SMS Bremse was the second and final member of the Brummer class of armored gunboats built for the German Kaiserliche Marine in the 1880s.

The ship was ordered to serve in Germany's coastal defense system alongside the Sachsen-class ironclads and Wespe-class gunboats.

Bremse's primary armament was a single 21 cm (8.3 in) gun carried in her bow, and she had a top speed of about 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

The Wespes had proved to be controversial vessels, owing to their slow speed and tendency to roll badly, which was caused by their excessive weight, particularly the very large gun they carried.

As a result, the Brummer class carried a smaller gun and dispensed with the heavy belt armor used in the Wespes.

[3][4] The ship was armed with a main battery that consisted of a single 21 cm (8.3 in) K L/30 built-up gun in an open barbette mount forward.

After fitting out work was completed later that year, she was moved to the Kaiserliche Werft (Imperial Shipyard) in Wilhelmshaven to have her armament installed.

[5][6] The ship was recommissioned again on 15 March 1893 and resumed fishery protection patrols in the North Sea; this time, she was commanded by KK Hans Meyer.

This was interrupted on 15 March, when she once again made the voyage around Denmark to participate in a naval review in Kiel held in honor of the visit of Tsar Alexander III of Russia.

Bremse joined the fleet for the annual maneuvers that began on 16 August in the western Baltic Sea.