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Derfflingerclass battle cruisers were Germany’s answer to the British 26,540-ton Queen Mary class. The only larger warships in service at that time were the US 27,000-ton Texas class battleships. There were three battle cruisers in this class built, the other two being Hindenburg and Lutzow. Derfflinger and Lutzow were among the first German warships to engage the British Fast Cruiser Squadron at the battle of Jutland. Hindenburg missed the battle as she was in dock being repaired at the time.

Derfflinger and Lutzow were involved in the sinking of the British battle cruisers Indefatigable, Invincible and Queen Mary. Lutzow took 24 heavy hits and further damage by one torpedo. A German submarine was used to scuttle her the following day. Although Derfflinger received 17 heavy hits, she managed to make it back to port for repairs. Germany lost 11 ships and 2,115 men in the battle compared to Britain loosing 14 ships and 5,672 men. As the German fleet fled back to port, both sides claimed they won the battle. This was the last time the German fleet left port to engage the British fleet. From then on they relied on their submarines to destroy the Allies supply ships. By the end of the war, German submarines had sunk more than 4,500 ships totaling around 11 million tons. Derfflinger and Hindenburg were scuttled with the rest of the German fleet after being interred at Scapa Flow/Northern Scotland at the end of the war. Hindenburg was salvaged in 1930 and Derfflinger in 1938, both ships were scrapped at Rosyth/Scotland.