Graf Spee
Graf Spee,Admiral, one of three German pocket battleships, built to evade treaty provisions intended to prevent Germany from having big-gun ships. They were of cruiser size, but had 11-inch (280-mm) guns. In World War II they attacked British shipping. On December 13, 1939, the Admiral Graf Spee was damaged by three British cruisers. It escaped to Montevideo, Uruguay, where it was scuttled by its crew.