Typical heavy cruiser built to near treaty limits. This was Germanys first effort to produce a large cruiser. Armed with 9x8.2" (210mm) guns it made a good impression and was close enough to the 10,000 ton limit for the German claims that it was legal to be believed. With decent side armour and deck armour it was better than its British equivalents by about what a 3000 ton advantage should give. The Germans had to try to give their ships an advantage as they would always be fighting at a numerical deficit with the British (and French and other navies) outnumbering the German ships at least 2 to 1. Germanys next class of cruiser was built more to battlecruiser dimensions and had unusual armaments of 12x8.2" and 8x11". The last one being armed by guns and turrets being removed from the rebuilt capital ships.
This ship proved successful enough and was a good companion and scout to the other new battleships of the period. The heavy AA armament of the 88mm L56 twin mountings was the same gun as the dreaded 88 of land/AA fame, gave the ships a wonderful fast firing gun system which when upgraded with radar assistance proved even more accurate.
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