German Battlecruiser Scharnhorst (1936) Country: Germany Type: Battlecruiser Service: 1939 - 1943 Ordered: 25 January 1934 Laid down: 15 June 1935 Launched: 3 October 1936 Commissioned: 7 January 1939 Fate: Sunk 26 December 1943

The two Scharnhorst class battlecruisers were the first capital ships built for the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) since World War I. They marked the beginning of German naval rearmament after the Treaty of Versailles. They were the first class of German ships to be officially classified by the Kriegsmarine as Schlachtschiff (battleship). Previous German battleships were classified as Linienschiffe (ship of the line) and Panzerschiffe (armoured ship). Their adversary, the Royal Navy, rated them as battlecruisers, although another adversary, the United States Navy, rated them as battleships; and in English language reference works either designation may be used.

Scharnhorst was a famous World War II capital ship, the lead of her class, referred to as either a light battleship or a battlecruiser of the German Kriegsmarine. Scharnhorst often sailed into battle accompanied by her sister-ship, Gneisenau. She was sunk after being engaged by Allied forces at the Battle of North Cape in December 1943.