Hans Wilhelm Langsdorf ( him. Hans Wilhelm Langsdorff ; March 20, 1894 , Bergen-on-Rügen , Germany - December 20, 1939 , Buenos Aires , Argentina ) - German naval leader, captain of the 1st rank, commander of the pocket battleship " Admiral Count Spee .
Hans Wilhelm Langsdorf | |||||
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him Langsdorff, Hans Wilhelm | |||||
Date of Birth | March 20, 1894 | ||||
Place of Birth | Bergen am Rugen , Germany | ||||
Date of death | December 20, 1939 (45 years) | ||||
Place of death | Buenos Aires , Argentina | ||||
Affiliation | German Empire Germany Germany | ||||
Type of army | Kaiser Navy Reichsmarine kriegsmarine | ||||
Years of service | 1912 - 1939 | ||||
Rank | Captain 1st Rank | ||||
Commanded | pocket battleship "Admiral Graf Spee" | ||||
Battles / Wars | World War I
The Second World War
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Awards and prizes | |||||
Content
Career
Langsdorf was born on March 20, 1894 on the island of Rügen in Bergen. He was the eldest son in a family with strict and religious traditions. In 1898, the family moved to Düsseldorf , where they were neighbors of the family of Count Maximilian von Spee , who became a German hero (having paid with his life and the life of the whole team) in the battle of the Falkland Islands in 1914 . Under the influence of neighbors, Langsdorf entered the Naval Academy in Kiel against the will of his parents in 1912 .
During World War I , Lieutenant Langsdorf received the 2nd Class Iron Cross at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 , and then worked as a minesweeper for the rest of the war. He received the Iron Cross 1st Class during the remaining period of the war, but the exact date is unknown.
In 1923, while the fleet headquarters was stationed in Dresden , Langsdorf met Ruth Hager, whom he married in March 1924, and their son Johann was born on December 14th . In October 1925 , Langsdorf was sent to the Ministry of Defense in Berlin to coordinate relations between the fleet and the army. In 1927 he was sent to command a flotilla of torpedo boats, and in April 1930 he was promoted to lieutenant commander. In 1931 he was recalled to Berlin, and his organizational skills became known and appreciated.
After the Nazis came to power, in 1934, Langsdorf asked to remain at sea, but instead he was appointed to the Ministry of the Interior.
In 1936 and 1937 , served on board the new cruiser " Admiral Graf Spee " as part of the command of Admiral Bahen. Langsdorf took part in the German support for nationalist unrest during the Spanish Civil War . From January 1, 1937 , Langsdorf was promoted to captain. He received command of the cruiser "Admiral Graf Spee" in October 1938 .
On August 21, 1939, Admiral Graf Spee left the port with orders to destroy enemy merchant shipping in the South Atlantic after the outbreak of World War II. During the first three weeks of the war, the ship disappeared into the open ocean east of Brazil, while the German government determined how seriously Britain took part in the war. On September 20, 1939 , "Admiral Count Spee" went to sea to carry out orders. Over the next 10 weeks, Langsdorf was extremely successful, sinking nine British merchant ships, with a total displacement of over 50,000 tons. Langsdorf joined the Hague Convention and avoided murder of captured sailors, and his humane treatment of the officers of the destroyed courts was a matter of respect.
Battle of La Plata
Failures began when Langsdorf, who ran out on the morning of December 13, 1939, received a message from the sentinel about the approach of the British cruiser and two destroyers. "Admiral Graf Spee" reduced speed. Later, when Langsdorf took his ship to meet enemy ships, it became obvious that the destroyers were actually two light cruisers (Ajax and Achilles ) in addition to the heavy cruiser Exeter. Marine analysts claim that Langsdorf made a tactical mistake. His ship had a fire superiority , 11-inch (280 mm) guns, over all of their opponents having: 8 inch (200 mm) on the Exeter and Ajax, and 6 inch (150 mm) on the Achilles. The Exeter was badly damaged and had to leave within half an hour after the start of the battle. But he sent an 8-inch projectile into a German warship that won the battle. This projectile destroyed the steam boilers necessary for the operation of the ship’s fuel cleaning system. Langsdorf was informed that he had 16 hours while the steam boilers could work, with no hope of replacing or repairing the system at sea. When the "Admiral Graf Spee" fell into the range of enemy cruisers, they opened fire on him. At the same time, the German and British commanders decided to interrupt the fight, and Langsdorf headed for the neutral port of Montevideo in Uruguay to make repairs.
The Uruguayan authorities did not follow international treaties and, instead of the usual 72 hours, 24 hours, it was necessary for Admiral Graf Spee to leave the port until 8 pm on December 17, 1939 , or to be interned during the war. Langsdorf sent a request to Berlin , and an indication was given that the ship should not have been interned in Uruguay (which had good relations with Great Britain ), and should not fall into the hands of the enemy, but no directive was given as to what action should be taken. Langsdorf believed that he could try to ship the ship to friendly Buenos Aires neutral Argentina , although it was thought that the canal was not deep enough for the ship, he could take the ship to sea to fight the British ships again (although British propaganda tries to convince people that the big British forces had already lurked him, but in fact they could only arrive within five days), or he could sink the ship. One way or another, after the border of the Uruguayan territorial waters was reached, they were stopped, the crew was removed from the cruiser by Argentine barges. Shortly thereafter, charges were laid, and the "Admiral Graf Spee" was blown up. He settled in shallow water (today he lies in mud and silt for 7-8 meters in water, depending on the tide).
Suicide
Langsdorf was taken to the Maritime Hotel in Buenos Aires , where he wrote letters to his family and command. This is what he wrote on December 20, 1939 :
Now I can only prove with my death that in order to fight the enemies of the Third Reich, for the honor of the flag, I am ready to die. I alone am responsible for the flooding of the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee. I am happy to pay with my life for my honor and for the honor of the flag. I will face my death, with a firm belief in the future of the nation and my Fuhrer.
He lay down, turning into the flag of the cruiser "Admiral Graf Spee" and shot himself, preventing any accusations that he had avoided further action due to cowardice. Another motive was the desire of Langsdorf to go to the bottom with the "Count Spee." He said that because of the actions of the team, who convinced him that the captain was still needed to receive an amnesty for his team. However, the fate of the crew "Graf Spee" was decided. Langsdorf committed suicide, turning into a flag as a symbolic act to die with his ship.
He was buried in the German section of the La Chacarita cemetery in Buenos Aires , Argentina , and was honored by both sides for bravery and courage in battle.