Köln was a German
light cruiserA light cruiser is a warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armoured cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armour in the same way as an armoured cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
prior to and during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, one of three K-Class cruisers named after cities starting with the letter K. This ship was named after the city of
KölnKOLN, digital channel 10, is the CBS affiliate in Lincoln, Nebraska. It operates a satellite station, KGIN, on digital channel 11 in Grand Island. KGIN repeats all KOLN programming, but airs separate commercials...
(
CologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants...
). The others in her class were the
KönigsbergKönigsberg was a light cruiser of the in the German Reichsmarine and Kriegsmarine. Her sisterships were Köln and Karlsruhe.After a number of foreign visits in the 1930s, the ship operated along the Spanish coast from November 1936 to January 1937 during the Spanish Civil War...
and the
KarlsruheKarlsruhe was a light cruiser of the German K class in World War II, the other ships in class being Königsberg and Köln. The K class were the first cruisers of the German navy to employ electric welding techniques and a newly designed triple 5.9 inch gun turrets were installed.Launched on 20...
. The K-class cruisers were designed in the 1920s and built in accordance to the 6,000 ton limit for cruisers imposed on Germany by the
Treaty of VersaillesThe Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
. To stay within this limit, 85% of the ships were welded instead of riveted.
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Köln was a German
light cruiserA light cruiser is a warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armoured cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armour in the same way as an armoured cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
prior to and during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, one of three K-Class cruisers named after cities starting with the letter K. This ship was named after the city of
KölnKOLN, digital channel 10, is the CBS affiliate in Lincoln, Nebraska. It operates a satellite station, KGIN, on digital channel 11 in Grand Island. KGIN repeats all KOLN programming, but airs separate commercials...
(
CologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants...
). The others in her class were the
KönigsbergKönigsberg was a light cruiser of the in the German Reichsmarine and Kriegsmarine. Her sisterships were Köln and Karlsruhe.After a number of foreign visits in the 1930s, the ship operated along the Spanish coast from November 1936 to January 1937 during the Spanish Civil War...
and the
KarlsruheKarlsruhe was a light cruiser of the German K class in World War II, the other ships in class being Königsberg and Köln. The K class were the first cruisers of the German navy to employ electric welding techniques and a newly designed triple 5.9 inch gun turrets were installed.Launched on 20...
. The K-class cruisers were designed in the 1920s and built in accordance to the 6,000 ton limit for cruisers imposed on Germany by the
Treaty of VersaillesThe Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
. To stay within this limit, 85% of the ships were welded instead of riveted. This caused problems, as the welding did not withstand the stress of long-term journeys as well as had been hoped.
Combat history
Köln patrolled Spanish waters during the
Spanish Civil WarThe Spanish Civil War was a major conflict that devastated Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939. It began after an attempted coup d'état by a group of Spanish Army generals against the government of the Second Spanish Republic, then under the leadership of president Manuel Azaña...
. During
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
she participated in Baltic operations and in Gruppe 3 of the invasion of
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
(
Operation WeserübungOperation Weserübung was the code name for Nazi Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during World War II and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
). After the invasion of Norway the ship undertook primarily mining operations and attacks on Allied convoys. In February 1943, after a
submarineA submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has only limited underwater capability...
attack, the heavy cruiser
Admiral HipperThe 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....
and
Köln had to be withdrawn from service for extensive repairs.
Köln remained out of service from March 1943 to March 1944 when she was recommissioned to train cadets. On December 12 1944 she was heavily damaged in a bombing raid, the power stations and starboard engine both being destroyed.
Köln then sailed for Wilhelmshaven for repairs. She arrived at Wilhelmshaven in February 1945 and suffered through two more bombing raids.
Köln was severely damaged in the final night of British bombing of the port on March 3 1945. The ship sank on even keel. The turrets remained above water and continued to shell the oncoming Allied advance. The
Köln was scrapped in 1946.
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