@miraflores. Again many thanks-good link you provided, I can translate some of the text with my school german skills. As I can read from it, it seems that the use of SMS prefix continued also "after" the Kaiser time.
Well, I learned something today also! :-)

@IACSman
in german language:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiserliche_Marine

Prefix could have been SMS but I am not sure.
Rgds.
Juergen

@miraflores. Many thanks for info.
BTW-did the German imperial navy use any prefix? Up to end of WW1, when the Kaiser stood down?

@IACSman
Prefix of present german naval vessels is FGS

Rgds. Juergen

Yes, Pieter, KMS in indeed Kriegsmarine Schiff. Admin colleague has brought it into line with the titling guidance adopted some years ago to assist uniformity of approach and particularly searches:
http://www.shipspotting.com/support/faq.php?category=Military%20Ships

Although this does not explicitly apply to images that are not in Military Ships subcategories, it makes sense that it does. I have brought others on-site into line.

Did the German navy, either before or after 1933, use any prefix on their vessels? Officially? I have seen other prefix as DKM (Deutsche Kriegs Marine), but is (was) any of those prefixes officially? And does the current German navy use any prefix?
I'm just curious, not a Navy "nerd"... :-)

I think KMS is Kriegsmarine Schiff and it was not my idea to put it there. Because this is a wreck and not a naval ship in active service.

Can anyone here explain to me the words KMS in the name?
Juergen

Her Salvage in 1993

U-534 was raised from the Kattegat, between Denmark and Sweden, in 1993 and almost ended up in a scrapyard before being taken over by the Warship Preservation Trust. She was taken to England in May 1996 and put on display at the Nautilus Maritime Museum, Birkenhead until 2008. She was then cut into five pieces and moved to the Woodside Ferry Terminal across the river Mersey from Liverpool, and exhibited as part of a small museum by Merseytravel, the local transport executive.

Fate

Sunk at 1243hrs on 5 May 1945 in the Kattegat east of Anholt, in position 56.45N, 11.52E, by depth charges from a British Liberator aircraft (86 Sqn RAF/G). 3 dead and 49 survivors.

More info:
View the 3 war patrols

U-534 was first attacked by a Liberator (547 Sqn RAF/E), which was shot down with the loss of five of the crew of six. Then another Liberator (86 Sqn RAF/G) attacked. On the first run none of the depth charges detonated, but one lodged on the casing just aft of the conning tower. Explosions from near misses in the second run dislodged it, and it exploded beneath the hull.

All the crew escaped, but one died through exhaling while ascending to the surface from the sunken boat, and two from exposure in the water, one of whom, the radio operator, was Argentinean. They were rescued by lifeboats from the Anholt lightship approximately one mile away, as was the surviving crew member of the downed Liberator.

The pilot of G for George, Warrant Officer John D. Nicol, was awarded the DFC. The bombardier was Flying Officer Neville Baker.

Wow - there's some history right there - thanks for taking that photo Pieter.