German cruiser Leipzig

The German light cruiser "Leipzig" was the lead ship of her class ("Nürnberg" was her improved sister ship). She was the fourth German warship to carry the name of the city of Leipzig.

She was built at Wilhelmshaven and launched on 18 October 1929. During the Spanish Civil War "Leipzig" conducted several patrols as part of the international naval blockade.

On 13 December 1939 she was torpedoed by the Royal Navy submarine "Salmon" and severely damaged. Two destroyed boiler rooms were restored as living quarters only and "Leipzig" was converted into a training ship. She was recommissioned on 1 December 1940. When Germany attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941 (Operation "Barbarossa"), the cruiser took part in the shelling of the islands Ösel and Dagö in the Baltic Sea, before returning to her duties as a training vessel. She remained in the Baltic Sea and on 15 October 1944 was accidentally rammed amidships by the heavy cruiser "Prinz Eugen" in heavy fog. Heavily damaged and effectively immobilised, she continued to serve as a training, barracks and flak ship. In March 1945 she shelled advancing Soviet army units near Gdynia, but was then moved to Apenrade at the end of March.

At the end of World War II "Leipzig" was surrendered to British forces, moved to Wilhelmshaven, and scuttled in the North Sea with a cargo of gas munitions on 16 December 1946.

Commanding Officers

* KzS Hans-Herbert Stobwasser - 8 October 1931 - 24 September 1933
* FK / KzS Otto Hormel - 24 September 1933 - 29 September 1935 (Promoted KzS on 1 April 1934.)
* FK / KzS Otto Schenk - 29 September 1935 - 1 October 1937 (Promoted KzS on 1 January 1936.)
* KzS Werner Lowisch - 1 October 1937 - 3 April 1939
* KzS Heinz Nordman - 3 April 1939 - 27 February 1940
* DECOMMISSIONED - 27 February 1940 - 1 December 1940
* KzS Werner Stichling - 1 December 1940 - 30 August 1942
* KzS Friedrich Trugott Schmitt - 30 August 1942 - 25 September 1942
* KzS Waldemar Winther - 25 September 1942 - 18 February 1943
* FK Joachim Asmus - 18 February 1943 - 4 March 1943
* DECOMMISSIONED - 4 March 1943 - 1 August 1943
* KzS Walter Hulsemann - 1 August 1943 - 25 August 1944
* KzS Heinrich Sporel - 25 August 1944 - November 1944
* KK Hagen Kusfer - November 1944 - January 1945
* KK Walter Bach - January 1945 - December 1945

References

* Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; & Maass, Martin (1990). "German Warships 1815-1945: Volume One" (1st English ed.). London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-533-0.

External links

* [http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ships/lightcruiser/leipzig/index.html German Naval History - Light Cruiser "Leipzig"]
* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/germany/pages/cruisers/leipzig.htm Maritimequest "Leipzig" photo gallery]