She was laid down at the Germaniawerft at Kiel, Germany in November 1899 as part of the pre-dreadnought battleships Wittelsbach-class, launched 12 June 1901, commissioned 25 October 1902, in 1917 fitted out as a target ship, April 1919 decommissioned, stricken on 11 March 1920 and disarmed, until 1926 serving as a hulk was she in 1927-1928 rebuilt as a wireless controlled target ship, on 18 December 1944 sunk by British planes in Gotenhafen, was she raised and deliberately scuttled as a block ship on 26 March 1945 and finally in the years 1949-1950 broken up. Her sister ships were the Wittelbach, Wettin, Schwaben and Mecklenburg. Building costs £ 1,071,250. Her original displacement was 12,798 tons or 12,597 long tons with as dimensions 126,8 x 22,8 x 7,95 metres or 416’0”x 74’10”x 26’1”. When she was converted into a target ship in 1927-1928 her structure was cut down and the hull filled with cork. Her displacement since then was 11,800 metric tons/11,600 long tons or 13,000 tons. Naval Annual 1913 gave her as displacement 11,643 tons and as dimensions 393¾ x 68¼ x 25¾’. Jane Fighting ships mentioned a displacement of 11,800 tons and as dimensions 393½ x 68 1/6 x 26’. Her triple expansion steam engines and 12 boilers supplied 14.000 ihp driven 3 screws allowed a speed of 18 knots. According to the Naval Annual of 1913 was her horsepower 15,000 hp and her speed 19 knots. With a speed of 10 knots was her range 5,000 nautical miles. Since 1928 was she fitted out with two vertical 3-cylinder triple expansion engines and 2 oil-fired boilers allowing a speed of 13,5 knots. According to Jane’s Fighting ships allowed the 5.000 hp as target ship a speed of 13 knots. The boilers were automatically and oil fired. Her crew numbered 680 men (Naval Annual 715 men). After the target conversion 67 (Gröner)-104 (Jane’s Fighting ships). Her original armament consisted of 2x2-24cm guns, 18-15cm guns, 12-8.8cm guns and 5-45cm surfaced torpedo tubes.
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