Q&A · 1:04:10-1:06:05

Which German surface warships survived the Second World War?

Few major German surface warships survived intact, and those that did were generally transferred, tested, or scrapped after the war.

Question

How many German surface warships survived the Second World War besides Prinz Eugen?

Short answer

Very few. Nurnberg survived to serve the Soviet Union as Admiral Makarov, while most other major ships were sunk, salvaged for scrap, or otherwise did not endure as preserved warships.

Notes

The light cruiser Nurnberg is the clearest additional major survivor. After wartime damage and repair, it passed to the Soviet Union as a war reparation and became Admiral Makarov. Prinz Eugen survived the fighting without becoming a preserved museum ship. A small number of submarines also remained, while most major German surface ships were sunk, raised for scrap, or otherwise disappeared after the war.