the ship was ordered on 4 august 1934 and laid down at germania, kiel on 3 may 1935 as yard number g538. she was launched on 12 march 1937 and completed on 4 march 1939. "erich giese" was initially assigned to 8th destroyer division (8. "zerstörrer-division") part of the 4th destroyer flotilla (4. "zerstörrer-flottille") under the command of commander ("fregattenkapitän") brocksien. two months later, the ship escorted into hamburg the convoy returning the german condor legion from spain. when world war ii began, "erich giese" was assigned to the german bight where she joined her sisters in laying defensive minefields. the ship also patrolled the skagerrak to inspect neutral shipping for contraband goods. the ship attempted to lay a minefield off the british coast on the night of 12/13 november, but had to turn back to escort her consorts, "theodor riedel" and "hermann schoemann", back to germany when they suffered machinery breakdowns. eight days later, she was one of the destroyers escorting the battleships and through the north sea to break out into the north atlantic.