Kaiserlichmarine ( German Kaiserliche Marine , lane Imperial naval forces ) - German naval forces created after the unification of German states as part of the German Empire on the basis of the naval forces of the Kingdom of Prussia , the main task of which was coastal defense. They existed from 1871 to 1919 . They increased especially significantly during the reign of William II , under the state secretary of the Ministry of the Navy Alfred von Tirpice , who found support for the ideas of American naval theorist Alfred Thayer Mahan . The result was a naval arms race with Britain , during which the German Navy became one of the most significant naval forces in the world, second only to the British. The surface forces were ineffective during the First World War, participated in only one big battle - Jutland , the result of which can be described as uncertain. At the same time, the submarine fleet expanded significantly, and constituted the main threat to the supply routes of Great Britain. After the war ended, most of the ships were interned by the Allies, and then flooded by the remaining German crews at Scapa Flow in 1919.
| Imperial naval forces Kaiserliche marine | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Years of existence | 1871 - 1918 |
| A country |  German Empire |
| Includes | |
| Participation in | |
| Commanders | |
| Famous commanders | Wilhelm I Frederick III Wilhelm II Alfred von Tirpitz Reinhard Scheer Friedrich von Ingenol Hugo von Paul Franz von Hipper |
The main forces of the Kaiser Navy were called the High Seas Fleet ( German: Hochseeflotte ). Imperial Navy ships were designated as SMS German. Seiner Majestät Schiff (ship of His Majesty). The successor of the Kaiser Navy was the " State Fleet " ( German: Reichsmarine ) of the Weimar Republic .
Content
Organization
Drawing from the article " Germany "
("The Military Encyclopedia of Sytin ")
In 1889, the German Admiralty was abolished with its replacement by three bodies:
- high fleet command
- imperial ministry of the sea
- marine office
The development of operational plans was transferred to the high command of the fleet, which was successively led by Admirals von der Goltz [1] ( 01/ 29/1889-1895) and von Knorr (1895-1899).
In 1899, Kaiser Wilhelm II issued a decree that changed the control system of the German Navy that still exists. In the first quarter of 1899, two major decisions of the German cabinet were issued.
The first decree of February 27, 1899 introduced an amendment to the Fleet Act of 1898 on the introduction of a new classification of ship types. Armadillos of the 1st class, and armadillos of the 3rd class received a single designation "battleship".
In view of the decision made by the Kaiser to take direct control of the naval forces of the empire, the second decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of March 14, 1899 abolished the high command of the Navy, since the existence of the main command as an intermediate authority between the head of state and the highest naval officials was unnecessary. At the same time, its functions passed to six command authorities directly subordinate to the Kaiser:
- Fleet Inspection Bureau
- Imperial Ministry of the Sea,
- main naval headquarters
- marine office
- the main commanders of the ports of the Baltic and North Seas,
- chiefs of squadrons - practical and cruisers
The imperial ministry of the sea and the naval cabinet played the main role in the command. However, the headquarters of the high command left and assigned him the future name of the naval general staff, which regulated his direct participation in the planning of future operations of the German navy. The chief of staff, Vice Admiral Bendemann, became the first chief of the naval general staff. At the same time, the 1st squadron was directly subordinated directly to the Kaiser himself, and one of the oldest admirals was appointed the head of the fleet’s main inspection bureau. The naval cabinet also retained its existence, and, in addition to its permanent functions, it also included personnel matters (appointments, awards, marriages, and other officers of the fleet) in its competence.
Tactical activity and operational development was now controlled by the main naval headquarters through its official bodies, the main of which was the naval general headquarters. Before World War I, seven admirals were replaced as chief of the naval general staff.
Issues of combat training were assigned to the imperial Ministry of the Ministry of the main naval headquarters. The idea of General von Caprivi - an attack on the northern coast of France - was shared by both the high command of the fleet and the naval general headquarters, and it formed the basis of operational plans for both the case of an isolated conflict with France and the military clash of the Dual or Triple Alliances.
Composition
- High seas fleet
- German East Asian Cruising Squadron
- German forces of the Baltic Sea
- Mediterranean squadron
World War I
Losing strength to the British fleet (34 dreadnought and battlecruisers at the start of the war), the German Navy (24 dreadnought and battlecruisers) [2] sought to weaken the blockade of Germany and undermine British supplies, while conducting an active campaign in the Baltic against the Russian Baltic Fleet.
- Battle of the Atlantic (1914-1918)
- The battle in the Helgoland Bay - August 1914, the defeat of the German fleet.
- The sinking of the cruisers "Abukir", "Hog" and "Kressi" - September 22, 1914, the complete victory of the German fleet.
- The raid on Yarmouth - November 3, 1914, an uncertain outcome.
- The raid on Hartlepool, Scarborough and Whitby - December 16, 1914, an uncertain outcome.
- The Battle of Dogger Banks - January 24, 1915, the defeat of the German fleet.
- Battle of Jutland - May 31 - June 1, 1916, tactical victory of the Germans, strategic victory of the British.
- The second battle in Helgoland Bay - November 17, 1917, an uncertain outcome.
- Baltic Sea:
- Gotland battle - June 19, 1915, defeat of the German fleet.
- Attack on the Gulf of Riga - August 8-19, 1915, defeat of the German fleet.
- Moonsund battle - October 12-20, 1917, the victory of the German fleet.
- Pacific Ocean:
- The bombing of Papeete - September 22, 1914, the victory of the German fleet.
- The battle of Coronel - November 1, 1914, the complete victory of the German fleet.
- Falkland Battle - December 8, 1914, the crushing defeat of the German fleet.
- Indian Ocean:
- The battle of Zanzibar - September 20, 1914, the victory of the German fleet.
- The bombing of Madras - September 22, 1914, the victory of the German fleet.
- The battle at Penang - October 28, 1914, the victory of the German fleet.
- The battle of the Cocos Islands - November 9, 1914, the defeat of the German fleet.
- Fight on Rufiji - October 1914 - July 1, 1915, defeat of the German fleet.
- Black Sea (German ships with a German crew were annexed to the Turkish fleet):
- The battle at Cape Sarych - November 18, 1914, the defeat of the German fleet.
- The battle of the Bosphorus - May 10, 1915, the defeat of the German fleet.
- Flooding of the High Seas Fleet (June 21, 1919. Total - 52 ships sank, 22 stranded by the British).
Ranks
- Grossadmiral
- Admiral
- Vice Admiral ( Vizeadmiral )
- Rear Admiral ( Konteradmiral )
- Sea Captain ( Kapitän zur See )
- Captain of the Frigate ( Fregattenkapitän )
- Captain of the Corvette ( Korvettenkapitän )
- Captain Lieutenant ( Kapitänleutnant )
- Senior Lieutenant of the Sea ( Oberleutnant zur See )
- Sea Lieutenant ( Leutnant zur See )
- Deck Officer Lieutenant ( Deckoffizierleutnant )
- Warrant Officer of the Sea ( Fähnrich zur See )
- Sea Cadet ( Seekadett )
- Ober Deck Officer ( Oberdeckoffizier )
- Deck Officer ( Deckoffizier )
- Feldwebel ( Feldwebel )
- Vice-sergeant major ( Vize-Feldwebel )
- Obermaat
- Maat
- Senior Sailor ( Obermatrose )
- Sailor ( Matrose )
Flags of ships and ships
Warship flag
1892-1903Warship flag
1903-1919Guis 1871-1919
Flag of auxiliary vessels 1893-1919
Official Flags
Commodore
Division Commander
Flotilla commander
Pennant warships
See also
- Reichsmarine
- Pharmacist "Vineta"
Notes
- ↑ RGAVMF F. 417, Op. 1, D. 573, L. 3-4
- ↑ Dreadnought battleships 1914
Links
- [one]
- Flags of the Kaiser Navy (German)
- Imperial German Navy in World War I (English)
- German Naval History WW1
- Kaiserliche Marine 1914-1918
- Kaiserliche Marine Deployment 1914
- U-boat War in World War One
- Chernilovsky Artem Aleksandrovich, Representations of the Russian military about the German Navy at the end of the 19th century.