Lutzow (formerly Deutschland) was a German heavy cruiser, also known as a pocket battleship, under the keel of which was laid in 1929 and launched in May 1931. The battleship entered the rope service in the German Navy (German Kriegsmarine) in April 1933. The ship was 186 m long, 21.6 m wide, and had a full displacement of 16,200 tons. The maximum speed of Lutzow was around 28-29 knots. The main armament was 6 280 mm guns in two triple turrets, and the secondary armament included: 8 150 mm guns or 6 105 mm guns.
Lutzow was one of three Deutschland class ships launched in the 1930s. The ships of this type were theoretically built in accordance with the provisions of the Versailles Treaty of 1919, which imposed the maximum displacement on German ships, but in fact their full displacement clearly exceeded these limits. Deutschland-type units were built in such a way as to have an overwhelming advantage in the artillery battle with any British or French heavy cruiser. The combat career of Lutzow began during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). However, his participation in World War II began by supporting German landings in Norway in mid-1940. During these fights, it was badly damaged and was renovated until the beginning of 1941. Shortly after overhaul, in June 1941, the ship was damaged again - this time by a British air attack - and had to be overhauled again. From mid-1942, he fought in the North Atlantic, and on December 31 that year he took part in the Battle of the Barents Sea. In the years 1943-1944 she served as a training ship. At the beginning of 1945, he supported the German troops in the coastal zone, fighting with the Red Army in the Baltic basin - for example, in February, he supported the defenders of Frombork, and in March, Gdańsk and Gdynia. On April 16, 1945, it was severely damaged by British bombers, and on May 4 that year it was self-sunk by its own crew.
