Georg Alexander von Müller
Encyclopedia
Georg Alexander von Müller (March 24, 1854 - April 18, 1940) was an Admiral of the German Imperial Navy
and close to the Kaiser in the run up to the First World War.
Georg von Müller grew up in Sweden
, where his father worked as an agriculture teacher. He was named to the Prussian nobility (Der Adelstitel) in 1900. As chief of the Naval Cabinet, he dealt not only with technical issues, but also with the Court and many politicians.
Müller joined the Imperial Navy in 1871 and served in many different positions, including commander of a gunboat in East Asia, then officer on the staff of Prince Heinrich of Prussia
. He was Adjutant from 1904 to Kaiser Wilhelm II. In 1906 he succeeded Gustav von Senden-Bibran
as Chief of the German Imperial Naval Cabinet
, serving until the end of the German Empire
in 1918. By the start of World War I
he had become an ally of Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg
in his attempts to control and moderate the Kaiser's actions.
As one of the Kaiser's principal military decision makers in the run-up to the First World War, he was more of a pro-war opinion than not. During the October 1911 Second Moroccan Crisis, he told the Kaiser that "there are worse things than war." He saw a coming racial war in which the German race must be upheld against the Slav and Roman races.
He was serving in this position at the start of World War I
. On 30 August the Kaiser named his brother Grossadmiral Prince Heinrich of Prussia
as commander of the Baltic Sea Squadron (Oberfelshaber der Ostseestreikraefte). Müller advised against this as the Prince had held the largely ceremonial post of Navy Inspector General and was not really qualified for the post. The Kaiser agreed but saw the Baltic theater as not critical and intended to give his brother a capable staff. Only a few days later, Müller objected the mining by Prince Heinrich’s forces on 5 August of an area of Danish
territorial waters, thus treating Danish neutrality. Finally, after it was reported that Heinrich had lost his nerve at the prospect of battle with the Russians, other arrangements were made on 9 October 1914 to keep him from commanding any important actions.
Once war was declared with Britain
in the early days of August 1914, he agreed with the Kaiser in favoring only a limited guerrilla war against Britain, with no use of capital ships, in order to allow a negotiated peace once France and Russia were defeated.
As the war progressed and the Kaiser withdrew into a sheltered life at Imperial Headquarters in an atmosphere of "fear of the world and flight from reality", Müller worked with Generaloberst Moriz von Lyncker
at great lengths to persuade the him to spend more time on the business of the government in Berlin. Lyncker and Müller had long realized Wilhelm II’s lack of effective leadership, but hoped to protect the institution of the monarchy from a revolution in Germany. Nor did they want reforms that would turn Germany into a constitutional monarchy because Germany's greatness rested on its semi-absolutist constitution and royal prerogative. For them the Kaiser had to fulfill his symbolic purpose through occasional appearances in public but not be trusted with real responsibility for decision-making. Finally, by October 1918, he had decided that the Kaiser should abdicate to save the monarchy.
In January 1917 he acquiesced to the decision for the implementation of unrestricted U-boat warfare on the basis of Admiral Henning von Holtzendorff
's memorandum during Pless Conference
on 9 January 1917.
In his memoirs, he dealt intensively with the personality of Wilhelm II.
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
and close to the Kaiser in the run up to the First World War.
Georg von Müller grew up in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, where his father worked as an agriculture teacher. He was named to the Prussian nobility (Der Adelstitel) in 1900. As chief of the Naval Cabinet, he dealt not only with technical issues, but also with the Court and many politicians.
Müller joined the Imperial Navy in 1871 and served in many different positions, including commander of a gunboat in East Asia, then officer on the staff of Prince Heinrich of Prussia
Prince Heinrich of Prussia
Prince Henry of Prussia was a younger brother of German Emperor William II and a Prince of Prussia...
. He was Adjutant from 1904 to Kaiser Wilhelm II. In 1906 he succeeded Gustav von Senden-Bibran
Gustav von Senden-Bibran
Gustav Freiherr von Senden-Bibran was an admiral of the German Imperial Navy. His father was a Silesian landowner who had served in the Austro-Hungarian Calvary. He entered the Prussian Navy at age 15, never married, and dedicated his life to building a strong German Navy...
as Chief of the German Imperial Naval Cabinet
German Imperial Naval Cabinet
The German Imperial Naval Cabinet was a government office of German Imperial Navy, 1871-1918, which was responsible for the commanding naval officers, marine officers, engineers, naval stores, and munitions....
, serving until the end of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
in 1918. By the start of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he had become an ally of Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg
Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg
Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg was a German politician and statesman who served as Chancellor of the German Empire from 1909 to 1917.-Origins:...
in his attempts to control and moderate the Kaiser's actions.
As one of the Kaiser's principal military decision makers in the run-up to the First World War, he was more of a pro-war opinion than not. During the October 1911 Second Moroccan Crisis, he told the Kaiser that "there are worse things than war." He saw a coming racial war in which the German race must be upheld against the Slav and Roman races.
He was serving in this position at the start of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. On 30 August the Kaiser named his brother Grossadmiral Prince Heinrich of Prussia
Prince Heinrich of Prussia
Prince Henry of Prussia was a younger brother of German Emperor William II and a Prince of Prussia...
as commander of the Baltic Sea Squadron (Oberfelshaber der Ostseestreikraefte). Müller advised against this as the Prince had held the largely ceremonial post of Navy Inspector General and was not really qualified for the post. The Kaiser agreed but saw the Baltic theater as not critical and intended to give his brother a capable staff. Only a few days later, Müller objected the mining by Prince Heinrich’s forces on 5 August of an area of Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
territorial waters, thus treating Danish neutrality. Finally, after it was reported that Heinrich had lost his nerve at the prospect of battle with the Russians, other arrangements were made on 9 October 1914 to keep him from commanding any important actions.
Once war was declared with Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the early days of August 1914, he agreed with the Kaiser in favoring only a limited guerrilla war against Britain, with no use of capital ships, in order to allow a negotiated peace once France and Russia were defeated.
As the war progressed and the Kaiser withdrew into a sheltered life at Imperial Headquarters in an atmosphere of "fear of the world and flight from reality", Müller worked with Generaloberst Moriz von Lyncker
Moriz von Lyncker
Moriz Freiherr von Lyncker was a Prussian officer of the German Empire and chief of the Prussian Military Cabinet....
at great lengths to persuade the him to spend more time on the business of the government in Berlin. Lyncker and Müller had long realized Wilhelm II’s lack of effective leadership, but hoped to protect the institution of the monarchy from a revolution in Germany. Nor did they want reforms that would turn Germany into a constitutional monarchy because Germany's greatness rested on its semi-absolutist constitution and royal prerogative. For them the Kaiser had to fulfill his symbolic purpose through occasional appearances in public but not be trusted with real responsibility for decision-making. Finally, by October 1918, he had decided that the Kaiser should abdicate to save the monarchy.
In January 1917 he acquiesced to the decision for the implementation of unrestricted U-boat warfare on the basis of Admiral Henning von Holtzendorff
Henning von Holtzendorff
Henning von Holtzendorff was a German admiral during World War I who became famous for his Dec 1916 memo to Kaiser Wilhelm II about unrestricted submarine warfare against the United Kingdom...
's memorandum during Pless Conference
Pless conference
The Pless conference was a conference held at the castle of Prince Pless located in the Duchy of Pless on January 8, 1917. The conference involved the German army and navy arguing which division should take command of German activity in World War I...
on 9 January 1917.
In his memoirs, he dealt intensively with the personality of Wilhelm II.
Works
The Kaiser and His Court: The Diaries Note Books and Letters of Admiral Georg Alexander Von Muller Chief of the Naval Cabinet 1914–1918; Harcourt Brace and World (1964).Sources
- Walter Görlitz (Hrsg): Der Kaiser ... Aufzeichnungen des Chefs des MarinekabinettsGerman Imperial Naval CabinetThe German Imperial Naval Cabinet was a government office of German Imperial Navy, 1871-1918, which was responsible for the commanding naval officers, marine officers, engineers, naval stores, and munitions....
Admiral Georg Alexander v. Müller über die Ära Wilhelms II. Göttingen 1965