SMS Kaiser Barbarossa with of armor plating, and the secondary casemates received of armor protection. Kaiser Wilhelm II, the Emperor of Germany, believed that a strong navy was necessary for the country to expand its influence outside continental Europe. As a result, he initiated a program of naval expansion in the late 1880s; the first battleships built under this program were the four "Brandenburg"-class ships. These were immediately followed by the five "Kaiser Friedrich III"-class battleships, of which "Kaiser Barbarossa" was a member. "Kaiser Barbarossa"s keel was laid down on 3 August 1898, at the Schichau-Werke in Danzig, under construction number 640. She
Kaiser Wilhelm Bridge Kaiser Wilhelm Bridge The Kaiser Wilhelm Bridge ( or "Emperor William Bridge") is a swing bridge in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, and the town's landmark. The Kaiser Wilhelm Bridge connects the beach ("Südstrandpromenade") with the South Quarter. Construction began in 1905, and at its completion in 1907 it was Europe's longest swing bridge. The design scheme was created by Ernst Troschel, construction was executed by MAN Nuremberg. In 1998 the rotary mechanics of the southern part of the bridge were damaged when a tugboat collided with a frigate and had to be partially repaired. In 2003, a cargo ship rammed and slightly