The Siegfried class coastal defense ships were the first real capital warships built in Germany and the last before Kaiser Wilhelm II came to power and started the huge naval construction program.  With their three 24 cm guns, these ships were not very heavily armed, but they were the first German warships to carry their main artillery in closed turrets. The last two ships of the class, Odin and Ägir, had some minor modifications and different armor protection, but otherwise all eight ships were very similar.  Due to their rolling movements through the seas, these ships were nicknamed "guinea pigs".

Shortly after the beginning of the new century, all ships were modified in a major reconstruction, a second funnel and enlarged hull were the most obvious changes, and with their new coal stores, their range was almost doubled.  During World War I these old ships were still used for coastal defense and all of them survived the war. As they were too old for further military service, most of them were scrapped, while a few were converted into civilian transport ships.

The Siegfried remained in fleet service until 1903. In 1914 the ship returned to fleet service and was used for coastal defense for two years. In 1916 she was used as a floating barracks and in 1919 she was sold and scrapped a year later.