Deutschland

The Train Ferries Deutschland and Preussen were commissioned as auxiliary mine layers in August 1914. Deutschland operated mostly in the Baltic Sea throughout the war. In August 1914, it laid mine fields near Russian ports. After a short detachment to the North Sea it returned to the Baltic Sea where it again operated near the Russian coast during 1915. In April 1917, it was used during the operations at the Baltic Islands. After the war it was as a train ferry again. In 1940 it was assigned to the invasion fleet for Operation Seelöwe and renamed Stralsund. Because of a bomb hit it was not used as a mine layer, but again used as a train ferry. The ship was taken over by the Soviets after the war and renamed Orion. In 1948 it was renamed Anina and used until the 1960s.