 Admiral Scheer 's first overseas deployment began in July 1936 when she was sent to Spain to evacuate German civilians caught in the midst of the Spanish Civil War . From 8 August 1936 she served together with her sister ship Deutschland on non @-@ intervention patrols off the Republican @-@ held coast of Spain . She served four tours of duty with the non @-@ intervention patrol through June 1937 . Her official objective was to control the influx of war materiel into Spain , though she also recorded Soviet ships carrying supplies to the Republicans and protected ships delivering German weapons to Nationalist forces . During the deployment to Spain , Ernst Lindemann served as the ship 's first gunnery officer . After Deutschland was attacked on 29 May 1937 by Spanish Republican Air Force aircraft off Ibiza , Admiral Scheer was ordered to bombard the Republican @-@ held port of Almería in reprisal . On 31 May 1937 , the anniversary of the Battle of Jutland , Admiral Scheer , flying the Imperial War Flag , arrived off Almería at 07 : 29 and opened fire on shore batteries , naval installations and ships in the harbor . On 26 June 1937 , she was relieved by her sister ship Admiral Graf Spee , allowing her to return to Wilhelmshaven on 1 July . She returned to the Mediterranean between August and October , however . In September 1936 KzS Otto Ciliax replaced Marschall as the ship 's commanding officer . 
