The raider KMS Kormoran, also known as Schiff (Ship) 41, was the seventh and largest to enter service. Kormoran was originally the freighter Steiermark and built in 1938 by Krupp. The ship was converted to an auxiliary cruiser in 1940 and began her 352-day long cruise on 3 December 1940 under the command of captain Theodor Detmers.
Kormoran was by far the most modern auxiliary cruiser of her time. She was built of the Maierform construction and had good handling qualities. She had a brand new radar set (the first on a raider), a diesel-electric engine capable of propelling the ship at 18 knots, a gyro compass, a pool for the crew and a fast motor minelayer, LS 3.
Detmers took his ship through the Denmark Strait and scored his first hit on 6 January 1941 when he sank the Greek Antonis. He sank or captured his next seven victims in the mid-Atlantic, in the narrowest part of the Ocean between South America and Africa.
Life on board for the crew and prisoners was not too bad. A movie was shown everyday and the theater was always full despite the intolerable heat. Detmers had to close the pool because his men ignored his warnings about sunburn. He also banned hard liquor on Kormoran -- the only times he drank beer were wheen he said goodbye to his prisoners, and, in a mate's birthday celebration after Kormoran was sunk (62 men drinking from 2 bottles). He would eat with his men in the mess too, to build a stronger bond with his crewmen.
Next Detmers turned to the Indian Ocean, where he cruised for two months without any success. Then he sank two ships on 26 June 1941. At the same time numerous problems showed up for the fancy diesel-electric engine. Almost three months later he sank his eleventh victim, the Greek Stamatios G. Embricos.
Detmers got tired of cruising aimlessly and decided to lay a minefield outside Perth. On 19 November 1941 Kormoran sighted and was sighted by the light cruiser HMAS Sydney. Kormoran was disguised as the Dutch Straat Malakka, which she resembled. Ignoring the potential danger of the 360 mines on board, Detmers ordered battle stations. Detmers could not give the secret code of his "Dutch" ship to Sydney, and replied with 5.9 inch shells instead, taking advantage of the fact that the Australians had took Sydney carelessly close to a strange ship. Sydney took a torpedo hit and her forward turrets were quickly put out of action. Nonetheless, Sydney registered several hits on Kormoran, whose engine was soon rendered useless. The Australians limped away from the scene after taking some fifty hits; Detmers watching his crippled opponent escape toward Australia.
Detmers ordered Kormoran scuttled, thinking that Sydney must have reported for help. However, nothing ever came. The Germans were eventually rescued by other ships and sent to Australia for internment. Sydney was presumed lost with all hands; the only thing retrieved was a damaged Carley float of the cruiser.

Click on one of the thumbnails below to view the full picture.
	Technical data and/or diagram of KMS Kormoran.
	An overview of the tactics used by the raiders that led to their enormous success.
	A map showing Kormoran's journey.
	Theodor Detmers (second from right, sitting) with officers of Kormoran in Australian prison camp.
	The auxiliary cruiser Kormoran meets a U-boat during an Atlantic rendezvous.
	HMAS Sydney, which was sunk by Kormoran.
	Kormoran with a smaller ship on her side.
	The motorship Steiermark being fitted out at the Friedrich Krupp Germania yard at Kiel.

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