Bremse was commissioned on June 14, 1933, and attached to the artillery training school at Kiel, to replace older predecessors.

In 1933 she underwent repairs and a complete refit; her mast was shortened to improve stability and her artillery director was removed.

[1] In 1939 the ship was used in the film Der letzte Apell as the British scout cruiser HMS Amphion; two additional dummy funnels were added.

On July 30 she was bombed by British Albacore torpedo bombers and Fulmar fighters from the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious but escaped unharmed.

[1] On September 6, 1941, in Hammerfjord, while escorting the troop transports Trautenfels and Barcelona, Bremse was intercepted and attacked by the British cruisers HMS Nigeria and Aurora.