April 26, 1935-The keel of Z11 Bernd von Arnim is laid down in Kiel.
July 8, 1936-The Bernd von Arnim is launched.
December 8, 1938-The Bernd von Arnim is commissioned and assigned to peacetime duties.
September 1, 1939-The Bernd von Arnim operates with Z1 Leberecht Maß in the Baltic Sea through the opening days of World War II.
September 20, 1939-The Bernd von Arnim is with the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla and helps fortify the 'Westwall'.
September 20, 1939-The Bernd von Arnim aids in the capture of two Danish freighters, before being ordered to return to Kiel on September 30.
October 6, 1939-The Bernd von Arnim joins the First Destroyer Flotilla and prepares to lure the British into a trap, where U-boats and aircraft could destroy most of the British fleet.
October 7, 1939-The Bernd von Arnim joins Gneisenau, Köln, and their destroyer escort.
October 8, 1939-The Bernd von Arnim reverses course, returning to Kiel on October 10.
November 17, 1939-The Bernd von Arnim takes part in a mining operation in the 'Junk' Channel with Z19 Hermann Künne and Z20 Karl Galster.
November 27 through November 28, 1939-The Bernd von Arnim engages in a minesweeping operation off the southern coast.
December 6, 1939-The Bernd von Arnim sails from the Jade as part of Destroyer Flotilla 4. The Flotilla sailed along grid maps from Jaid to 'Point I', then to the Fresian Islands ('Point II'), and continued on to 'Point III', forty miles off of the Shipwash. At this point, the destroyer developed engine problems, forcing two boilers out of commission.
December 7, 1939-The Bernd von Arnim is ordered to return to Bremerhaven after a boiler fan and a generator also failed. Upon arrival, the destroyer underwent repairs. The destroyer then is ordered for refitting in Kiel.
April 6, 1940-The Bernd von Arnim departs for Narvik after loading troops that would be used in Operation Weserübung.
April 8, 1940-While en route to Narvik, Bernd von Arnim's rudder fails, nearly sinking the destroyer in the rough seas. Later that day, Bernd von Arnim sights the British destroyer Glowworm. Bernd von Arnim begins searching for Admiral Hipper, the Glowworm shadowing the ship. Shortly afterwards, Bernd von Arnim sighted the Admiral Hipper, and the Glowworm laid a smoke screen and made one unsuccessful torpedo attack. The British destroyer was heavily damaged, but rammed the German cruiser, inflicting severe damage on the cruiser and sinking the destroyer.
April 9, 1940-The Bernd von Arnim was the first destroyer to enter Narvik, offloading the German soldiers at the Norweigan port.
April 10, 1940-The Bernd von Arnim, along with Z2 Georg Thiele, refuels at Balangen Fjord. The two destroyers engaged 5 British destroyers that had recently attacked Narvik, scoring hits on destroyers Hardy and Hotspur before being hit five times, forcing the destroyer to retreat.
April 10, 1940_The Bernd von Arnim undergoes temporary repairs until April 12, allowing the destroyer to be moderately prepared for battle.
April 13, 1940-The Bernd von Arnim is scuttled after all the destroyer's ammunition is expended in the Second Battle of Narvik.
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