German Imperial Naval Office
Encyclopedia
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 April, 1889 what had been the German Imperial Admiralty
German Imperial Admiralty
The German Imperial Admiralty was an imperial authority in the German Empire. By order of Kaiser Wilhelm I the Northern German Federal Navy Department of the North German Confederation , which had been formed from the Prussian Navy Department , became on 1 January 1872 the German Imperial Admiralty...
was abolished and its duties divided among three new entities: the Imperial Naval High Command (Kaiserliches Oberkommando der Marine), the Imperial Naval Office and 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....
(Kaiserliches Marinekabinett). The head of the Naval Office was a Secretary of State who reported directly to the imperial chancellor (Reichskanzler).
After 1897, the Office became the power base of Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz was a German Admiral, Secretary of State of the German Imperial Naval Office, the powerful administrative branch of the German Imperial Navy from 1897 until 1916. Prussia never had a major navy, nor did the other German states before the German Empire was formed in 1871...
in his campaign to build a great German battle fleet.
The Imperial Naval Office had the function of a ministry for the German Imperial Navy. According to the Constitution of the German Empire
Constitution of the German Empire
The Constitution of the German Empire was the basic law of the German Empire of 1871-1919, enacted 16 April 1871. German historians often refer to it as Bismarck's imperial constitution....
of 1871, the states were responsible for land forces and the imperial government for the navy. So while there were Prussian, Bavarian, Saxon and Württemberg armies, there was a single Imperial Navy.
The tasks of the Imperial Naval Office were mainly administrative, such as planning naval construction and maintenance programs, directing the procurement of naval supplies, and representing the navy in the Reichstag.
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 April, 1889 what had been the German Imperial Admiralty
German Imperial Admiralty
The German Imperial Admiralty was an imperial authority in the German Empire. By order of Kaiser Wilhelm I the Northern German Federal Navy Department of the North German Confederation , which had been formed from the Prussian Navy Department , became on 1 January 1872 the German Imperial Admiralty...
was abolished and its duties divided among three new entities: the Imperial Naval High Command (Kaiserliches Oberkommando der Marine), the Imperial Naval Office and 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....
(Kaiserliches Marinekabinett). The head of the Naval Office was a Secretary of State who reported directly to the imperial chancellor (Reichskanzler).
After 1897, the Office became the power base of Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz was a German Admiral, Secretary of State of the German Imperial Naval Office, the powerful administrative branch of the German Imperial Navy from 1897 until 1916. Prussia never had a major navy, nor did the other German states before the German Empire was formed in 1871...
in his campaign to build a great German battle fleet.
The Imperial Naval Office had the function of a ministry for the German Imperial Navy. According to the Constitution of the German Empire
Constitution of the German Empire
The Constitution of the German Empire was the basic law of the German Empire of 1871-1919, enacted 16 April 1871. German historians often refer to it as Bismarck's imperial constitution....
of 1871, the states were responsible for land forces and the imperial government for the navy. So while there were Prussian, Bavarian, Saxon and Württemberg armies, there was a single Imperial Navy.
The tasks of the Imperial Naval Office were mainly administrative, such as planning naval construction and maintenance programs, directing the procurement of naval supplies, and representing the navy in the Reichstag.
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 April, 1889 what had been the German Imperial Admiralty
German Imperial Admiralty
The German Imperial Admiralty was an imperial authority in the German Empire. By order of Kaiser Wilhelm I the Northern German Federal Navy Department of the North German Confederation , which had been formed from the Prussian Navy Department , became on 1 January 1872 the German Imperial Admiralty...
was abolished and its duties divided among three new entities: the Imperial Naval High Command (Kaiserliches Oberkommando der Marine), the Imperial Naval Office and 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....
(Kaiserliches Marinekabinett). The head of the Naval Office was a Secretary of State who reported directly to the imperial chancellor (Reichskanzler).
After 1897, the Office became the power base of Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz was a German Admiral, Secretary of State of the German Imperial Naval Office, the powerful administrative branch of the German Imperial Navy from 1897 until 1916. Prussia never had a major navy, nor did the other German states before the German Empire was formed in 1871...
in his campaign to build a great German battle fleet.
The Imperial Naval Office had the function of a ministry for the German Imperial Navy. According to the Constitution of the German Empire
Constitution of the German Empire
The Constitution of the German Empire was the basic law of the German Empire of 1871-1919, enacted 16 April 1871. German historians often refer to it as Bismarck's imperial constitution....
of 1871, the states were responsible for land forces and the imperial government for the navy. So while there were Prussian, Bavarian, Saxon and Württemberg armies, there was a single Imperial Navy.
The tasks of the Imperial Naval Office were mainly administrative, such as planning naval construction and maintenance programs, directing the procurement of naval supplies, and representing the navy in the Reichstag.By order of the Kaiser: Otto von Diederichs and the rise of the Imperial German Navy, 1865-1902 by Terrell D. Gottschall; Institute Press, 2003, 337 pages, p. 112. It was responsible to the chancellor and under the direct command of Emperor Wilhelm II. The Naval Office advised the Reichstag
Reichstag (German Empire)
The Reichstag was the parliament of the North German Confederation , and of the German Reich ....
on naval matters. During the First World War, it gave out the casualty list of the Imperial Navy. Until 1899 the operational management of the Imperial Navy was the responsibility of the German Imperial Naval High Command (Kaiserliches Oberkommando der Marine).
State Secretaries of the Naval Office
Karl Eduard HeusnerKarl Eduard Heusner
Karl Eduard Heusner was a Vice-Admiral of the German Imperial Navy ....
1889-1890
Friedrich von Hollmann
Friedrich von Hollmann
Friedrich von Hollmann was an Admiral of the German Imperial Navy and Secretary of the German Imperial Naval Office under Emperor Wilhelm II....
1890-1897
Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz
Alfred von Tirpitz was a German Admiral, Secretary of State of the German Imperial Naval Office, the powerful administrative branch of the German Imperial Navy from 1897 until 1916. Prussia never had a major navy, nor did the other German states before the German Empire was formed in 1871...
1897-1916
Eduard von Capelle
Eduard von Capelle
Admiral Eduard von Capelle was a German Navy officer and Navy Minister from Celle.-Career:Capelle served in the Reichsmarineamt from 1891 and in 1904 became Director of the Administration Department. In 1914 he became under-secretary...
1916-1918
Paul Behncke
Paul Behncke
Paul Behncke was a German admiral during the First World War, most notable for his command of the Third Battle Squadron of the German High Seas Fleet during the Battle of Jutland....
1918-1918
Ernst Karl August Klemens Ritter von Mann 1918-1919