Development
The ships
The Zerstörer 1936 class were slightly bigger and improved to their predecessors, the Zerstörer 1934 and Zerstörer 1934A. While these ships were under construction, none of the earlier ships was commissioned and therefore none of their design flaws became clear. It's interesting that most of the problems - especially those of the engines - were solved in this class of ships.
The engines were much more reliable, the structural integrity was improved and they were much better seagoing ships. This was caused by the reduction of the top weight, the funnels were shortened and the height of the superstructure was reduced and the improved bow shape of the three last build ships. Although 26 of these ships were ordered, only 6 were completed, while the other orders were modified to other designs.

Zerstörer 1936
Z17 Diether von Roeder
1938–1940- Laid down
- Deschimag Bremen, 09.09.1936
- Launched
- 19.08.1937
- Commissioned
- 29.08.1938
- Fate
- sunk 13.04.1940 (Narvik)

Zerstörer 1936
Z18 Hans Lüdemann
1938–1940- Laid down
- Deschimag Bremen, 09.09.1936
- Launched
- 01.12.1937
- Commissioned
- 08.10.1938
- Fate
- scuttled on 13.04.1940

Zerstörer 1936
Z19 Hermann Künne
1939–1940- Laid down
- Deschimag Bremen, 05.10.1936
- Launched
- 22.12.1937
- Commissioned
- 12.01.1939
- Fate
- beached on 13.04.1940

Zerstörer 1936
Z20 Karl Galster
1939–1956- Laid down
- Deschimag Bremen, 14.09.1937
- Launched
- 15.06.1938
- Commissioned
- 21.03.1939
- Fate
- scrapped 1956

Zerstörer 1936
Z21 Wilhelm Heidkamp
1939–1940- Laid down
- Deschimag Bremen, 15.12.1937
- Launched
- 20.08.1938
- Commissioned
- 10.06.1939
- Fate
- sunk on 11.04.1940

Zerstörer 1936
Z22 Anton Schmitt
1939–1940- Laid down
- Deschimag Bremen, 03.01.1938
- Launched
- 20.09.1938
- Commissioned
- 24.09.1939
- Fate
- sunk on 10.04.1940