Johann Diedrich Longé
Encyclopedia
Johann Diedrich Longé was a Swedish and Prussian naval officer. He was instrumental in building the Prussian Navy
.
Longé was born in what was then Swedish Finland
. In 1794 he joined an infantry
Regiment and in 1799 moved to the navy. On 23 May 1801 he passed the examination as a naval officer served until 1805 in the Swedish Navy
. In 1805 he was exempted from service in order to serve with English
merchant and naval ships. During this period he was a prisoner of war of both Russia and France.
Longé was serving in the Swedish navy in Swedish Pomerania
when that province was transferred to Prussia on 15 August 1815. He then transferred from the Swedish Navy to the Prussian Navy. The Prussian king confirmed the transfer on 2 April 1816 and appointed him captain. He then was deployed in Stralsund, which was a fortress at this time.
In Stralsund Longé prompted the construction of the schooner "Stralsund". This may be considered the birth of the Prussian Navy. He was also involved in the formation of the first Prussian Naval Academy
, the Navigationsschule, opened in Danzig in 1817. As commander of the "Stralsund" he took the students on training cruises.
On 10 July 1820 he submitted a plan which called for the gradual development of the Prussian navy. On 17 August 1827 he became chairman Royal naval depot on Dänholm
island at Stralsund. He was involved with the development of a fleet plan in 1836. In 1848 he became chairman of the Marine Committee in Stralsund, prompting the construction of the rowing gunboat “Strela-Sund”. After the Prussian king rejected his request for reactivation he resigned from the Marine Committee.
He died on 10 May 1863 and was buried at Stralsund.
Prussian Navy
Throughout the centuries, Prussia’s military consistently concentrated on its land power, and never sought a similar power at sea. Yet historically there were always Prussian naval forces , beginning in the days when "Prussia" meant only the Margraviate of Brandenburg.- The Navy of Electoral...
.
Longé was born in what was then Swedish Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. In 1794 he joined an infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
Regiment and in 1799 moved to the navy. On 23 May 1801 he passed the examination as a naval officer served until 1805 in the Swedish Navy
Swedish Navy
The Royal Swedish Navy is the naval branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet – as well as marine units, the so-called Amphibious Corps .In Swedish, vessels of the Swedish Navy are given the prefix "HMS," short for Hans/Hennes...
. In 1805 he was exempted from service in order to serve with English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
merchant and naval ships. During this period he was a prisoner of war of both Russia and France.
Longé was serving in the Swedish navy in Swedish Pomerania
Swedish Pomerania
Swedish Pomerania was a Dominion under the Swedish Crown from 1630 to 1815, situated on what is now the Baltic coast of Germany and Poland. Following the Polish War and the Thirty Years' War, Sweden held extensive control over the lands on the southern Baltic coast, including Pomerania and parts...
when that province was transferred to Prussia on 15 August 1815. He then transferred from the Swedish Navy to the Prussian Navy. The Prussian king confirmed the transfer on 2 April 1816 and appointed him captain. He then was deployed in Stralsund, which was a fortress at this time.
In Stralsund Longé prompted the construction of the schooner "Stralsund". This may be considered the birth of the Prussian Navy. He was also involved in the formation of the first Prussian Naval Academy
Prussian Naval Academy
The Prussian Naval Academy was the naval academy of the Prussian Navy-Foundation:The training of officers for the Prussian Navy started with the foundation of the Navigationsschulen in Danzig in 1817, although there were other similar schools in the first half of the nineteenth century at Memel,...
, the Navigationsschule, opened in Danzig in 1817. As commander of the "Stralsund" he took the students on training cruises.
On 10 July 1820 he submitted a plan which called for the gradual development of the Prussian navy. On 17 August 1827 he became chairman Royal naval depot on Dänholm
Dänholm
Dänholm is a small island on the German coast of the Baltic Sea. It is situated in the Strelasund just east of Stralsund. Both bridges linking Rügen with the mainland, Rügendamm and Rügenbrücke, run over it...
island at Stralsund. He was involved with the development of a fleet plan in 1836. In 1848 he became chairman of the Marine Committee in Stralsund, prompting the construction of the rowing gunboat “Strela-Sund”. After the Prussian king rejected his request for reactivation he resigned from the Marine Committee.
He died on 10 May 1863 and was buried at Stralsund.