SMS Albatross[Note 1] was a German minelaying cruiser built for the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial Navy), the second and final member of the Nautilus class.

After the outbreak of World War I in July 1914, Albatross laid several offensive and defensive minefields in the North Sea.

[1][2] She spent the rest of the year in the minesweeping unit while the older minelayer Pelikan was undergoing a major overhaul.

[3] In 1910, Albatross went into drydock at the Kaiserliche Werft (Imperial Shipyard) in Kiel for modernization that included moving the mine-launching equipment to the upper deck.

In 1911, she accidentally rammed the DDG Hansa steamer Wartburg damaging her hull and necessitating repairs that took three weeks to complete.

Konteradmiral (Rear Admiral) Albert Hopman intended to lay a series of offensive minefields to prevent the Baltic Fleet from sortieing to attack German ports.

That evening, Albatross laid a field of 160 mines, after which she and Augsburg turned back south and rendezvoused with Roon and Lübeck.

Karpf dispersed his force shortly before encountering the Russians; Albatross, Augsburg, and three torpedo boats steamed to Rixhöft while the remainder went to Libau.

Shortly after 06:30 on 2 July, lookouts on Augsburg spotted the Russian force; Karpf ordered the slower Albatross to seek refuge in neutral Swedish waters, while Augsburg and the torpedo boats used their high speed to escape the Russians and attempting to recall Roon and Lübeck.

[11] Karpf ordered the slow Albatross to make for neutral Swedish waters, where theoretically she would be protected from the Russian attack, while he tried to escape with Augsburg to the south.

The forecastle was riddled with holes, the foremast was knocked down, and the conning tower was destroyed, killing the men inside.

In return, the ship scored a single hit on Bayan, with the shell splinters damaging a 7.5 cm (3.0 in) gun and wounding one man.

[13] Hopman considered sending a torpedo boat to try to pull Albatross free, but the threat of Russian vessels in the area led him to abandon the idea.

While he was en route, the British submarine HMS E9 torpedoed Prinz Adalbert, badly damaging her and forcing Hopman to break off the operation.

[15] Of the fatalities, 26 of the German sailors were buried the same evening the battle was fought in a mass grave just east of Östergarn Church.

[16] The Swedish salvage company Neptun refloated Albatross on 23 July and towed her to Fårösund before proceeding to Oskarshamn, where she was interned for the duration of the war.