Comments | andrewducker: Interesting Links for 09-08-2014

andrewducker

Interesting Links for 09-08-2014

Aug 09, 2014 12:00

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steer August 9 2014, 11:59:11 UTC

Here's interesting... I did know a little about about the Kiel Mutiny at the end of the wat. Afterwards, as you likely know, most of the German High Seas fleet ended their careers in Scotland, deliberately scuttled in Scapa Flow, the largest such scuttling ever to occur.

Four battleships are commonly named in the mutiny, including the Konig Class Kronprinz Willhelm and the Markgraf both of which were interred (two more were not, I don't know why). The captain of the Markgraf after the mutiny was Walter Schumann. His rank before this was given as Lieutenant Commander -- I don't know what his role is in the mutiny and it's unclear (to me at least) whether he was promoted to Captain (although the offer in charge of a ship is always Captain whatever their rank even if that is a demotion). It seems entirely plausible (if not likely) he was part of the Kiel mutiny.

Anyway, as you probably know the Scapa ships were scuttled many months after the end of the war in June 1919 after seven months of internment in the Orkneys. This was organised with remarkable efficiency but while attempting to prevent the scuttling the British shot and killed Schumann and an enlisted crewman from the Markgraf (and seven other German sailors that night). Schumann and the others were, as far as I can tell, the last Germans killed by the British in fighting in WWI. Schumann was the only battleship captain to be killed in fighting.

Of the fifteen capital ships interred at Scapa Flow many were salvaged over the years but the Kronprinz and Markgraf remain there and now have protected status. Occasionally, when German divers visit, they still fly the flag of the Kaiserliche Marine to this day.

andrewducker August 9 2014, 14:24:02 UTC

Thank you, that was fascinating.

(I know very little about WWI)

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