerly part of the German Empire, and which is today the town of Elbląg in northern Poland. It also had a subsidiary shipyard in Danzig .-Early years:...
, in Danzig. Kaiser Barbarossa was laid down in August 1898, launched on 24 April 1900, and completed in June 1901, at the cost of 20,301,000 Marks
German gold mark
The Goldmark was the currency used in the German Empire from 1873 to 1914.-History:Before unification, the different German states issued a variety of different currencies, though most were linked to the Vereinsthaler, a silver coin containing 16⅔ grams of pure silver...
. The ship was armed with a main battery of four 24 centimetres (9.4 in) guns in two twin gun turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
s.
Kaiser Barbarossa served with the German navy from 1901 to 1907. In 1907, the ship was drydocked for an extensive modernization, which lasted until 1910. By this time, the new dreadnought battleships began to enter service, rendering Kaiser Barbarossa obsolete. As a result, the ship was withdrawn from active service and placed in reserve. Following the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in August 1914, Kaiser Barbarossa and her sisters were mobilized as coastal defense ships in the V Battle Squadron and assigned to 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...
. The ships were withdrawn in February 1915 and relegated to secondary duties; Kaiser Barbarossa spent the remainder of the war as a prison ship in Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
. Following the end of the war in 1918, Kaiser Barbarossa was decommissioned and sold for scrap metal. The ship was broken up in 1919–1920.
Construction
Kaiser Wilhelm II, the emperor of Germany, believed that a strong navy was necessary for the country to expand its influence outside of continental Europe. As a result, he initiated a program of naval expansion in the late 1880s; the first battleships built under this program were the four ships. These were immediately followed by the five s, of which Kaiser Barbarossa was a member.Kaiser Barbarossas keel was laid in 1898, at the Schichau-Werke
Schichau-Werke
The Schichau-Werke was a German engineering works and shipyard based in Elbing, formerly part of the German Empire, and which is today the town of Elbląg in northern Poland. It also had a subsidiary shipyard in Danzig .-Early years:...
in Danzig, under construction number 640. She was ordered under the contract name "A" as an addition to the fleet. Kaiser Barbarossa was launched on 21 April 1900 and commissioned on 10 June 1901. The final cost of the vessel was 20,301,000 marks
German gold mark
The Goldmark was the currency used in the German Empire from 1873 to 1914.-History:Before unification, the different German states issued a variety of different currencies, though most were linked to the Vereinsthaler, a silver coin containing 16⅔ grams of pure silver...
. Trials were conducted upon her commissioning with the fleet. Two tests were recorded during the process: a 50-hour endurance test and a 6-hour speed test. The former produced a sustained speed of 15.5 kn (8.4 m/s), while the latter saw a maximum speed of 18 kn (9.8 m/s).
The ship was 125.3 m (411.1 ft) long overall and had a beam
Beam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
of 20.4 m (66.9 ft) and a draft
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
of 7.89 m (25.9 ft) forward and 8.25 m (27.1 ft) aft. The ship was powered by three 3-cylinder vertical triple expansion engines that drove three screws. Steam was provided by four Marine-type and eight cylindrical boilers. Kaiser Barbarossas powerplant was rated at 13000 ihp, which generated a top speed of 18 knots (35.3 km/h).
Kaiser Barbarossas armament consisted of a main battery of four 24 cm (9.4 in) SK L/40 guns in twin gun turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
s,In Imperial German Navy gun nomenclature, "SK" (Schnellfeuerkanone) denotes that the gun quick firing, while the L/40 denotes the length of the gun. In this case, the L/40 gun is 40 calibers, meaning that the gun is 40 as times long as it is in diameter. one fore and one aft of the central superstructure
Superstructure
A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships...
. Her secondary armament consisted of eighteen 15 cm (5.9 inch) SK L/40 guns and twelve 8.8 cm (3.45 in) SK L/30 quick-firing guns. The armament suite was rounded out with six 45 cm torpedo tubes, all in above-water swivel mounts.
Service history
Kaiser Barbarossa was commissioned into the Imperial Navy in June 1901, just in time for the annual summer maneuvers. Starting in late August 1901, following the return of the four Brandenburg class battleships from China, Kaiser Barbarossa conducted extensive training exercises with the rest of the fleet. The following year, another round of maneuvers were conducted; by this time, Kaiser Barbarossa had been joined by all four of her sisters. During the exercise, which lasted from 17 August to 18 September, Kaiser Barbarossa and the rest of I Squadron were assigned to play both the role of the German fleet and hostile forces.Armored cruiser
The armored cruiser was a type of warship of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Like other types of cruiser, the armored cruiser was a long-range, independent warship, capable of defeating any ship apart from a battleship, and fast enough to outrun any battleships it encountered.The first...
s and six protected cruiser
Protected cruiser
The protected cruiser is a type of naval cruiser of the late 19th century, so known because its armoured deck offered protection for vital machine spaces from shrapnel caused by exploding shells above...
s. In 1907, the newest s were coming into service; along with the s, these provided enough modern battleships to create two full battle squadrons. As a result, the Heimatflotte was renamed the Hochseeflotte
High Seas Fleet
The High Seas Fleet was the battle fleet of the German Empire and saw action during World War I. The formation was created in February 1907, when the Home Fleet was renamed as the High Seas Fleet. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz was the architect of the fleet; he envisioned a force powerful enough to...
(High Seas Fleet).
Starting in 1907, Kaiser Barbarossa was dry-docked at 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 for an extensive modernization, which lasted until 1910. Four of her 15 cm guns were removed, though two 8.8 cm guns were added. All twelve machine guns were removed, as was the ship's stern-mounted torpedo tube. Kaiser Barbarossas superstructure was also cut down to reduce the ship's tendency to roll excessively. The ship's funnels were also lengthened. During the reconstruction, the ship was assigned to the II Division of the I Squadron of the High Seas Fleet, along with three of her sister-ships, which were also undergoing reconstruction. After Kaiser Barbarossa emerged from the reconstruction, the ship was moved to the III Squadron, along with her sister-ships. However, in 1910, the new dreadnought battleships were beginning to come into service with the fleet. Thoroughly obsolete compared to the new "all-big-gun" battleships, Kaiser Wilhelm der Große was then decommissioned and placed into reserve.
World War I
At the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, Kaiser Barbarossa and her sisters were brought back to active service and mobilized as the V Battle Squadron of the High Seas Fleet. They were assigned to coastal defense in the Baltic, though they served in this capacity for less than six months. In February 1915, the squadron was disbanded and Kaiser Barbarossa and her sisters were placed in reserve. In 1916, Kaiser Barbarossa was employed as a floating prison in Wilhelmshaven. According to Article 181 of the Treaty of VersaillesTreaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
, signed on 28 June 1919, Germany was permitted to retain only six battleships of the " or Lothringen
Braunschweig class battleship
The Braunschweig class battleships were pre-dreadnought battleships of the Kaiserliche Marine . The class comprised five ships: , , , , and...
types." On 6 December 1919, the ship was struck from the naval list and sold to ship-breakers. Kaiser Barbarossa was broken up for scrap metal in Rüstringen
Rüstringen
Rüstringen or Rustringen was an old Frisian gau which lay between the modern district Friesland and the Weser river in modern Lower Saxony. Nowadays, only a small part of the original territory remains, namely the Butjadingen peninsula...
in 1919–20.