Prestige pushed German cruisers away from diesel propulsion

Why did Germany not use diesel engines more widely in its capital ships and cruisers?

German decision-makers preferred increasingly advanced high-pressure boilers even though mature diesel machinery offered better endurance and simpler support for raiders.

The choice was shaped by a desire to match and surpass what leading navies appeared to be doing. That encouraged complicated double-ended high-pressure boilers instead of exploiting German experience with large diesels. The steam plants demanded more maintenance, specialized infrastructure, and technical attention. Those costs were especially damaging for commerce raiders, where range and independent reliability mattered more than engineering prestige. Propulsion was a procurement choice, and the mature technology better suited the mission.