“the war effort focused on the construction of U-boats rather than battleships.”
True today, as well.
the era of the dreadnought, (and the myth of their invincibility) ended on Dec. 7, 1941
Donitz, (and hitler) rightly surmised that the U-boat threat was a much greater weapon than any surface fleet. Donitz, being a former U-boat guy, was even more convinced of it.
I suspect that is why these “superships” (my word) were never completed. all of the schlachtschiff and pockets were completed before the war started.
hitler never was much of an advocate for the Kreigsmarine...he viewed Germany as a land power, primarily, and as such, KM did not get much loving.