The German battleship Bismarck was the the pride of the Kriegsmarine, Nazi Germany’s naval service. Construction began in 1936, and the ship was commissioned in April 1940.

In 1933, the new Nazi government was preparing to rearm on land and at sea. The Kriegsmarine realized that building additional pocket battleships would serve no compelling purpose.

3 Key Points: The Bismarck, Germany's pride and the largest battleship built in Europe, was launched in 1939 and commissioned in 1940, only to meet a tragic end within eight months of service.