Deutschland

Launched in 1931, Deutschland was the lead ship of the Deutschland-class heavy cruisers that served the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War. Due to their armament of six 23cm guns, the Deutschland class were often nicknamed `pocket battleships'. Deutschland was renamed to Lützow in 1940 after the Admiral Hipper-class cruiser of the same name was handed to the Soviet Union. Deutschland first saw action in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War when she was conducting non-intervention patrols off the coast of Spain. Deutschland was involved with evacuating refugees and protecting German supply ...