The other Lutzow

[RF]

When panzerschiffe Deutschland was renamed Lutzow in November 1939, what happened to the name of the Hipper classe cruiser then under construction which was also Lutzow?

Was a new name designated before the vessel was sold to the Soviet Union?

One source gives the name Zeuthen, but I think that is unlikely (where would that name come from?), has anybody any ideas?

[Tiornu]

No, there was no interim name.

[Captain Morgan]

My understanding was she was already sold to the Soviet Union so she was no longer considered the Lutzow and later in November 1939 Deutschland was renamed Lutzow. The sale of the cruiser was earlier in the year, and she was renamed Petropavlovsk and then Tallinn.

[Admiral-scheer]

I believe another reason why Deustchland was renamed was because the KM did not want to have a ship named Germany in WW2.With the Bismarck class ships deutschland seemed more or less a worthy name for those puny vessels.

[Tiornu]

It may be that, for official purposes, the ship reverted to its pre-launch designation of Cruiser "L."

[Terje Langoy]

I believe another reason why Deustchland was renamed was because the KM did not want to have a ship named Germany in WW2.With the Bismarck class ships deutschland seemed more or less a worthy name for those puny vessels.

Hello, Admiral Scheer and welcome to the forum. It's right that Germany didn't want a ship named Deutschland at sea during WWII, but I must emphasize that this was not due to a matter of size. As the war broke out in 1939, the Kriegsmarine had the Adm. GS operating as a raider in the South Atlantic and the Deutschland operating in the North Atlantic. The RN put up quite an effort to hunt down Adm. GS and force her into battle. This they managed to do but not with the outcome that the Admiralty had in mind. Fortunately for them, Adm. GS would still end at the bottom but not by British guns or torpedoes. She was scuttled. A major victory for the British propaganda ministry and they would even go as far as to cover up the battle damage aboard HMS Exeter so that the battle would be received as nothing but a sole victory back home, something that wasn't the case. Still, their efforts payed off and the Germans suffered their first loss, both strategical and symbolic. The lessons learned would eventually cause some bright head in the naval command, perhaps even Joseph Goebbels himself, to see the unfortunate symbolic effect suffered if the RN were to sink a ship with such a heavy name. The British suffered this effect on the 24th May, 1941.

As an aside, Lützow ain't such a bad name either. Leader of the fierce sluggers at the Jutland battle in 1916! Well, she also was the only one of the BC group to be sunk. Perhaps not a too good reference... Ah, now I know! They should have named her Derfflinger. Yes, the Kriegsmarine definitely should have a Derfflinger. Any other who agree?

Very best regards