Kriegsmarine · 1939–1943

Operations

Explore the surface war year by year, from the first Atlantic sorties to the final battle off North Cape.

Operational chronology

War at sea

Each year opens a collection of animated maps. Follow ship movements, engagements and losses step by step, then move between the strategic overview and tactical battle plots.

4 operations

War begins

1939

The first commerce-raiding cruises take the Panzerschiffe into the Atlantic and culminate off the River Plate.Explore the year →8 operations

Norway and the Atlantic

1940

Destroyer actions, the invasion of Norway and the first major surface sorties into the Atlantic.Explore the year →5 operations

Battleships in the Atlantic

1941

German capital ships challenge the Atlantic lifelines before the loss of Bismarck changes the campaign.Explore the year →3 operations

The Channel and Arctic convoys

1942

The Channel Dash returns three major warships to Germany, while Arctic convoy operations end in the Barents Sea.Explore the year →4 operations

The Arctic

1943

The remaining operational surface fleet strikes Spitzbergen and makes its final capital-ship sortie off North Cape.Explore the year →