The steam locomotives of the series 52 are the most well-known so-called war locomotives of the German Reichsbahn. From 1942 onwards, more than 7,000 units were built, with up to 50 produced on some days in 1943. The BR 52 was designed to be more uniform and consisted of fewer parts than its predecessors. It was intended to be produced as quickly as possible, with minimal material usage and fewer components, while also being able to withstand the extreme temperatures of a Russian winter. Originally designed for a maximum service life of 10 years, some machines were ultimately in operation for 50 years or longer. The locomotive featured a fully enclosed driver's cab (Norwegian cab) and a specially adapted tender with a capacity of 30 m³ of water and 10 tons of coal. Even after World War II, this locomotive was in use in various countries. In the Federal Republic of Germany, it was not used in scheduled service after 1989.