WesWorld

For xmas I got "Die Großen Kreuzer Kaisering Augusta bis Blücher" by Gerhard Koop and Klaus-Peter Schmolke.

Summary:
The book sums up the technical data and life of each large cruiser (german term for armored cruiser) from the first unit labeled as such to the last pre-dread design (the designation lived on for Von der Tann etc. as the label battlecruiser was never officially used in the German Navy). The book ends with a summary why the ACs in general and the German designs in particular lacked the fighting power to play any role during WW1.

Opinion:
I was through the book in a few days as only a handful of ships/classes are covered. One gets some insight into the technical development and the problems german designers and later the crews encountered. Sadly no detailed information is provided. The book only provids basic data and some drawings plus - probably most interesting - a decent number of good photos. In fact the technical information available in Erich Gröners "Die Deutschen Kriegsschiffe" is very similar and little new is added. So only the photos and some reports about the ships shake down cruises, maiden voyages, actions and losses (like the sinking of YORCK on a german mine field, the battles of Coronel and Falkland and finally Doggerbank) they were involved included new information. At least for me.

Recommendation:
I´d recommend this book to everybody who hasn´t anything about german ACs yet and needs some good photos. The book also is a decent read for everybody interested to learn about the machinery problems the Germans had during the period covered by the book. The information is scarce but at least there is some. If you only need a line drawing and some fundamental technical data I´d think Gröner is the book to look for.

HoOmAn

Second book of the Koop/Schmolke series I got for xmas was "Die Keinen Kreuzer 1903 - 1918. Bremen- bis Cöln-Klasse"

Summary:

Like the book on ACs the book sums up life and technical data of each small cruiser (german term for light cruiser) which served in WW1. Technical data and line drawings are limited but there is a lot of space in this book dedicated to reports from machinery trials which allow a good insight into troubles the Germans had and the actual power of each cruisers power plant. Battle reports are not very detailed and focus on quotes form the single units logs. The book ends with a overall summery and a long chapter about the mutiny that struck the German Navy at the wars end. This sections includes several long quotes of reports, letters etc. that allow a good picture of why things happened.

Opinion:

While the book features good photos and reports about test trials I expected a bit more technical information generally and some comparison to foreign designs which influenced the German designers. Sadly this is more or less missing. For example there is not a single word about why the BRUMMER-class looked the way they did (like british CLs). However, this book is the first one dedicating a long chapter to the mutiny rocking the Germany Navy so there was some new information for me.

Recommendation:

I ´d recommend this book to everybody who hasn´t anything about german CLs yet and needs some good photos. The book also is a decent read for everybody interested to learn about the cruisers trials and the mutiny on German warships at wars end. If you only need a line drawing and some fundamental technical data I´d think Gröner is the book to look for.

The thought process that led to von der Tann gets almost no coverage in English-language sources. Is there anything in German that dissects how the Germans formed a mission for their large cruisers and how they trasnslated that into design requirements? I have a copy of Greissmer's book but haven't sortied into it yet.
The only hard info I have on Tirpitz's view of large cruisers dates from a time when germany was starting into armored cruiser construction, and the admiral admits his views lack sufficient foundation.