The Deutsche Reichsbahn's Class 52[note 1] is a German steam locomotive built in large numbers during the Second World War.

The simplified design of the class 52 was intended to reduce the man-hours and skills needed to manufacture it and to adapt to wartime shortages of strategic materials.

Additional locomotives were built post-war, giving a class total of probably 6719 units, delivered by seventeen manufacturers.

Wagner had wanted locomotives which were long-lasting and easy to maintain, and unlike British engineers did not consider a high power-to-weight ratio a priority.

Over 7,794 locomotives of DRB Class 52 type were built across Europe for use on the Eastern Front during the Second World War.

Key HAS figures were the Reichsminister for munition and armament, Albert Speer and the Reich transport minister, Julius Dorpmüller.

The simplicity and effectiveness, plus the large production total, meant that many eastern European countries were slow to withdraw their Kriegslokomotiven.