Karl Eduard Heusner
Encyclopedia
Karl Eduard Heusner was a Vice-Admiral of the German Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine).
Heusner entered the Prussian Navy
in 1857 and 1859-1862, was on an expedition to the Far East
on the frigate Thetis. In 1864 during the Second Schleswig War he commanded the Prussian gunboat the Wespe, and then was in the following years stationed in the Mediterranean and the West Indies. In 1872 he did survey work in the Baltic Sea
and in 1873 and was chairman of the Torpedo Examination Board or Torpedo Depot at Kiel-Friedrichsort
where he and Otto von Diederichs
worked on the Whitehead torpedo.
In 1877 he left the Torpedo Depot and was sent with Tirpitz to the Whitehead Torpedo works (Torpedo-Fabrik von Robert Whitehead) at Fiume to further study the torpedo.
In 1878 to 1880 he was posted to South America to protect the interests of Germany during the War of the Pacific
. Here he also supervised the observance of the neutrality laws. In 1882 Heusner was Chief (Dezernent) of Section A1 (Military Utilization of Ships/Militärische Verwendung der Schiffe) of the Admiralty
's Military Department (Militärische Abteilung), which was headed by Eduard von Knorr
. In March, von Knorr put him to develop 'Plan-O' for naval operations against Russia
in case of war. His plan called for an attempt at a quick and decisive battle to cripple the Russian fleet
, followed by the mining
of ports and blockade
by a screen of light warships. In 1883-87 he commanded the armored ships (Panzerschiffen) SMS Deutschland (1875) and SMS Oldenburg (1884)
and then the squadrons off Australia
and East Africa
.
In 1888 Wilhelm II appointed him as Chief of the Navy Department
(Marineabteilung) in the Admiralty and promoted him to Rear Admiral. In April 1889 he became Secretary of the German Imperial Naval Office
in the Cabinet of Otto von Bismarck
. He stayed on when Bismarck was replaced as chancellor by Leo von Caprivi
, but soon had to resign because of heart disease, turning the office over to Friedrich von Hollmann
.
He retired as a Vice Admiral., and died on 27 February 1891 in Weimar
, Germany.
Heusner entered the Prussian Navy
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...
in 1857 and 1859-1862, was on an expedition to the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
on the frigate Thetis. In 1864 during the Second Schleswig War he commanded the Prussian gunboat the Wespe, and then was in the following years stationed in the Mediterranean and the West Indies. In 1872 he did survey work in the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
and in 1873 and was chairman of the Torpedo Examination Board or Torpedo Depot at Kiel-Friedrichsort
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
where he and Otto von Diederichs
Otto von Diederichs
Ernst Otto von Diederichs was an Admiral of the German Imperial Navy, serving in the predecessor Prussian Navy and the Navy of the North German Confederation.-Education, war and peace:Diederichs entered the Prussian...
worked on the Whitehead torpedo.
In 1877 he left the Torpedo Depot and was sent with Tirpitz to the Whitehead Torpedo works (Torpedo-Fabrik von Robert Whitehead) at Fiume to further study the torpedo.
In 1878 to 1880 he was posted to South America to protect the interests of Germany during the War of the Pacific
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
. Here he also supervised the observance of the neutrality laws. In 1882 Heusner was Chief (Dezernent) of Section A1 (Military Utilization of Ships/Militärische Verwendung der Schiffe) of the 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...
's Military Department (Militärische Abteilung), which was headed by Eduard von Knorr
Eduard von Knorr
Ernst Wilhelm Eduard von Knorr was a German admiral of the Kaiserliche Marine who helped establish the German colonial empire.-Life:...
. In March, von Knorr put him to develop 'Plan-O' for naval operations against Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in case of war. His plan called for an attempt at a quick and decisive battle to cripple the Russian fleet
Imperial Russian Navy
The Imperial Russian Navy refers to the Tsarist fleets prior to the February Revolution.-First Romanovs:Under Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich, construction of the first three-masted ship, actually built within Russia, was completed in 1636. It was built in Balakhna by Danish shipbuilders from Holstein...
, followed by the mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
of ports and blockade
Blockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
by a screen of light warships. In 1883-87 he commanded the armored ships (Panzerschiffen) SMS Deutschland (1875) and SMS Oldenburg (1884)
SMS Oldenburg (1884)
SMS Oldenburg was an armored warship of the German Imperial Navy. Laid down at the AG Vulcan shipyard in Stettin in 1883, the ship was launched in December 1884 and commissioned into the Navy in April 1886...
and then the squadrons off Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
.
In 1888 Wilhelm II appointed him as Chief of the Navy Department
Prussian Navy Department
The Prussian Navy Department grew out of that established by the Frankfurt National Assembly for its ‘Imperial Fleet’ Reichsflotte. From 1866 it served additionally as the Navy Department of the North German Confederation...
(Marineabteilung) in the Admiralty and promoted him to Rear Admiral. In April 1889 he became Secretary of the German Imperial Naval Office
German Imperial Naval Office
The German Imperial Naval Office was a government office in the German Empire. In April, 1889 what had been the German Imperial Admiralty was abolished and its duties divided among three new entities: the Imperial Naval High Command , the Imperial Naval Office and the German Imperial Naval Cabinet...
in the Cabinet of Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg , simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a Prussian-German statesman whose actions unified Germany, made it a major player in world affairs, and created a balance of power that kept Europe at peace after 1871.As Minister President of...
. He stayed on when Bismarck was replaced as chancellor by Leo von Caprivi
Leo von Caprivi
Georg Leo Graf von Caprivi de Caprera de Montecuccoli was a German major general and statesman, who succeeded Otto von Bismarck as Chancellor of Germany...
, but soon had to resign because of heart disease, turning the office over to 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....
.
He retired as a Vice Admiral., and died on 27 February 1891 in Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, Germany.
Sources
- 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.