German destroyer Z2 Georg Thiele

Sister ship Z1 Leberecht Maass
History
Germany
Name	Z2 Georg Thiele
Namesake	Georg Thiele
Ordered	7 July 1934
Builder	Deutsche Werke, Kiel
Laid down	25 October 1934
Launched	18 August 1935
Commissioned	27 February 1937
Identification	Z2
Fate	Beached, 13 April 1940
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type	Type 1934-class destroyer
Displacement	2,223 long tons (2,259 t) (standard) 3,156 long tons (3,207 t) (deep load)
Length	119 m (390 ft 5 in) o/a 114 m (374 ft 0 in) w/l
Beam	11.30 m (37 ft 1 in)
Draft	4.23 m (13 ft 11 in)
Installed power	70,000 PS (51,000 kW; 69,000 shp) 6 × water-tube boilers
Propulsion	2 shafts, 2 × geared steam turbines
Speed	36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Range	1,530 nmi (2,830 km; 1,760 mi) at 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph)
Complement	325
Armament	5 × single 12.7 cm (5 in) guns 2 × twin 3.7 cm (1.5 in) AA guns 6 × single 2 cm (0.8 in) AA guns 2 × quadruple 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes 60 mines 32–64 depth charges, launched from 4 throwers and 6 individual racks
Service record
Commanders:	Max-Eckart Wolff

The German destroyer Z2 Georg Thiele was one of four Type 1934-class destroyers built for the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) during the mid-1930s. She was named after Georg Thiele, a Korvettenkapitän (Corvette Captain) who commanded the Seventh Half Flotilla of torpedo boats. Completed in 1937, two years before the start of World War II, the ship spent most of her time training although she did participate in the occupation of Memel in early 1939.

At the beginning of World War II, the ship was initially deployed to blockade the Polish coast, but she was quickly transferred to the German Bight to lay minefields in German waters. During the early stages of the Norwegian Campaign, in April 1940, Z2 Georg Thiele fought in both naval Battles of Narvik, on 10 and 13 April, and had to be beached to allow her crew to abandon ship safely after she had been severely damaged by British fire. The ship, having broken up, is now a popular diving site.