Wilhelm Bauer

The three Wilhelm Bauer-class vessels were the Kriegsmarine's largest fleet tenders. They originated in a 1936 program for eight large escort ships intended to support the expanding U-boat fleet. Four ships were laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Kiel, but only Wilhelm Bauer, Waldemar Kophamel and the slightly larger Otto Wünsche were completed.

The first, Wilhelm Bauer, was laid down in August 1937, launched in December 1938 and commissioned in April 1940. In April 1945, the ships was sunk by bombs in shallow water.