The first of two volumes which tell the stories of and illustrate all the German battleships that were in Kriegsmarine service during WWII. The author describes the history of the ships in the order in which they entered service, devoting much precise attention to their construction and their differences in construction from other ships. The author also reviews the history of the Kriegsmarine service, the many curiosities in its policy and people who had a direct influence on the fate of the ships. All the ships are described and illustrated with full technical specifications. The book is profusely illustrated with the author's own scale drawings.