The last ship of the first class of German "Dreadnought" battleships was
Ersatz Baden/Posen. The keel for Posen was laid on 11 June 1907 at the
Germania Dockyard in Kiel and launching followed on 12 December 1908.
The President of the Prussian province of Posen, von Waldow, gave the
christening speech and the christening was performed by Fürstin
(Princess) Johanna von Radolin. Posen was named after the Prussian
Province from 1772 to 1919, and today is known as Poznan province in
Poland. On 28 April 1910 Posen was transferred from her construction
yard to Kiel Imperial Dockyard and on 31 May was commissioned for the
first time. The first pre-trials began on 18 July 1910.