German battleship Bismarck, 1940. Built from 1936 and launched in 1939, 'Bismarck' and its sister ship 'Tirpitz' were the largest German battleships of their time. They were built for use by the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) and used by Nazi Germany during World War II. 'Bismarck' was 251 metres long, with a draft of 9.3 metres. It had a crew of 2,065 and 64 anti-aircraft and naval guns. The 'Bismarck' destroyed the Royal Navy's HMS Hood on 24 May 1941, but was itself sunk around 560 kilometres west of Brest, France, by British ships on 27 May. Its wreck has been located and surveyed.