View source for SMS Strassburg

{{Short description|Light cruiser of the German Imperial Navy}}
{{Use shortened footnotes|date=October 2022}}
{{good article}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=File:SMS Strassburg NH 92716.jpg
|Ship image size=300px
|Ship caption=SMS {{lang|de|Strassburg}}
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[German Empire]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|German Empire|naval}}
|Ship name=SMS {{lang|de|Strassburg}}
|Ship namesake=[[Strasbourg|Strassburg]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder={{lang|de|[[Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven|Kaiserliche Werft]]}} [[Wilhelmshaven]]
|Ship laid down=October 1910
|Ship launched=24 August 1911
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=1 October 1912
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship struck=
|Ship fate=Ceded to Italy in 1920
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=title
|Ship country=[[Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)|Italy]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Kingdom of Italy}}
|Ship name={{lang|it|Taranto}}
|Ship acquired=20 July 1920
|Ship commissioned=2 June 1925
|Ship decommissioned=December 1942
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=
|Ship fate=Sunk by air attack in 1944
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class={{sclass|Magdeburg|cruiser}}
|Ship displacement= 
*[[Normal displacement|Normal]]: {{cvt|4564|MT|LT|lk=on}}
*[[Full-load displacement|Full load]]: {{cvt|5281|t|LT}}
|Ship length= {{convert|138.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|13.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft= {{convert|4.25|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=
*16 × [[water-tube boiler]]s
*{{convert|25000|PS|shp|abbr=on|lk=in}}
|Ship propulsion=
*2 × [[steam turbines]]
*2 × screw [[propeller]]s
|Ship speed= {{convert|27.5|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|5820|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|12|kn}}
|Ship complement=*18 officers
*336 enlisted
|Ship armament=*12 × [[10.5 cm SK L/45 naval gun|{{cvt|10.5|cm}} SK L/45 guns]]
*120 × [[Naval mine|mine]]s
*2 × {{convert|50|cm|abbr=on|1}} [[torpedo tube]]s
|Ship armor=
*[[Belt armor|Belt]]: {{cvt|60|mm}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: 60&nbsp;mm
*[[Conning tower]]: {{cvt|100|mm}}
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''SMS {{lang|de|Strassburg}}''' was a [[light cruiser]] of the {{sclass|Magdeburg|cruiser|4}} in the German {{lang|de|[[Kaiserliche Marine]]}} (Imperial Navy). Her class included three other ships: {{SMS|Magdeburg||2}}, {{SMS|Breslau||2}}, and {{SMS|Stralsund||2}}. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was built at the {{lang|de|[[Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven|Kaiserliche Werft]]}} shipyard in [[Wilhelmshaven]] from 1910 to October 1912, when she was commissioned into the [[High Seas Fleet]]. The ship was armed with a main battery of twelve [[10.5 cm SK L/45 naval gun|{{convert|10.5|cm|in|abbr=on}} SK L/45 guns]] and had a top speed of {{convert|27.5|kn}}.

{{lang|de|Strassburg}} spent the first year of her service overseas, after which she was assigned to the reconnaissance forces of the High Seas Fleet. She saw significant action at the [[Battle of Heligoland Bight (1914)|Battle of Heligoland Bight]] in August 1914 and participated in the [[raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby]] in December 1914. By 1916, the ship was transferred to the Baltic to operate against the [[Russian Navy]]. She saw action during [[Operation Albion]] in the [[Gulf of Riga]] in October 1917, including screening for the [[battleship]]s {{SMS|König||2}} and {{SMS|Markgraf||2}} during the [[Battle of Moon Sound]]. She returned to the North Sea for the planned final operation against the British [[Grand Fleet]] in the last weeks of the war, and was involved in the [[Wilhelmshaven mutiny|mutinies]] that forced the cancellation of the operation.

The ship served briefly in the new {{lang|de|[[Reichsmarine]]}} in 1919 before being transferred to Italy as a [[war prize]]. She was formally transferred in July 1920 and renamed '''''{{lang|it|Taranto}}''''' for service in the [[Italian Navy]]. In 1936–1937, she was rebuilt for colonial duties and additional anti-aircraft guns were installed. She saw no significant action during [[World War II]] until the Italian surrender, which ended Italy's participation in the war. She was scuttled by the Italian Navy, captured and raised by the Germans, and sunk by Allied bombers in October 1943. The Germans raised the ship again, which was sunk a second time by bombers in September 1944. {{lang|it|Taranto}} was finally broken up for scrap in 1946–1947.

==Design==
{{main|Magdeburg-class cruiser}}
[[File:Magdeburg-class plan and profile.png|thumb|left|Plan and profile of the ''Magdeburg'' class]]

The {{sclass|Magdeburg|cruiser|1}}s were designed in response to the development of the British {{sclass|Invincible|battlecruiser}}s, which were faster than all existing German light cruisers. As a result, speed of the new ships must be increased. To accomplish this, more powerful engines were fitted and their [[hull (watercraft)|hulls]] were lengthened to improve their hydrodynamic efficiency. These changes increased top speed from {{convert|25.5|to|27|kn|lk=in}} over the preceding {{sclass|Kolberg|cruiser|1}}s. To save weight, [[longitudinal framing]] was adopted for the first time in a major German warship design. In addition, the {{lang|de|Magdeburg}}s were the first cruisers to carry [[belt armor]], which was necessitated by the adoption of more powerful {{convert|6|in|adj=on}} guns in the latest British cruisers.{{sfn|Dodson & Nottelmann|pp=137–138}}

[[File:SMS Stralsund Modell.jpg|thumb|left|Model of a {{lang|de|Magdeburg}}-class cruiser in the {{lang|de|Marinemuseum}} in [[Dänholm]]]]

{{lang|de|Strassburg}} was {{convert|138.70|m|ftin|abbr=on|sp=us}} [[length overall|long overall]] and had a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|13.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}} and a [[draft (hull)|draft]] of {{convert|4.25|m|ftin|abbr=on}} forward. She [[displacement (ship)|displaced]] {{cvt| 4564|t|LT|lk=on}} normally and up to {{convert|5281|t|LT|abbr=on}} at [[full-load displacement|full load]]. The ship had a short [[forecastle]] deck and a minimal [[superstructure]] that consisted primarily of a [[conning tower]] located on the forecastle. She was fitted with two pole [[mast (sailing)|masts]] with platforms for [[searchlight]]s. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} had a crew of 18 officers and 336 enlisted men.{{sfn|Gröner|pp=107–108}}

Her propulsion system consisted of two sets of Marine-type [[steam turbine]]s driving two [[screw propeller]]s. They were designed to give {{convert|25000|PS|kW shp|lk=on|-1}}, but reached {{convert|33482|PS|kW shp|abbr=on}} in service. These were powered by sixteen coal-fired Marine-type [[water-tube boiler]]s, although they were later altered to use [[fuel oil]] that was sprayed on the coal to increase its burn rate. The boilers were vented through four [[funnel (ship)|funnels]] located [[amidships]]. These gave the ship a top speed of {{convert|27.5|kn}}. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} carried {{cvt|1200|t|LT|0}} of coal, and an additional {{cvt|106|t|LT}} of oil that gave her a range of approximately {{convert|5820|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|12|kn}}.{{sfn|Gröner|pp=107–108}}

The ship was armed with a [[main battery]] of twelve [[10.5 cm SK L/45 naval gun|{{cvt|10.5|cm}} SK L/45 guns]] in single pedestal mounts. Two were placed side by side forward on the forecastle, eight were located on the [[broadside (naval)|broadside]], four on either side, and two were side by side aft. The guns had a maximum elevation of 30&nbsp;degrees, which allowed them to engage targets out to {{convert|12700|m|yd|abbr=on}}.{{sfn|Campbell & Sieche|pp=140, 159}} They were supplied with 1,800 rounds of ammunition, for 150 shells per gun. She was also equipped with a pair of {{convert|50|cm|abbr=on|1}} [[torpedo tube]]s with five [[torpedo]]es; the tubes were submerged in the hull on the broadside. She could also carry 120 [[naval mine|mines]]. In 1915, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was completely rearmed, replacing the 10.5&nbsp;cm guns with seven [[15 cm SK L/45|{{convert|15|cm|in|1|abbr=on}} SK L/45 gun]]s, two [[8.8 cm SK L/45 naval gun|{{convert|8.8|cm|in|1|abbr=on}} SK L/45 gun]]s, and two deck-mounted 50&nbsp;cm torpedo tubes.{{sfn|Gröner|p=107}}

{{lang|de|Strassburg}} was protected by a waterline [[armor belt]] and a curved armor deck. The deck was flat across most of the hull, but angled downward at the sides and connected to the bottom edge of the belt. The belt and deck were both {{convert|60|mm|abbr=on}} thick. The conning tower had {{convert|100|mm|abbr=on}} thick sides.{{sfn|Gröner|p=107}}{{sfn|Campbell & Sieche|p=159}}

==Service history==
[[File:SMS Strassburg underway.png|thumb|{{lang|de|Strassburg}} underway]]

{{lang|de|Strassburg}} was ordered under the contract name {{lang|de|[[Ersatz]]}} {{SMS|Condor||2}},{{efn|German warships were ordered under provisional names. Additions to the fleet were given a single letter; ships intended to replace older or lost vessels were ordered as "{{lang|de|Ersatz}} (name of the ship to be replaced)".{{sfn|Dodson 2016|pp=8–9}}}} and was [[keel laying|laid down]] at the {{lang|de|[[Kaiserliche Werft Wilhelmshaven|Kaiserliche Werft]]}} (Imperial Shipyard) in [[Wilhelmshaven]] in October 1910 and [[ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 24 August 1911, and [[Rudolf Schwander]], the major of [[Strasbourg|her namesake city]], gave a speech at her launching ceremony. After her launching, [[fitting-out]] work commenced, including the installation of her engines, which were the first set of turbines designed by the {{lang|de|Kaiserliche Werft}}. She was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] into active service on 1 October 1912 under the command of {{lang|de|[[Fregattenkapitän]]}} (FK—Frigate Captain) [[Wilhelm Tägert]]. After completing initial [[sea trials]], she was assigned to the Reconnaissance Unit on 23 December, taking the place of the older cruiser {{SMS|Berlin||2}}. At that time, Tägert was replaced by FK&nbsp;Wilhelm Paschen. On 6 January, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was accidentally rammed by the Danish steamer {{SS|Christian IX||2}}, which was passing through the wrong side of the canal entrance. This delayed {{lang|de|Strassburg}}{{'}}s arrival for training exercises with the rest of her unit until 23 February.{{sfn|Gröner|pp=107–108}}{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|pp=205–206}}

{{lang|de|Strassburg}} spent the first year of service overseas, from 1913 to 1914.{{sfn|Gröner|p=108}} She was first sent abroad on 6 April, when she sailed in company with the light cruiser {{SMS|Dresden|1907|2}} for the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. She arrived in [[Valletta]], [[Malta]], on 13 April, where she joined the [[Mediterranean Division]], commanded by {{lang|de|[[Konteradmiral]]}} (Rear Admiral) [[Konrad Trummler]] aboard the battlecruiser {{SMS|Goeben||2}}. From there, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} steamed to visit [[Alexandretta]] in the [[Ottoman Empire]], followed by a stop in [[Constantinople]], the Ottoman capital, in early May. By early June, she had entered the [[Adriatic Sea]] and stopped in [[Venice]] and [[Naples]], Italy, and [[Pula|Pola]] in the [[Austro-Hungarian Empire]]. Later in June, the ship moved to the [[Aegean Sea]] and later cruised in the eastern Mediterranean, including off the coast of [[Ottoman Syria]]. Having stopped in Alexandretta again in early September, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} got underway to return to Germany on 9 September. She arrived in Kiel two weeks later, anchoring in the harbor on 23 September.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|p=206}}

She was then [[dry dock]]ed for an overhaul after her voyage abroad, during which FK&nbsp;[[Heinrich Retzmann]] relieved Paschen. The work was completed by 8 December, when she was selected to participate in a long-distance cruise to test the reliability of the new turbine propulsion system in the battleships {{SMS|Kaiser|1911|2}} and {{SMS|König Albert||2}}. The three ships were organized in a special "Detached Division", under the command of {{lang|de|Konteradmiral}} [[Hubert von Rebeur-Paschwitz]]. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} got underway on 8 December and met the two battleships at sea the following day; they proceeded to the German colonies in western Africa by way of the [[Canary Islands]]. The ships visited [[Lomé]] in [[Togoland]], [[Douala|Duala]] and Victoria in [[Kamerun]], and [[Swakopmund]] in [[German South-West Africa]]. They then sailed south to [[Cape Town]] in [[British South Africa]]. From there, the ships sailed to [[St. Helena]] in the South Atlantic and then on to [[Rio de Janeiro]], arriving on 15 February 1914. Rebeur-Paschwitz came aboard {{lang|de|Strassburg}}, which was detached to visit [[Buenos Aires]], Argentina for an official visit. While there, Rebeur-Paschwitz fell ill and had to go ashore to be hospitalized, so {{lang|de|Strassburg}} departed without him on 12 March to meet the two battleships in [[Montevideo]], Uruguay. After Rebeur-Paschwitz returned from the hospital, the three ships sailed south around [[Cape Horn]] and then north to [[Valparaiso]], Chile, arriving on 2 April and remaining for over a week.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|pp=205–206}}{{sfn|Staff 2010|pp=10–11}}

On 11 April, the ships departed Valparaiso for the long journey back to Germany. On the return trip, the ships visited several more ports, including [[Bahía Blanca]], Argentina, before returning to Rio de Janeiro. On 16 May, the two battleships left Rio de Janeiro for the Atlantic leg of the journey to sail directly back to Germany; they arrived in Kiel on 17 June 1914. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was detached to proceed independently, by way of the [[West Indies]]. She assisted the German steamer {{SS|Mecklenburg||2}}, which had run aground in the area, and then proceeded to the Dominican Republic to pressure the Dominican government over a disagreement with Germany. In the course of the voyage, the ships traveled some {{convert|20000|nmi|sp=us}}. She was anchored at [[Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands|Saint Thomas]] on 20 July when she received orders to return home. She reached [[Horta, Azores|Horta]] in the [[Azores]] on 27 July, and the next day sailed at top speed to pass through the [[English Channel]] with her lights dimmed owing to the [[July Crisis]] that threatened to instigate a major war in Europe. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} arrived in Wilhelmshaven on 1 August, the day the German military [[mobilization|mobilized]] at the start of [[World War I]].{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|p=206}}{{sfn|Staff 2010|p=11}}

===World War I===
====1914====
[[File:Die_Gefechte_der_"Straßburg".jpg|thumb|right|German sketch showing maneuvers and actions of {{lang|de|Strassburg}} at the Battle of Helgoland; the left silhouette is {{lang|de|Strassburg}}]]

{{lang|de|Strassburg}} joined [[II Scouting Group]] at the start of the conflict. Late on 17 August, some two weeks after the outbreak of World War I, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} and {{SMS|Stralsund||2}} sortied to  conduct a sweep into the [[Hoofden]] to search for British reconnaissance forces. They were accompanied by the [[U-boat]]s [[SM U-19 (Germany)|''U-19'']] and [[SM U-24|''U-24'']], which were to ambush any British forces that counter-attacked. Early the following morning, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} spotted a pair of British [[submarine]]s, {{HMS|E5}} and {{HMS|E7||2}}. She opened fire on the submarines, but they submerged before she scored any hits. The two cruisers then encountered a group of sixteen British [[destroyer]]s and a light cruiser at a distance of about {{convert|10000|m|abbr=on}}. Significantly outnumbered, the two German cruisers broke contact and returned to port.{{sfn|Scheer|p=42}}{{sfn|Staff 2011|pp=2–3}} {{lang|de|Strassburg}} joined the cruiser {{SMS|Rostock||2}} for another sweep on 21–22 August to sink British [[fishing trawler]] in the [[Dogger Bank]] area.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|p=206}}

{{lang|de|Strassburg}} was heavily engaged at the [[Battle of Heligoland Bight (1914)|Battle of Heligoland Bight]] less than two weeks later, on 28 August. British battlecruisers and [[light cruiser]]s raided the German reconnaissance screen commanded by [[Rear Admiral]] [[Leberecht Maass]] in the [[Heligoland Bight]]. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was at that time moored in Wilhelmshaven, and she was the first German cruiser to leave port to reinforce the German reconnaissance forces, departing at 09:10. She was joined soon thereafter by the light cruiser {{SMS|Cöln|1909|2}} at 09:30; they were ordered to pursue the British light forces that had by then begun withdrawing. At 11:00, she encountered the badly damaged British cruiser {{HMS|Arethusa|1913|6}}, which had been hit several times by {{SMS|Stettin||2}} and {{SMS|Frauenlob||2}}. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} attacked ''Arethusa'', but was driven off by the 1st Destroyer Flotilla. She lost contact with the British in the mist, but located them again after 13:10 from the sound of British gunfire that destroyed the cruiser {{SMS|Mainz||2}}. Along with {{lang|de|Cöln}}, she badly damaged three British destroyers—{{HMS|Laertes|1913|2}}, {{HMS|Laurel|1913|2}}, and {{HMS|Liberty|1913|2}}—before being driven off again. In return, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was hit by a single {{convert|6|in|adj=on|0}} shell that struck above her belt armor and exploded, but did little damage. Shortly thereafter, the British battlecruisers intervened and sank {{SMS|Ariadne||2}} and Maass's [[flagship]] {{lang|de|Cöln}}. As {{lang|de|Strassburg}} withdrew, she had a close encounter with the British battlecruisers, but the British mistook her for one of their own cruisers in the hazy conditions. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} and the rest of the surviving light cruisers retreated into the haze and were reinforced by the battlecruisers of [[I Scouting Group]].{{sfn|Bennett|pp=145–150}}{{sfn|Staff 2011|pp=11, 13–16, 24}}

In early September, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} moved to the [[Baltic Sea]] for an operation in company with the large armored cruiser {{SMS|Blücher||2}} that lasted from 3 to 6 September. She then returned to operations in the North Sea, and she participated in the [[raid on Yarmouth]] on 2–3 November. The ships of II Scouting Group carried out another sweep into the North Sea on 10 December that failed to locate any British forces.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|p=206}} {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was present during the [[raid on Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby]] on 15–16 December, as part of the screening force for the battlecruisers of Rear Admiral [[Franz von Hipper]]'s I Scouting Group. After completing the bombardment of the towns, the Germans began to withdraw, though British forces moved to intercept them. {{lang|de|Strassburg}}, two of the other screening cruisers, and two flotillas of [[torpedo boat]]s steamed between two British squadrons. In the heavy mist, which reduced visibility to less than {{convert|4000|yd|abbr=on}}, only her sister ship {{lang|de|Stralsund}} was spotted, though only briefly. The Germans were able to use the bad weather to cover their withdrawal.{{sfn|Tarrant|pp=31, 34}}

====1915–1916====
{{lang|de|Strassburg}} covered a minelaying operation off the [[Amrun Bank]] on 3 January 1915, followed by another in company with {{lang|de|Stralsund}} on 14 January off the [[Humber]]. Two days later, she was dry docked at Wilhelmshaven for periodic maintenance, and so she was not present for the operation that resulted in the [[Battle of Dogger Bank (1915)|Battle of Dogger Bank]] on 24 January. Work on the ship was completed by 31 January. The ships of II Scouting Group were sent to the Baltic on 17 March for an operation in the area of [[Åland]] that lasted from 21 to 24 March. By 9 April, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} and the other cruisers had returned to the North Sea. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} covered a mine-laying operation off the [[Swarte Bank]] on 17–18 April, and another off the Dogger Bank on 17–18 May. She joined the rest of the High Seas Fleet for a sweep into the North Sea on 29–30 May, which ended without encountering British vessels. She next participated in two patrols to inspect fishing boats off [[Terschelling]] and [[Horns Rev]] on 28 June and 2 July, respectively.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|pp=206–207}}

On 14 July, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was dry docked at the {{lang|de|[[Kaiserliche Werft Kiel|Kaiserliche Werft]]}} in [[Kiel]] to be rearmed with 15&nbsp;cm guns; she was the first German light cruiser to be so rearmed. Work lasted until 18 October, and she also received a pair of 50&nbsp;cm torpedo tubes on her main deck during the refit. Two days later, the ship arrived back in the North Sea and rejoined II Scouting Group. Shortly thereafter, she sortied for another fleet sweep into the North Sea on 23–24 October. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} and the rest of II&nbsp;Scouting Group patrolled the [[Skagerrak]] and [[Kattegat]] for enemy merchant shipping from 16 to 18 December. That month, Retzmann left the ship, being replaced by FK Hans-Carl von Schlick. Another fleet sweep toward the Hoofden took place from 5 to 7 March 1916.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|pp=205, 207}}

On 18 March, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was transferred to [[VI Scouting Group]], which was based in the Baltic and operated in the naval campaign against Russian forces. Beginning in April, she was occupied with a series of minelaying operations in the [[Gulf of Finland]]. The ship next participated in a pair of sweeps toward [[Bogskär]] on 17–18 July and 16–17 August. The rest of 1916 passed uneventfully for {{lang|de|Strassburg}} at Libau. She departed from that port on 17 January 1917 for an overhaul period at the [[AG Weser]] shipyard in [[Bremen]]. The work lasted nearly three months, and she arrived back in Libau on 7 April. She participated in four minelaying operations later that month.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|p=207}}

====Operation Albion====
[[File:Operation Albion Map.jpg|thumb|Map of German movements during [[Operation Albion]]]]

{{main|Operation Albion}}

{{lang|de|Strassburg}} and the rest of VI Scouting Group next saw action during [[Operation Albion]] against the Russian naval forces in the [[Gulf of Riga]] in October. While preparations for the operation were underway in September, Schlick was temporarily transferred to command the transport fleet, as he had prior experience with naval logistics. {{lang|de|Strassburg}}{{'}}s [[executive officer]], FK&nbsp;[[Hans Quaet-Faslem]], temporarily took command of the ship.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|pp=205, 207}} At 06:00 on 14 October 1917, {{lang|de|Strassburg}}, {{SMS|Kolberg||2}}, and {{SMS|Augsburg||2}} left [[Liepāja|Libau]] to escort minesweeping operations in the Gulf of Riga. They were attacked by Russian {{convert|12|in|adj=on|0}} coastal guns on their approach and were temporarily forced to turn away. By 08:45, however, they had anchored off the [[Miķeļbāka|Mikailovsk Bank]] and the minesweepers began to clear a path in the minefields.{{sfn|Staff 2008|pp=4, 60}}

Two days later, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} and {{lang|de|Kolberg}} joined the [[dreadnought]]s {{SMS|König||2}} and {{SMS|Kronprinz|1914|2}} for a sweep of the Gulf of Riga. In the ensuing [[Battle of Moon Sound]] that began on the morning of 17 October, the battleships destroyed the old [[pre-dreadnought]] {{ship|Russian battleship|Slava||2}} and forced the pre-dreadnought {{ship|Soviet battleship|Grazhdanin||2}} to leave the Gulf. On 21 October, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} and the battleship {{SMS|Markgraf||2}} were tasked with assaulting the island of [[Kyno (island)|Kyno]]. The two ships bombarded the island; {{lang|de|Strassburg}} expended approximately 55 rounds on the port of [[Salacgrīva|Salismünde]]. Four days later, she bombarded Salismünde, Kyno, and [[Hainasch]] again.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|p=207}}{{sfn|Staff 2008|pp=102–103, 113–114, 145–147}}

On 31 October, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} carried General [[Adolf von Seckendorff]], the first military governor of the captured islands, from Libau to [[Kuressaare|Arensburg]]. The following day, she embarked General [[Hugo von Kathen]], the commander of the landing force, along with his staff to be carried back to Libau. In November, Schlick returned to command of the cruiser, though later that month he was replaced by FK&nbsp;Paul Reichardt.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|pp=205, 207}}

====End of the war====
With the strategic situation in the Baltic altered significantly in Germany's favor by the end of 1917, much of its naval forces could be withdrawn. On 14 December, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} left Libau for Kiel for periodic maintenance, during which some consideration was given to converting the ship into an [[aircraft carrier]], though this was not carried out. While work was still underway, the ship was assigned to the High Seas Fleet, and on 4 April, she arrived at her new unit, [[IV Scouting Group]]. The unit was led by {{lang|de|[[Kommodore]]}} [[Johannes von Karpf]] aboard his flagship, the cruiser {{SMS|Regensburg||2}}. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} next participated in the fleet operation on 23–24 April.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|p=207}} This operation envisioned intercepting one of the [[convoy]]s between Britain and Norway, which were being escorted by detached squadrons of the British [[Grand Fleet]]. The operation was cancelled after the battlecruiser {{SMS|Moltke||2}} slipped one of her propellers, temporarily leaving her dead in the water. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was the nearest vessel, and was first to come alongside and attempt to take her under tow. Her towline broke, and the battleship {{SMS|Oldenburg||2}} took over the tow. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} remained with the ships as an escort during their return to port, only returning to the main body of the fleet later. In any event, German intelligence had failed to correctly identify when the next convoy sailed, and the High Seas Fleet returned to port empty-handed.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|p=207}}{{sfn|Massie|pp=747–748}}

[[File:SMS Strassburg NH 92631.jpg|thumb|left|{{lang|de|Strassburg}} (or her sister {{SMS|Stralsund||2}}) at sea, in 1915 or 1916]]

{{lang|de|Strassburg}} took part in several minelaying operations in the North Sea in May and June. In August, she and the rest of IV Scouting Group were assigned to the naval component of [[Operation Schlußstein]], a planned amphibious assault on [[St Petersburg]], Russia. The ships, led by {{lang|de|Stralsund}}, moved to Libau on 18 August, and then proceeded on to Finland, stopping in [[Helsingfors]] (Helsinki) and then [[Primorsk, Leningrad Oblast|Koivisto]]. From there, they sailed for [[Reval]] (Tallinn). The ships alternated at Koivisto, patrolling to guard the German forces during preparations for the attack. {{lang|de|Strassburg}} remained at Koivisto from 9 to 17 September, returning thereafter to Reval. The operation was cancelled soon thereafter, and {{lang|de|Strassburg}} returned to the North Sea, passing through [[Åbo]] (Turku), [[Mariehamn]], Reval, and Libau before arriving on 1 October.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|p=207}}

In late October, {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was to participate in a [[Naval order of 24 October 1918|final, climactic attack]] by the High Seas Fleet. Admirals [[Reinhard Scheer]] and Hipper intended to inflict as much damage as possible on the British navy, in order to secure a better bargaining position for Germany, whatever the cost to the fleet.{{sfn|Tarrant|pp=280–282}} On the morning of 27 October, days before the operation was scheduled to begin, around 45 crew members from {{lang|de|Strassburg}}{{'}}s engine room slipped over the side of the ship and went into Wilhelmshaven. The crewmen had to be rounded up and returned to the ship, after which the IV Scouting Group moved to [[Cuxhaven]]. Here, men from all six cruisers in the unit refused to work in protest of the war, and in support of the [[armistice]] proposed by [[Prince Maximilian of Baden|Prince Maximilian]]. On the morning of 29 October 1918, the order was given to sail from Wilhelmshaven the following day. Starting on the night of 29 October, sailors on {{SMS|Thüringen||2}} and then on several other battleships [[Wilhelmshaven mutiny|mutinied]]. The unrest ultimately forced Hipper and Scheer to cancel the operation.{{sfn|Woodward|pp=118–119}}{{sfn|Tarrant|pp=280–282}}

In an attempt to suppress the unrest, the fleet was dispersed, and {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was sent to Cuxhaven on 30 October. From there, they moved to Kiel in early November, and {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was sent to [[Sonderburg]], north of Kiel. From there, the ships were moved again, this time to [[Sassnitz]] on 11 November.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|p=207}} {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was joined by the cruiser {{SMS|Brummer||2}} in Sassnitz. There, the commander of {{lang|de|Strassburg}} took command of the naval forces in the port and invited a sailor's council to be formed to assist in controlling the forces there.{{sfn|Woodward|p=167}} The [[Armistice of 11 November 1918|armistice that ended the war]] took effect that day, and {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was disarmed there in accordance with Germany's surrender. Her crew was also reduced at that time. She was not included in the list of ships that were interned at [[Scapa Flow]]. On 20 March 1919, the ship received a full crew, and she became the flagship of the Minesweeping Unit of the Black Sea, an organization created on 24 March to clear the numerous minefields laid by German and Russian forces in the Baltic. This service continued for a year, until the [[Kapp Putsch]] of March 1920. After the war, Germany hoped to retain {{lang|de|Strassburg}} for further service in the reorganized {{lang|de|[[Reichsmarine]]}}, but the Allies demanded the vessel be surrendered as a replacement for the ships that had been sunk in the [[scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Flow]]. On 17 March, the German naval command issued an order striking the ship from the [[naval register]], to be effective as soon as she was decommissioned, which took place on 4 June.{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|pp=207–208}}

===Italian service===
{{lang|de|Strassburg}} was ceded to Italy as a [[war prize]], and she departed Germany on 14 July in company with three other cruisers and four torpedo boats. They arrived in France on 19–20 July. She was transferred under the name "O" on 20 July in the French port of [[Cherbourg]].{{sfn|Hildebrand, Röhr, & Steinmetz|p=208}}{{sfn|Dodson & Cant|p=45}} {{lang|de|Strassburg}} was commissioned into the Italian {{lang|it|[[Regia Marina]]}} (Royal Navy) on 2 June 1925 and her name was changed to {{lang|it|Taranto}}, initially classed as a scout. Her two 8.8&nbsp;cm anti-aircraft guns were replaced with two Italian 3-inch /40 anti-aircraft guns.{{sfn|Fraccaroli|p=264}}{{sfn|Brescia|p=105}} Her refit took longer to complete than any of the other ex-German or ex-Austro-Hungarian cruisers Italy received after the war, and she did not return to active service until June 1925.{{sfn|Dodson & Cant|pp=61–62}} She also had her superfiring 15&nbsp;cm gun moved amidships, but in 1926 it was moved back to clear room for a platform to hold a scout plane. She initially carried a [[Macchi M.7]] [[flying boat]], which was later replaced by a [[CANT 25AR]] flying boat.{{sfn|Dodson 2017|p=153}}

From May 1926, {{lang|it|Taranto}} was deployed to the [[Red Sea]] to patrol [[Italian East Africa]], where she served as the flagship of the colonial flotilla there. She remained there until January 1927. {{lang|it|Taranto}} was reclassified as a cruiser on 19 July 1929, and that year she joined the other two ex-German cruisers, {{ship|Italian cruiser|Ancona||2}} and {{ship|Italian cruiser|Bari||2}} and the ex-German destroyer {{ship|Italian torpedo boat|Premuda||2}} as the Scout Division of the 1st Squadron, based in [[La Spezia]]. In 1931, her M.7 seaplane was replaced with the CANT 24AR seaplane. Another tour in East Africa followed from September 1935 to 1936. After returning to Italy, she underwent a refit that involved removing her forward two boilers and the funnel that vented them. This reduced her power to {{cvt|13000|shp}} and top speed to {{cvt|21|kn}},{{sfn|Brescia|p=105}}{{sfn|Dodson 2017|pp=153–154}} though by [[World War II]] only {{convert|18|kn}} could be maintained. Eight {{convert|20|mm|abbr=on}} /65 and ten [[Breda Model 1931 Machine Gun|{{convert|13.2|mm|abbr=on}} machine guns]] were added for close-range anti-aircraft defense.{{sfn|Fraccaroli|p=264}}

In 1940, after Italy formally entered the war, ''Taranto'' and ''Bari'' were only suitable for secondary roles; as a result, they were stationed in the Adriatic at Taranto. There, they carried out mining operations and coastal bombardments.{{sfn|Dodson & Cant|p=63}} In early July 1940, {{lang|it|Taranto}}, the [[auxiliary cruiser]] {{ship|Italian auxiliary cruiser|Barletta||2}}, the minelayer {{ship|Italian minelayer|Vieste||2}}, and the destroyers {{ship|Italian destroyer|Carlo Mirabello||2}} and {{ship|Italian destroyer|Augusto Riboty||2}} laid a series of minefields in the Gulf of Taranto and in the southern Adriatic, totaling 2,335 mines.{{sfn|Rohwer|p=26}} She was thereafter assigned to the {{lang|it|Forza Navale Speciale}} (Special Naval Force) along with the other ex-German cruiser still in Italian service, {{lang|it|Bari}}. The ''FNS'' was slated to take part in an amphibious invasion of the British island of Malta in 1942, but the operation was cancelled.{{sfn|Brescia|p=105}}

{{lang|it|Taranto}} was transferred to Livorno on 26 February and reduced to a [[training ship]].{{sfn|Dodson 2017|pp=154–155}}  The navy made plans to convert both {{lang|it|Taranto||}} and {{lang|it|Bari||}} into anti-aircraft cruisers in 1943, but the plans came to nothing.{{sfn|Dodson & Cant|p=63}} She was decommissioned in December 1942 in La Spezia and was scuttled there on 9 September 1943 a day after the [[Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces|armistice that ended the war for Italy]] was declared to prevent her from being seized by the Germans, who rapidly moved to occupy the country after Italy surrendered. The Germans captured the ship and re-floated her, though she was sunk by Allied bombers on 23 October. The Germans re-floated the ship again, and again she was sunk by bombers, on 23 September 1944 in the outer La Spezia [[roadstead]], where the Germans had moved the hulk to block one of the entrances to the [[Gulf of La Spezia]]. {{lang|it|Taranto}} was ultimately raised and broken up for scrap in 1946–1947.{{sfn|Fraccaroli|p=264}}{{sfn|Brescia|p=105}}

== Notes ==

===Footnotes===
{{notes}}

===Citations===
{{reflist|20em}}

==References==
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* {{cite book
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* {{cite book
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  }}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://www.marina.difesa.it/noi-siamo-la-marina/mezzi/mezzi-storici/Pagine/TUVZ/taranto.aspx Taranto] Marina Militare website

{{Portal bar|Italy|Germany|Engineering}}
{{Magdeburg-class light cruisers}}
{{September 1943 shipwrecks}}
{{October 1943 shipwrecks}}
{{September 1944 shipwrecks}}
{{coord missing|Mediterranean}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strassburg}}
[[Category:Magdeburg-class cruisers]]
[[Category:Ships built in Wilhelmshaven]]
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[[Category:World War I cruisers of Germany]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in September 1943]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in October 1943]]
[[Category:Cruisers sunk by aircraft]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in September 1944]]
[[Category:Scuttled vessels]]
[[Category:Cruisers of the Regia Marina]]