The Imperial Russian Navy had ordered sets of steam turbines for the first two ships of the Svetlana-class cruisers from the AG Vulcan shipyard in Stettin.

The two ships laid a series of minefields during their career, though their most significant success came in October 1917, when they attacked a British convoy to Norway.

In 1913, AG Vulcan in Stettin received a contract to build a set of four high-powered steam turbines for the Russian Navy for use in their new light cruiser Svetlana, then under construction in Russia.

[1] After the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, which saw Germany and Russia on opposing sides, the German government prevented the delivery of the turbines.

[2] AG Vulcan initially offered to design two 'torpedo boat catchers' around the turbines (two per vessel), but the Reichsmarineamt (RMA—Imperial Naval Office) rejected the idea in October.

Instead, the Construction Department of the RMA preferred using the turbines to power a pair of fast minelayers, as at that time, the Kaiserliche Marine possessed only two vessels equipped exclusively for mine-laying operations, Nautilus and Albatross.

Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz initially disagreed with the idea, preferring minelaying submarines instead, but the department heads decided to proceed with the cruiser proposal over his objection.

Tirpitz eventually agreed on 5 December, and six days later AG Vulcan received the initial outline of the proposal.

[6] In early 1915, the Admiralstab (Admiralty Staff) joined the discussion over the new ships, and they pointed out the proposed endurance was far too low for offensive minelaying operations in the North Sea.

[2] During construction, the shape of their bow and its resemblance to British cruisers was covered by sheet metal to conceal their appearance.

The hulls were divided into twenty-one watertight compartments and incorporated a double bottom that extended for forty-four percent of the length of the keel.

The ships were highly maneuverable and had a tight turning radius, and only lost slight speed in a head sea.

Brummer and Bremse also carried two 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/45 anti-aircraft guns mounted on the centerline astern of the funnels.

Shortly after dawn on 17 October, the two cruisers attacked the convoy, which consisted of twelve merchant ships, two destroyers, and two armed trawlers.

In the ensuing action off Lerwick, the German ships quickly sank the escorting destroyers and nine of the twelve cargo vessels.

[14] Along with the most modern units of the High Seas Fleet, Brummer and Bremse were included in the ships specified for internment at Scapa Flow by the victorious Allied powers.

The ships steamed out of Germany on 21 November 1918 in single file, commanded by Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter.

On the morning of 21 June, the British fleet left Scapa Flow to conduct training maneuvers, and at 11:20 Reuter transmitted the order to scuttle his ships.