The second and last to be completed of a class of 4 “super dreadnoughts”, SMS Baden represented the culmination of German battleship development during the First World War. Completed too late to take part in the Battle of Jutland, the ship was commissioned as Fleet Flagship on 14th March 1917 and took part in the majority of fleet actions, but was destined to never fire her guns in anger. As a condition of the Amistice the main body of the German fleet was interred in Scapa Flow – originally Baden was not included in the list, but as the battlecruiser Mackensen was as yet incomplete, Baden was sent in her place on 7th January 1919.
Under the orders of Vice Admiral Reuter, Baden was scuttled with the rest of the fleet on 21st June 1919, however due to the quick action of the of the Royal Navy officers, the ship was beached and salvaged. Following thorough examination, the last German dreadnought was finally expended as a gunnery target off Portsmouth in August 1921.