German coastal defence ship SMS Hagen 1891-1919

SMS Hagen. Source Bundesarchive RM 3/22928 French photo album 1900

SMS Oldenburg

Siegfried-class, original appearance

SMS Odin. Source Bundesarchive RM 3/22928 French photo album 1900

Ordered as “S”, laid down at the Kaiserliche Werft, Kiel, Germany in September 1891, launched on 21 October 1893, commissioned on 2 October 1894, demobilized and crew transferred within the navy on 31 August 1915,  since then barracks ship at Libau [Liepaja, Latvia], Danzig [now Poland] and Warnemünde, stricken on 17 June 1919 and sold to the Norddeutsche Tiefbaugesellschaft, Berling, Germany to be broken up which was executed in the Netherlands. Of the Siegfried-class consisting of the Siegfried, Beowulf, Frithjof, Heimdall, Hildebrand and Hagen, named after Norse mythological figures. Preceded by the Oldenburg-class and succeeded by the Odin-class. Within short time due the rapid technical evolution was this class outdated and were the Siegfried, Beowulf and Frithjof to be replaced by the Helgoland-class battleships Helgoland, Thüringen and Oldenburg and the Heimdall, Hildebrand and Hagen by the Kaiser, Friederich der Grosse and Kaiserin of the Kaiser-class battleships.

Displacement 3.500 tons and as dimensions 76,40 (waterline)-79 over all) x 14,90 x 5,70 metres or 250.8-259.2 x 48.11 x 18.8 feet. Two triple expansion steam engines and 8 Marine type boilers supplied via 2 shafts 4.800 ihp allowing a speed if 14 knots and with 15 knots a range of 4.800 nautical miles. Their crew numbered 276 men. The armour consisted of a 18-24cm/7.1-9.4” thick belt. 3cm/1.2” thick deck with the gun turrets, barbettes and conning tower protected by respectively 20cm/7.9”, 20cm/7.9” and 18cm/7.1” thick armour. The armament consisted of 3x1-24cm/9.4” guns, 8x1-8,8cm/3.5” guns and 4-35cm/13.8” torpedo tubes. Rebuilt at the Kaiserliche Werft at Danzig between 1898-1900, lengthened to 86,13 metres/282.6 feet, displacement 4.247 tons, second funnel added, 2-8,8cm guns, 35cm torpedo tubes replaced by 45cm ones and original 4 Locomotive boilers replaced by 8 Thornycroft boilers.)