After World War I, Germany did not build any modern battlecruisers during the interwar period due to the limitations imposed by the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty, signed in 1919, severely restricted Germany’s naval construction capabilities, limiting the size and number of warships they could build. Specifically, Germany was prohibited from constructing warships larger than 10,000 tons, which effectively ruled out the possibility of building new battlecruisers, as these were typically much larger.
However, during the 1930s, as Adolf Hitler came to power and Germany began to rearm in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) started planning and constructing new warships, including battleships and cruisers, but not strictly battlecruisers in the traditional sense.
Key Developments:
Admiral Hipper Class (Cruisers): The closest Germany came to modern battlecruiser design during this period was the Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruisers. These ships were designed to be heavily armed and armored, similar to battlecruisers, but they were technically classified as cruisers due to their displacement being below the treaty's limitations. The ships in this class were:
- Admiral Hipper
- Blücher
- Prinz Eugen
- Lützow
The Prinz Eugen, in particular, became famous for its role in the Battle of the Denmark Strait alongside the battleship Bismarck. These ships had a mix of speed, firepower, and armor, though they were not considered full-fledged battlecruisers in terms of size and firepower when compared to those of the Royal Navy or Imperial German Navy before World War I.
Bismarck and Tirpitz: While not battlecruisers, the Bismarck-class battleships (Bismarck and Tirpitz) were often compared to them due to their similar design philosophies. These were powerful ships that featured heavy armor and large-caliber guns, and they were designed to dominate the seas. The Bismarck, in particular, was intended to challenge the British Navy's dominance, though it was sunk in 1941 after engaging the British in the Battle of the Denmark Strait.
Evolution of German Naval Strategy:
- As the Kriegsmarine was rearming in the 1930s, the focus shifted towards constructing heavily armed battleships and pocket battleships (such as the Deutschland-class ships, later renamed Lützow, Admiral Scheer, and Admiral Graf Spee), which could act as commerce raiders rather than full battlecruisers designed for fleet actions.
- In the absence of the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany focused on building fast battleships like the Bismarck, rather than traditional battlecruisers like the Hood or the Derfflinger of World War I. These new ships were designed for surface engagements against enemy battleships, prioritizing speed, firepower, and armor.