Kaiserliche Werft Danzig was a German shipbuilding company founded in 1852 as Königliche Werft Danzig and renamed Kaiserliche Werft after the proclamation of the German Empire in 1871. Together with Kaiserliche Werft Kiel and Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven it was one of three shipyards responsible for maintenance, repair and construction of warships for the Imperial German Navy. Kaiserliche Werft Danzig closed in 1918 after the end of World War I, but soon opened when Danziger Werft was founded on its site in 1919.
History
The history of the Danzig shipyard started 1844 when some area on both sides of the river Tote Weichsel at Danzig became property of the Royal Prussian Government. Named Marinedepot (1849–54) it was first only used as a depot and anchoring space for the few Prussian warships at the time. At the end of 1853 it became Königliche Werft Danzig (1854 – 1871), and was subsequently named Kaiserliche Werft Danzig (1871 – 1918) with the proclamation of the German Empire in 1871.
In 1848 when Prussia started to enlarge its navy, own development and construction of warships got higher priority which required greater shipyards for these means. In 1850 additional new grounds were bought, further constructions followed and in the late 1870s once more there was a large extension of the facilities.