In early 1945, as the war neared its end, the remnants of Germany’s once powerful navy found themselves facing inevitable destruction. While most of the Kriegsmarine’s surface fleet had been destroyed, three pre-dreadnought battleships from the Kaiser’s era still lingered in service—Schleswig-Holstein, Schlesien, and Hessen. These relics of a bygone era had survived not only World War I but also the harsh restrictions placed on the German navy after the Treaty of Versailles, and they played unexpected roles in the final years of the Second World War.

The first ship discussed in this video is SMS Hessen. Originally commissioned in 1905 as part of the Braunschweig-class, Hessen quickly became obsolete after the launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1906. Despite this, she participated in the Battle of Jutland during World War I and continued to serve until decommissioning in the 1930s. However, Hessen’s story didn’t end there. Rebuilt as a radio-controlled target ship in 1937, Hessen was transformed into a training vessel for the Kriegsmarine’s new warships. After the war, she was ceded to the Soviet Union under the Potsdam Agreement, where she served as the training ship Tsel until her scrapping in 1960.

Next, we turn to SMS Schleswig-Holstein, a ship with a remarkable legacy. Commissioned in 1908, she too fought at Jutland during World War I and later became a training ship for the Reichsmarine. However, her most notable moment came in 1939 when she fired the opening shots of World War II during the bombardment of Polish forces at Westerplatte, marking the start of the invasion of Poland. Despite her age, Schleswig-Holstein continued to serve in various bombardment and training roles until 1944. Severely damaged by Allied air raids in 1944 and scuttled by her crew in 1945, her wreck was later salvaged by the Soviets, though her final fate remains a subject of debate.

Lastly, the video covers SMS Schlesien, a sister ship to Schleswig-Holstein. Commissioned in 1908, Schlesien served in both World Wars, initially in combat and later as a training vessel. Like her sister, Schlesien played a role in the Polish campaign, bombarding enemy positions alongside Schleswig-Holstein. She remained in service until 1945, when she struck a mine and sank off the coast of Swinemünde during the evacuation of German troops and civilians from advancing Soviet forces.

This video delves into the unique post-war fates of these ships, particularly their transition from relics of the Kaiser’s navy to key players in the final months of World War II. We explore the historical significance of these battleships, their roles in shaping naval warfare, and how they symbolized both the rise and fall of the German navy across two world wars. From training vessels to front-line defenders, these pre-dreadnought battleships had truly fascinating and unexpected journeys in 20th-century naval history.

Intro 0:00
Why were these battleships still around? 0:55
SMS Hessen 2:48
SMS Schleswig-Holstein 7:15
SMS Schlesien 15:05
Conclusion 19:51

Sources/Other Reading:

https://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Battles...

https://www.amazon.com/Big-Guns-Atlan...

https://hmsjervisbay.com/Story.Illust...

https://www.amazon.com/Northern-Theat...

https://hmsjervisbay.com/Story.HX84.php

https://www.amazon.com/German-Light-C...

https://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Cruisers...

https://www.amazon.com/Scharnhorst-Gn...

https://www.amazon.com/German-Light-C...

https://www.amazon.com/Spoils-War-Ene...

https://www.amazon.com/Kaisers-Battle...

https://www.amazon.com/Ironclads-Drea...

Video Information:
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