In Service: 12 February 1944 to 20 May 1945
Ordered:
Builder: Burmester & Wain
Construction No:
Laid down: 1939
Launched: 1939
Commissioned: 12 February 1944
Type: Auxiliary cruiser
Class: Hilfskreuzer (Raider), converted freighter
Displacement: 19,200 tons
Length: 153 m
Beam: 20.1 m
Draft: 8.7 m
Propulsion: 2 × 6 cylinder diesel engine producing
up to 9,000 hp
Propellers: 1
Speed: 20.5 knots
Range: 65,000 nautical miles at 15 knots
Crew: 400 men and officers
Armament: 8 × 15 cm, 1 × 105 mm, 4 ×
40 mm
8 × 3.7 cm, 36 × 20 mm
Armour
Aircraft:
Electronics:
Operators: Kriegsmarine
Variants:
Other: Auxiliary
cruisers
Articles:
The Hansa was a German auxiliary cruiser of the Kriegsmarine
utilised throughout World War II. She was recognised by the
Kriegsmarine as HSK 5 She was not granted a raider letter
by the Royal Navy as she did not go into active service as
a commerce raider. She was the final German vessel to be changed
into an auxiliary cruiser. From September 1944 to May 1945
she took part in the Baltic Sea evacuations, transporting
over 12,000 soldiers and civilians at a time.
12 February 1944
Hansa is commissioned.
20 May 1945
Hansa was handed over to the British for internment.
1971
Hansa was broken up, and scrapped.
Hans
Henigst
Takes command on April 1943
Ends command on August 1943
German Warships, 1815-1945: Major Surface Vessels.
ISBN-10: 0851775330
German Warships, 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels.
ISBN-10: 155750301X
German warships of the Second World War.
ISBN-10: 0668040378
For a complete list of
sources
