A Watery Baltic Grave For the German Navy

In early 1945, the Kriegsmarine's surface fleet was in disarray, with many ships sunk or in various states of disrepair. Among those left were the light cruiser Leipzig and the incomplete aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin. This video explores their fates as World War II came to an end.

The Graf Zeppelin was Germany's only attempt at building an aircraft carrier, with construction starting in 1936. The ship was included in Germany's ambitious naval expansion plans, but despite its promise, the project suffered from delays. By 1939, Graf Zeppelin was 85% complete, but when Germany invaded Poland, resources were diverted, halting work on the carrier. In 1940, her guns were stripped and sent to Norway for coastal defense, leaving the ship incomplete and vulnerable. As the war progressed, Hitler ordered the ship’s completion in 1942, hoping to use carrier-based aviation to interdict British convoys supplying the Soviet Union. However, the project faced further challenges, including design issues, and was ultimately abandoned again in 1943.

In the final days of the war, Graf Zeppelin was scuttled by the Germans to prevent capture. The Soviet Union later refloated the ship, only to sink it during weapons testing in 1947. The story of Graf Zeppelin reflects the mismanagement and missed opportunities within the Kriegsmarine during World War II.

We also delve into the history of the light cruiser Leipzig, which, like many other German ships, was sidelined in 1943. Despite its worn condition, Leipzig continued serving as a training vessel and assisted in the defense of cities like Gotenhafen (modern-day Gdynia). However, disaster struck in October 1944 when the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen accidentally rammed Leipzig during night operations. Due to a series of miscommunications, Leipzig, running on only one of its three propellers, was hit by the much larger Prinz Eugen. The collision caused massive damage to both ships, but miraculously, neither sank at the time.

Leipzig’s fate mirrored the general decline of the Kriegsmarine's surface fleet as the war dragged on. By 1946, with the war over and Germany in ruins, Leipzig was considered beyond repair and was eventually scuttled in the Skagerrak.

This video sheds light on the chaotic final years of the Kriegsmarine, where ambitious projects like the Graf Zeppelin fell victim to poor planning and resource shortages. Meanwhile, ships like Leipzig endured through battle and damage, only to meet inglorious ends after the war. Both vessels, along with others in the Kriegsmarine, represent Germany’s broader struggle to project naval power during World War II, particularly in the face of overwhelming Allied dominance at sea.

Tune in to learn more about the fates of these two ships and the wider story of the Kriegsmarine’s surface fleet in the closing stages of World War II.

Intro 0:00
Graf Zeppelin 0:50
Leipzig 10:18
Conclusion 18:17

Sources/Other Reading:

https://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Battles...

https://www.amazon.com/Big-Guns-Atlan...

https://hmsjervisbay.com/Story.Illust...

https://www.amazon.com/Northern-Theat...

https://hmsjervisbay.com/Story.HX84.php

https://www.amazon.com/German-Light-C...

https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Cruisers...

https://www.amazon.com/Scharnhorst-Gn...

https://www.amazon.com/German-Light-C...

https://www.amazon.com/Spoils-War-Ene...

Video Information:
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