Thanks to everone for the kind words!
With the rise of the Nazi Regime, the expansion of the German Armed forces began, which included U-boats. In 1935, the Weddigen Flotilla (later re-designated the 1st U-boat flotilla) was formed and stationed in Kiel. Aside from the six Type IIB U-boats, the flotilla included the tender
Saar and an old WW1 torpedo boat. In 1936,
Hamburg returned to her former duties as U-boat support ship, this time, however, as barracks ship, assigned to the Weddigen Flotilla. The old cruiser had been stripped down to the basic hull, some gaps filled up with additional panelling.
Hamburg continued her service in this form for the years to come, even when the war began. It was not until mid-1944 that she was finally stricken from the naval register. She was towed to her namesake town Hamburg on July 7th to be scrapped, however a British bombing raid hit the old hulk and sunk her on July 27th. The wreck remained there until 1949 when
Hamburg was raised and ultimately scrapped in 1956, completing a career of almost fifty years.
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