Deutsche Werke

Deutsche Werke AG

Industry	Shipbuilding Firearms
Founded	1925
Defunct	1945
Fate	Dismantled after World War II
Successor	D-Rad
Headquarters	Berlin, Germany

Deutsche Werke was a German shipbuilding company that was founded in 1925 when Kaiserliche Werft Kiel and other shipyards were merged. It came as a result of the Treaty of Versailles after World War I that forced the German defense industry to shrink. The company was owned by the government of the Weimar Republic and its headquarters was in Berlin while the manufacturing location was in Kiel.

Deutsche Werke started building merchant ships, but when the Nazi Party gained power in 1933 the production was changed to naval ships. Besides shipbuilding, Deutsche Werke also produced firearms. Especially well-known are the so-called Ortgies pistols, which were particularly popular in the United States. The pistols were developed by Heinrich Ortgies.

During World War II the company expanded to Gdynia, establishing Deutsche Werke Gotenhafen.

Deutsche Werke facilities and infrastructure were destroyed during World War II by bombing raids. Parts of the works were reorganised as Maschinenbau Kiel.

In 1955 the shipyard areas were bought by Howaldtswerke.

Ships built at Deutsche Werke Kiel (selection)

• Panzerschiff Deutschland (later renamed Lützow)
• Heavy cruiser Blücher
• Battleship Gneisenau
• Aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin (not completed)
• Destroyer Z1 - Z4 (Type Zerstörer 1934)
• U-boats Types IIA, B, C, D, VIIC, and XIV

External links

• u-boot-archiv.de webpage about the Deutsche Werke shipyard
• ortgies.net webpage about Ortgies pistol
• gunsworld.com webpage about the Ortgies pistol
• Documents and clippings about Deutsche Werke in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW