At the outbreak of the Second World War Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine had 21 destroyers (German: Zerstörer) in service, while another one was just being completed.

The engine was however so complicated and prone to breakdown, that it forced the navy to assign even more very highly qualified personnel on board to operate and service them.

The ships were: Launched: 18 August 1935 Commissioned: 14 January 1937 Fate: sunk after friendly fire bomb hits on 22 February 1940, during Operation Wikinger Named after Leberecht Maass[5] Launched: 18 August 1935 Commissioned: 27 February 1937 Fate: beached on 13 April 1940, after suffering serious damage during the Battles of Narvik Named after Georg Thiele Launched: 30 November 1935 Commissioned: 8 April 1937 Fate: sunk as a result of friendly fire bomb hits and striking mines on 22 February 1940, during Operation Wikinger[5]Named after Max Schultz Launched: 30 November 1935 Commissioned: 13 May 1937 Fate: scrapped 1947 Named after Richard Beitzen Twelve destroyers laid down between July and November 1935.

They were only slightly modified from the design of the preceding 1934 class and continued their predecessors' limited endurance and magazine capacity – factors which contributed to the heavy German losses in the Second Battle of Narvik.

Launched: 24 March 1936 Commissioned: 29 June 1937 Fate: Transferred to France as war reparation Desaix, scrapped 1958 Named after Paul Jacobi Launched: 22 April 1936 Commissioned: 2 July 1937 Fate: Transferred to France as the Kleber, scrapped 1958 Named after Theodor Riedel Launched: 16 July 1936 Commissioned: 9 September 1937 Fate: sunk 2 May 1942 by the British cruiser Edinburgh Named after Hermann Schoemann Launched: 15 September 1936 Commissioned: 8 January 1938 Fate: sunk 25 January 1942 by a mine near Calais Named after Bruno Heinemann, killed during the Wilhelmshaven mutiny Launched: 27 March 1936 Commissioned: 2 July 1938 Fate: scuttled on 13 April 1940 Named after Wolfgang Zenker, killed during the Wilhelmshaven mutiny Launched: 14 May 1936 Commissioned: 13 September 1938 Fate: Taken over by Great Britain after the war and used as a trials ship, scrapped 1946–1949 Named after Carl Hans Lody, unusually not a captain of a vessel but had been spying in Britain.

Launched: 8 July 1936 Commissioned: 6 December 1938 Fate: scuttled on 13 April 1940 Named after Bernd von Arnim Launched: 12 March 1937 Commissioned: 4 March 1939 Fate: sunk 13 April 1940 Named after Erich Giese Launched: 18 March 1937 Commissioned: 28 March 1939 Fate: sunk 13 April 1940 Named after Erich Koellner Launched: 5 November 1935 Commissioned: 6 April 1938 Fate: Transferred to the Soviet Union, served in the Baltic Fleet as the Prytkiy (Прыткий) scrapped 1952 Named after Friedrich Ihn Launched: 24 September 1936 Commissioned: 31 May 1938 Fate: Transferred to the Soviet Union, served in the Baltic Fleet as the Pylkiy (Пылкий) scrapped 1958 Named after Erich Steinbrinck Launched: 21 March 1937 Commissioned: 28 July 1938 Fate: sunk 31 December 1942 by HMS Sheffield during battle of the Barents Sea Named after Friedrich Eckoldt These 6 ships (of 26 planned) ordered under the 1935 Program were improved and enlarged versions of the 1934 and 1934A classes.

Launched: 19 August 1937 Commissioned: 29 August 1938 Fate: sunk 13 April 1940 (Narvik) Named after Diether von Roeder Launched: 1 December 1937 Commissioned: 8 October 1938 Fate: scuttled on 13 April 1940 Named after Hans Lüdemann Launched: 22 December 1937 Commissioned: 12 January 1939 Fate: beached on 13 April 1940 Named after Hermann Künne Launched: 15 June 1938 Commissioned: 21 March 1939 Fate: Transferred to the Soviet Union, served in the Baltic Fleet as the Prochnyi (Прочный) scrapped 1956 Named after Karl Galster Launched: 20 August 1938 Commissioned: 10 June 1939 Fate: sunk on 10 April 1940 Named after Wilhelm Heidkamp Launched: 20 September 1938 Commissioned: 24 September 1939 Fate: sunk on 10 April 1940 Named after Anton Schmitt Eight destroyers intended to carry new 150 mm (5.9 inch) guns in single turrets with a twin turret at the bow.

However, this problem was somewhat offset by the fact that the twin mount was fully enclosed and had a high maximum elevation, allowing limited use against aircraft.

The efficacy of this change was not proven in high seas as this sub-class only operated in the Baltic and coastal waters.

[6][7] In order to provide support for larger German warships operating far from their bases, the development of large ocean-going destroyers started in the late 1930s.

Based on design of unbuilt Type 1938B destroyer, with six diesels driving three shafts, with an estimated speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph) and an operating radius of 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi).

[9][10] Five of these ships (Z.52–Z.56) were ordered from A.G. Weser at Bremen and were laid down in 1943, but none were completed, being cancelled in July 1944 and broken up on the slips.

The first of the fleet vessels, they were comparable in most respects – size, armament, and use – to standard British destroyer types.

The ZH1 spent most of her life on trials in the Baltic, but transferred to Western France via the English Channel in November 1943.

The German squadron was intercepted by an Allied force – the 10th Destroyer Flotilla (HMS Tartar, Ashanti, Eskimo, Javelin, HMCS Haida, Huron, and ORP Błyskawica, Piorun).

The hull of the French Le Hardi-class destroyer L'Opiniatre was captured intact and 16% complete in Bordeaux.

She was the only major Kriegsmarine surface ship in the Mediterranean Sea during World War II, and she was involved in escorting convoys to North Africa and the Aegean Islands.

After the war, the ships were returned to Norway and given back their original names, and remained in service until the late 1950s.

Following Norway's surrender, she had been ordered to sail to the UK with her sister, HNoMS Draug, but due to lack of crew and coal, she was unable to do so.

Once placed under the German flag, she was considered too old and obsolete for military service, and was converted into a distillation and steam supply ship, having her whole superstructure removed, and was stationed at Bergen.

She survived the war and was returned to Norway, but her condition and age made her unfit for future service and was sold for scrap in 1949.

The Royal Yugoslav Navy destroyer leader, KB Dubrovnik, was captured by Italy in the Bay of Kotor on 17 April 1941.

In 1944, her repairs were completed with German modifications and soon saw action shelling Allied positions along the Italian coast.

While on minelaying duty off Genoa, she engaged the American destroyer, USS Gleaves (DD-423), but escaped undamaged.

On 18 March 1945, while on minelaying duty off Corsica, she was engaged by 2 British destroyers in what became the Battle of the Ligurian Sea.

The Royal Yugoslav Navy Beograd-class destroyer, KB Beograd, was captured by Italy in the Bay of Kotor on 17 April 1941.

The Regia Marina Turbine-class destroyer, Turbine, was captured by the Germans in Piraeus on 8 September 1943, following Italy's Armistice with the Allies.