Panzerschiffe Deutschland/Lützow

02 May 29: Laid down as Panzerschiffe A, initially known as ErsatzPreussen.

19 May 31: Launched

01 Apr 33: Commissioned into the Kriegsmarine as the PanzerschiffeDeutschland.

24 June-30 Aug 36: Operations in Spanish waters

01 Oct-19 Nov 36: Operations in Spanish waters

31 Jan-24 Mar 37: Operations in Spanish waters

10 May-16 June 37: Operations in Spanish waters

29 May 37: While lying off the Spanish Island of Ibiza, along withthe tanker Neptun and the torpedo boat Leopard, the Deutschland was attackedby two SB-2 Katiuskas flown by Soviet pilots, who supposedly thought theDeutschland was the Spanish flagship Canaris. The unidentified planes attacked theDeutschland with 3 bombs, two of which struck the ship, with the thirdsinking a picket boat along the Deutschland’s boom. The attack killed 22 andwounded 83. After the attack, the Deutschland sailed to Gibralter where itdisembarked the dead and wounded. While at Gibralter, 9 more sailors died,bringing the total dead to 31, while one more would die soon after, for a totalof 32 killed by the bombing.

Historic Panzerschiffe Deutschland Memorial
Historic Panzerschiffe Deutschland Memorial

31 May 37: Reprisal attack on the Republican held town of Almeriaby the Admiral Scheer, in retaliation for the attack on the Deutschland.

5 Oct 37 – 10 Feb 38: In Spanish waters

01 Aug – 15 Aug 38: In Spanish waters

20 Sept – 23 Oct 38: In Spanish waters

15 Nov 39: Reclassified as a Heavy Cruiser, and renamed Lützow.