How the myth of universal German equipment superiority spread

Where did the myth that German Second World War ships were better than everything else afloat come from?

It grew from the German Army's reputation and was then projected onto the navy and other services.

The belief that German Second World War ships surpassed everything afloat grew from a broader mythology surrounding the German Army. That reputation was transferred to other parts of the German force structure, including the navy. One service's popular image then substituted for evidence about a different set of weapons. German warship design, construction, and performance have to be judged on their own record.