German cruiser Admiral Hipper

The German cruiser "Admiral Hipper" was the lead ship of the "Admiral Hipper"–class heavy cruisers which served with the Kriegsmarine of Germany during World War II.

The ship was named after Admiral Franz von Hipper, commander of the German battlecruiser squadron during the Battle of Jutland in 1916 and later commander-in-chief of the German High Seas Fleet. "Admiral Hipper" was the first of five ships of her class. Two others, "Blücher" and "Prinz Eugen", were completed and served with the Kriegsmarine in the Second World War; a fourth, "Lützow", was sold to the Soviet Union in 1939 before completion; and a fifth, "Seydlitz", was to be converted into an aircraft carrier but was never completed.

History

"Admiral Hipper" took part in the German invasion of Norway ("Operation Weserübung"). On 8 April 1940 she encountered the British destroyer HMS "Glowworm" north-west of Trondheim (Norway's third largest city, roughly half way up Norway's west coast). After exchanges of fire and despite fatal damage, "Glowworm" turned to ram "Admiral Hipper", causing damage to her before sinking.

On 9 April 1940, she passed the Norwegian coastal forts in the Trondheimsfjord, being fired at ineffectively, and entered Trondheim's harbour. Troops landed from "Admiral Hipper" occupied the city in the early hours, flying the Nazi flag on the city's old Kristiansten fortress and other municipal buildings before most of the inhabitants had even awoken.

After damage repairs, "Admiral Hipper" operated with the battlecruisers "Scharnhorst" and "Gneisenau" off Norway to disrupt British supply routes. By October, 1940, "Admiral Hipper" needed serious overhauls to her machinery and returned to Kiel. Despite this work, two attempts to break out to the Atlantic were abandoned due to machinery breakdown and fires. Repairs were made at Kiel and Hamburg, delaying active service until December.

At last, "Admiral Hipper" broke out undetected into the Atlantic and operated as a merchant raider, based at Brest, France.

The first attack, on troop convoy WS-5A, took place in December 1940. Although one of the escorting British cruisers, HMS "Berwick", was heavily damaged, the impact on the convoy was limited to damage to two merchantman. Engine problems and low fuel stores obliged "Admiral Hipper" to return to Brest. En route, she encountered and sank the freighter "Jumna". Repairs took about a month to complete.

"Admiral Hipper" sailed on her second Atlantic cruise on 1 February 1941. On 12 February, she intercepted the unescorted convoy SLS-64. Seven ships out of 19 were sunk, but the convoy scattered and poor weather aided their escape. Short of 203 mm ammunition, "Admiral Hipper" returned to Brest on 14 February 1941.

The cruiser returned to Kiel via the Denmark Strait, arriving on 28 February 1941. Repairs were carried out and modifications made to increase fuel storage and hence her cruising range.

From March 1942, "Admiral Hipper" was based in Norway for operations against Arctic convoys and in preparation against an anticipated British action against Norway. On New Year's Eve 1942, she took part in the failed German attack on convoy JW-51B; where she sunk the minesweeper Bramble and the destroyer HMS Achates. Despite its strength, the German attack was repelled and "Admiral Hipper" was damaged. She returned to Wilhelmshaven, where she was decommissioned and moved to Gotenhafen.

Due to Hitler's disillusionment with the Kriegsmarine surface fleet, "Admiral Hipper" was not ready for service until January 1945, when she was used, partly repaired, to evacuate refugees and wounded troops from the Eastern Front.

"Admiral Hipper" was scuttled in dock at Kiel Deutsche Werke yards on 2 May 1945. Raised and moved to Heikendorfer Bay in 1946, she was broken up there between 1948 and 1949.

Commanding officers

Construction Indoctrination
*KzS Hellmuth Heye: 12 April 1939–29 April 1939Active Service
*KzS Hellmuth Heye: 29 April 1939–3 September 1940
*KzS / KADM Wilhelm Meisel: 3 September 1940–10 October 1942 (Promoted KADM on 1 September 1942.)
*KzS Hans Hartmann: 10 October 1942–16 February 1943
*KzS Fritz Krauss: 16 February 1943–1 April 1943Decommissioned: 1 April 1943–1 March 1944
*KzS Hans Henigst: 1 March 1944–3 May 1945

See also

* List of Kriegsmarine ships
* List of naval ships of Germany
* List of ship commissionings in 1939
* List of ship launches in 1937
* List of shipwrecks in 1945
* List of World War II ships

External links

* [http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ships/heavycruiser/admiralhipper/index.html "Admiral Hipper" technical data] – From German naval history website [http://www.german-navy.de german-navy.de]
* [http://www.feldgrau.com/ahipper.html Timeline of the Admiral Hipper]
* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/germany/pages/cruisers/admiral_hipper.htm Maritimequest Admiral Hipper photo gallery]
* [http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/admiral_hipper.htm Admiral Hipper German Heavy Cruiser 1937-49] at Cranston Fine Arts
* [http://www.admiral-hipper-class.dk Admiral Hipper]