Karlsruhe, a 6000-ton Königsberg class light cruiser, was built at Kiel, Germany. Commissioned in November 1929, she spent much of the next several years on training cruises that took her to much of the World. During her 1931 cruise to the Americas she became the first German warship to visit New York City since prior to World War I. In mid-decade Karlsruhe patrolled off Spain during that nation's civil war. The frequently rough seas in that region revealed structural deficiencies in the ships of her type, causing her to be restricted to German waters until she could be strengthened.
Rebuilt at Wilhelmshaven between June 1938 and November 1939, Karlsruhe missed the opening operations of the Second World War. She served in the Baltic after returning to active service and was assigned to attack the southern port city of Kristiansand during the German invasion of Norway. The cruiser, accompanied by several smaller warships, arrived off their target on the morning of 9 April 1940. Following a lengthy engagement with defensive coast artillery the German ships were able to land their troops and equipment and begin their departure. However, before they had gotten far from Kristiansand, Karlsruhe was torpedoed by the British submarine Truant and stopped. Though she might have been towed back into port, her damage control efforts were inadequate to the need. After her crew was taken off by her consorts, Karlsruhe was scuttled by one of the German torpedo boats.
This page features all the views we have related to the German light cruiser Karlsruhe (1929-1940).
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: 80-G-410002 Karlsruhe (German light cruiser, 1929-1940) At Honolulu, Hawaii Territory, on 2 May 1932. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives. Online Image: 96KB; 740 x 600 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: NH 99643 Karlsruhe (German Light Cruiser, 1929-1940) Photographed circa the 1930s by Arthur Renard, Kiel, Germany. An inscription on the reverse of the original print states that it was given as a momento of a port visit during one of the ship's cruises. Donation of Floyd Kent, 2004. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 61KB; 740 x 430 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 83009 Karlsruhe (German Light Cruiser, 1929-1940) Anchored in San Diego harbor, California, 28 March 1934. Photographed from USS Langley (CV-1). The original photograph came from Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison's World War II history project working files. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 590 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 83010 Karlsruhe (German Light Cruiser, 1929-1940) Anchored in San Diego harbor, California, 28 March 1934. Note the heraldic shield mounted on her bow. Photographed from USS Langley (CV-1). The original photograph came from Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison's World War II history project working files. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 107KB; 740 x 600 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 98275 Karlsruhe (German Light Cruiser, 1929-1940) Firing gun salutes, off San Diego, California, 27 March 1934. Photographed by Naval Air Station San Diego. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 105KB; 740 x 620 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 98276 Karlsruhe (German Light Cruiser, 1929-1940) Underway off San Diego, California, 27 March 1934. Photographed by Naval Air Station San Diego. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 595 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 98277 Karlsruhe (German Light Cruiser, 1929-1940) Underway off San Diego, California, 27 March 1934. Photographed by Naval Air Station San Diego. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 70KB; 740 x 600 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 51813 Karlsruhe (German light cruiser, 1929-1940) Off St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, 7 May 1936, with the tanker Mittlemeer moored astern. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 101KB; 740 x 575 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 51809 Karlsruhe (German light cruiser, 1929-1940) At anchor, off St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, 7 May 1936. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 111KB; 740 x 585 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 51812 Karlsruhe (German light cruiser, 1929-1940) Off St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, 7 May 1936, with several sailboats clustered by her stern. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 595 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 51811 Karlsruhe (German light cruiser, 1929-1940) Off St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, 7 May 1936. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 590 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 50792 Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands A U.S. Marine Corps honor guard receives Captain Siemens, Commanding Officer of the visiting German light cruiser Karlsruhe, 7 May 1936. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 146KB; 740 x 595 pixels |
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In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold at least one other view of the German light cruiser Karlsruhe (1929-1940). The following list features that image:
The image listed below is NOT in the
Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain it using the procedures described in our
page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."
German light cruiser Karlsruhe, photographed circa 1938, after the ship had been fitted with an aircraft catapult amidships. Starboard bow surface view. The ship appears to be underway at low speed. Reproductions of this image should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center. The image listed in this box is NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain it using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 2 February 2003
New image added 24 October 2004