Laid down at the yard of AG Weser Bremen in 1900 as part of the Gazelle light cruiser-class with building no. 128, launched on 5 December 1900, commissioned on 26 July 1901, coastal defence vessel in 1914, auxiliary ship in 1917, decommissioned in 1924, stricken on 27 March 1929, used as a accommodation ship at Wilhelmshaven, commissioned as a floating anti aircraft battery in August 1940, heavily damaged by an air attack on 19 April 1945, blown up near the Wiesbadensbrucke in Wilhelmshaven to prevent captured by the British on 3 May 1945, salvaged in 1948 and broken up in 1949-1950. The rebuilding into a floating battery found place in 1939-1940 at Rickmers, Wesemünde.
Her original displacement was 2,972 tons maximum and 2,659 tons design although other sources claimed a displacement of 3,033 tonnes/2,985 long tons with as dimensions 104,1 (waterline)-105,1 (over all) x 12,2 x 4,84 fore and 5,39 aft metres. Displacement as a battery 2,657 tons. Her 2-shaft 2 triple expansion steam engines provided 7,972 ihp (designed horsepower was 8,000 ihp) allowed a speed of 20,9 knots (designed speed was to be 21,5 knots) and a coal bunker capacity of 700 tons maximum (designed was 380 tons). As battery she had to be towed while her engines were removed. Her crew as a light cruiser numbered 249 men. Her original armament consisted of 10-10,5cm guns and 3-45cm torpedo tubes. As a battery 5-10,5cm guns, 2-3,7cm guns and 4-2cm machine guns. The armour consisted of a 50mm deck.
