SMS Grosser Kurfürst (1913)

Recognition drawing of a König-class battleship
History
German Empire
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Laid down:	October 1911
Launched:	5 May 1913
Commissioned:	30 July 1914
Fate:	Scuttled 21 June 1919 in Gutter Sound, Scapa Flow, raised 29 April 1938 and sold for scrap
General characteristics
Class and type:	König-class battleship
Displacement:	25,796 t (25,389 long tons; 28,435 short tons) design 28,600 t (28,100 long tons; 31,500 short tons) full load
Length:	175.4 m (575 ft 6 in)
Beam:	29.5 m (96 ft 9 in)
Draft:	9.19 m (30 ft 2 in)
Propulsion:	3 shafts 3 steam turbines 44,483 shp (33,171 kW)
Speed:	21.2 knots (39.3 km/h; 24.4 mph)
Range:	8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement:	1,136
Armament:	10 × 30.5 cm (12.0 in) guns 14 × 15 cm (5.9 in) guns 10 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) guns 5 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes
Armor:	Belt: 350 mm (14 in) Turrets and conning tower: 300 mm (12 in) Deck: 30 mm (1.2 in)

SMS Grosser Kurfürst was the second battleship of the four-ship König class. Grosser Kurfürst (or GroßerKurfürst) served in the German Imperial Navy during World War I. The battleship was laid down in October 1911 and launched on 5 May 1913. She was formally commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 30 July 1914, days before the outbreak of war between Germany and the United Kingdom. Her name means Great Elector, and refers to Frederick William I, the Prince-elector of Brandenburg. Grosser Kurfürst was armed with ten 30.5-centimeter (12.0 in) guns in five twin turrets and could steam at a top speed of 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph).

Along with her three sister ships, König, Markgraf, and Kronprinz, Grosser Kurfürst took part in most of the fleet actions during the war, including the Battle of Jutland on 31 May and 1 June 1916. The ship was subjected to heavy fire at Jutland, but was not seriously damaged. She shelled Russian positions during Operation Albion in September and October 1917. Grosser Kurfürst was involved in a number of accidents during her service career; she collided with König and Kronprinz, grounded several times, was torpedoed once, and hit a mine.

After Germany's defeat and the signing of the Armistice in November 1918, Grosser Kurfürst and most of the capital ships of the High Seas Fleet were interned by the Royal Navy in Scapa Flow. The ships were disarmed and limited to skeleton crews while the Allied powers negotiated the final version of the Treaty of Versailles. On 21 June 1919, days before the treaty was signed, the commander of the interned fleet, Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter, ordered the fleet to be scuttled to ensure that the British would not be able to seize the ships. Unlike her sister ships, Grosser Kurfürst was raised in 1938 for scrapping and subsequently broken up in Rosyth.