Scharnhorst

Scharnhorst-Class Battleships were built for Germany's Kriegsmarine during the years of 1935 to 1939.  They marked the beginning of German naval rearmament after the Treaty of Versailles. There were 2 ships in this class built.

Scharnhorst-Class Battleships served between the years of 1938 to 1943.

Preceded by:  L 20e α-class battleship 

Succeeded by: Bismarck-class battleship

Scharnhorst-Class Battleships KMS Scharnhorst & Gneisenau were the products of a long, involved, and politically-determined design process that witnessed this class of battleships develop from an improved Pocket Battleship to what many described as a battlecruiser. These ships were the most active, and successful, of the Kriegesmarine’s major warships, took part in numerous famous operations, including the infamous ‘Channel Dash.” and played a key part of Germany’s struggle to wrest control of the sea at the outbreak of World War II. Each was superbly equipped and armed, and designed to cause maximum disruption to Allied shipping.