Germany - Document - Blueprints and documents "Kreuzer Emden" [wehrmacht] - 1942

Incredible set of documents and blueprints of the German light cruiser Emden from World War II—the first large warship built in Germany after World War I. The ship mainly served as a training vessel and took part in various operations in the early and late phases of the war. There are also several documents regarding Wehrmacht soldiers on board.

The German light cruiser KMS Emden played a significant role twice during World War II in transporting Wehrmacht troops:

1. The invasion of Norway (Operation Weserübung) – April 1940
During the German invasion of Norway, Emden was part of Gruppe 5 (together with, among others, the heavy cruisers Blücher and Lützow).
• Troop transport: The ship took aboard 600 Wehrmacht soldiers at Swinemünde.
• Deployment: Just before the attack on Oslo, 350 of these soldiers were transferred to smaller mine sweepers (Räumboote) to serve as landing troops. The Emden then provided artillery support against Norwegian coastal fortresses and served as a floating communications center for coordinating between the Wehrmacht, Kriegsmarine, and Luftwaffe after the capture of Oslo.

2. The evacuation from East Prussia (Operation Hannibal) – Early 1945
At the end of the war, the Red Army advanced rapidly through East Prussia. The Emden, undergoing repairs in Königsberg, received orders in January 1945 to evacuate.
• Troops and civilians: The ship participated in Operation Hannibal and transported large groups of wounded soldiers and civilian refugees across the Baltic Sea to the safer Kiel.
• Special cargo: In addition to the troops, the exhumed remains of former President Paul von Hindenburg and his wife were also brought aboard to prevent them from falling into Soviet hands.
Shortly after this evacuation, the ship was heavily damaged by British bombers in Kiel in April 1945, after which it was blown up by its own crew and scuttled.

List of items:

25 blueprints; 1 is hand colored and a few with pen annotations concerning torpedoes.

Beschwerdeordnung für die Angehörigen der Wehrmacht. - 2 pages
Detention and use of weapons. - 3 pages
Benehmen an Bord. - 2 pages
Benehmen an Bord und in den Booten. - 3 pages
Ehrenbezeizung an Bord - 8 pages
Manöver. Schleppen und Geschlepptwerden. - 5 pages
Bestimmungen über Führungsbücher - 11 pages
Dor tägliche Dienst an Bord. - 2 pages
Schiffskunde "Kreuzer Emden" - 4 pages
Referatsverzeichnis ab 1.4.1943 - 2 pages
Offiziere des Kreuzer Emden - 1 page
Einrichten einer Registratur an Bord und an Land - 2 pages
Organisation der Kriegsmarine - 5 pages
Kommando der Marinestation Der Nordsee - 3 pages