Fleet Ledger

Naval wars from the age of sail to the present day

Spanish Civil War
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Deutschland incident

Deutschland incident

29 May 1937, Ibiza

Deutschland badly damaged

Two Republican bombers flown by Soviet crews raided Ibiza and hit the German heavy cruiser Deutschland, anchored there on Non-Intervention patrol; they may have taken her for Canarias. Two bombs started fires that reached her secondary ammunition, killing 31 men and wounding 74. Germany and Italy walked out of the Non-Intervention Committee, and Hitler ordered a reprisal.

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The German heavy cruiser DEUTSCHLAND (later re-named “Lützow”). One of three heavy cruisers of the Deutschland Class (sister ships ADMIRAL SCHEER and ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE). Deutschland was built by the Deutsche Werke shipyard at Kiel, being laid down on 5 February 1929. She was launched on 19 May 1931 Image: Photo by Imperial War Museum staff, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Spanish Republican Air Force

No ships engaged

Forts, batteries and aircraftStrengthOutcome

Tupolev SB bombers

Flew from Los Alcázares, near Cartagena

2 aircraft

Returned to base

Kriegsmarine (Germany)

1 ship, none lost

ShipTypeOutcome
Deutschland

31 killed and 74 wounded

Heavy cruiser

Deutschland class

Damaged

Map