German Navy

The German Navy (German: Deutsche Marine, pronounced [ˈdɔʏtʃə maˈʁiːnə] ^ⓘ) is part of the unified Bundeswehr (Federal Defense), the German Armed Forces. The German Navy was originally known as the Bundesmarine (Federal Navy) from 1956 to 1995, when Deutsche Marine (German Navy) became the official name with respect to the 1990 incorporation of the East German Volksmarine (People's Navy). It is deeply integrated into the NATO alliance. Its primary mission is protection of Germany's territorial waters and maritime infrastructure as well as sea lines of communication. Apart from this, the German Navy participates in peacekeeping operations, and renders humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. It also participates in anti-piracy operations.

German Naval history has its roots in the naval history of the Holy Roman Empire, to which the Dutch Navy and even the Spanish Navy once belonged. Proper German language early maritime history is represented by the Hanseatic League and the Brandenburg Navy, later Prussian Navy.

The modern German Navy traces its roots back to the Reichsflotte (Imperial Fleet) of the revolutionary era of 1848–52. The Reichsflotte was the first German navy to sail under the black-red-gold flag. Founded on 14 June 1848 by the orders of the democratically elected Frankfurt Parliament, the Reichsflotte's brief existence ended with the failure of the revolution and it was disbanded on 2 April 1852; thus, the modern day navy celebrates its birthday on 14 June.

The small Prussian Navy evolved in 1867 into the North German Federal Navy, which was mainly for coast defence. It became the Imperial German Navy in 1871. From 1919 to 1935, only a small Reichsmarine was permitted. Under Nazi Germany, it was transformed into the Kriegsmarine, which was disbanded in 1945 after the end of World War II in Europe.

Between May 1945 and 1956, the German Mine Sweeping Administration and its successor organizations, made up of former Kriegsmarine members, became something of a transition stage for the German navy, allowing the future Marine to draw on recently experienced personnel upon its formation. Also, from 1949 to 1952 the United States Navy maintained the Naval Historical Team in Bremerhaven. This group of former Kriegsmarine officers acting as historical and tactical consultants to the Americans, was significant in establishing a German element in the NATO senior naval staff. In 1956, with West Germany's accession to NATO, the Bundesmarine (Federal Navy), as the navy was known colloquially, was formally established. In the same year the East German Volkspolizei See (literally People's Police Sea) became the Volksmarine (People's Navy). During the Cold War all of the German Navy's combat vessels were assigned to NATO's Allied Forces Baltic Approaches's naval command NAVBALTAP.

With the accession of former East Germany's states to the Federal Republic of Germany in 1990 the Volksmarine along with the whole National People's Army became part of the Bundeswehr. Since 1995 the name German Navy is used in international context, while the official name since 1956 remains Marine without any additions. As of August 2024, the strength of the navy is 15,531 men and women.

A number of naval forces have operated in different periods. See

German warships permanently participate in all four NATO Maritime Groups. The German Navy is also engaged in operations against international terrorism such as Operation Enduring Freedom and NATO Operation Active Endeavour.