▁vessels , ▁beginning ▁with ▁several ▁un protected ▁cru is ers , ▁they ▁were ▁frequently ▁converted ▁into ▁training ▁ships . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁training ▁in ▁German ▁waters , ▁this ▁role ▁involved ▁over se as ▁training ▁cru ises , ▁typically ▁to ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁and ▁the ▁West ▁Ind ies . ▁While ▁on ▁these ▁cru ises , ▁the ▁ships ▁were ▁frequently ▁called ▁to ▁carry ▁out ▁the ▁same ▁respons ib ilities ▁as ▁front - line ▁war ships , ▁protect ing ▁Germ ans ▁during ▁periods ▁of ▁un rest ▁in ▁foreign ▁countries ▁and ▁showing ▁the ▁flag . ▁Most ▁of ▁the ▁cor v ettes ▁were ▁sold ▁for ▁sc rap ▁between ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁but ▁two ▁were ▁lost ▁in ▁acc idents ; ▁August a ▁was ▁s unk ▁by ▁a ▁cy clone ▁in ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁A den ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁and ▁the ▁B ism ar ck - class ▁ship ▁ ▁was ▁w reck ed ▁in ▁a ▁storm ▁off ▁M ál aga ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 . ▁N ix e , ▁the ▁last ▁surv iving ▁ship ▁of ▁the ▁type , ▁was ▁converted ▁into ▁a ▁l ighter ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁and ▁was ▁ultimately ▁broken ▁up ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 0 . ▁ ▁N ym phe ▁class ▁ ▁As ▁early ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 8 5 0 s , ▁the ▁Pr uss ian ▁Navy ▁began ▁to ▁make ▁prepar ations ▁for ▁a ▁naval ▁expansion ▁program , ▁starting ▁with ▁the