Karlsruhe, a 6000-ton K?nigsberg class light cruiser, was built at Kiel, Germany. Commissioned in November 1929, she spent much of the next several years on training cruises that took her to much of the World. During her 1931 cruise to the Americas she became the first German warship to visit New York City since prior to World War I. In mid-decade Karlsruhe patrolled off Spain during that nation's civil war. The frequently rough seas in that region revealed structural deficiencies in the ships of her type, causing her to be restricted to German waters until she could be strengthened.

Rebuilt at Wilhelmshaven between June 1938 and November 1939, Karlsruhe missed the opening operations of the Second World War. She served in the Baltic after returning to active service and was assigned to attack the southern port city of Kristiansand during the German invasion of Norway. The cruiser, accompanied by several smaller warships, arrived off their target on the morning of 9 April 1940. Following a lengthy engagement with defensive coast artillery the German ships were able to land their troops and equipment and begin their departure. However, before they had gotten far from Kristiansand, Karlsruhe was torpedoed by the British submarine Truant and stopped. Though she might have been towed back into port, her damage control efforts were inadequate to the need. After her crew was taken off by her consorts, Karlsruhe was scuttled by one of the German torpedo boats.