Of the Magdeburg-class consisting of the Magdeburg, Stralsund. Breslau and Strassburg. Preceded by the Kolberg-class and succeeded by the Karlsruhe-class. Her building was ordered as the Esatz Bussard conform the navy building program in 1908, laid down by AG Weser, Bremen, Germany as the first ship of her class with yard number in April 1910, launched on 13 May 1911, completed in August 1912, building costs 8.058.000 mark, commissioned on 20 August 1912 and run aground and sunk on 26 August 1914 in the Gulf of Finland. Although set into fire by her own crew she was abandoned before being destroyed and the wreck was captured but the Russian navy. On board was an undamaged codebook found and which was handed over to England, an ally of Russia. The wreck was later partly broken up by the Russians and then completely destroyed.
Her dimensions were 138,7 x 13,5 x 4,4 metres or 455.1’x 44,3’ x 14.5’ and the displacement 4.570 tons (full load). The 2 sets AEG Vulcan steam turbines and 16 coal fuelled Marine-type water tube boilers delivered 25.000 (design)-33.482 shp (service) allowing a trial speed of 27,6 knots. Her range was 5.820 nautical miles with a speed of 12 knots with a cal bunker capacity of 1.200 tons and 106 tons oil which was sprayed over the coal to optimize the burning. The crew numbered 354 men. The armament consisted of 12x1-10,5cm/4.1’ L/45 quick firing guns, 2-50cm/19.7” torpedo tubes and 120 mines. The bow ram with her predecessors were fitted out was now replaced by a cruiser shape, the first warships to be fitted out with such a shape. The armour consisted of 6cm/2.4” thick belt with the conning tower protected by 10cm/3.9”.
