Prussian Navy Department
Encyclopedia
The Prussian Navy Department (Marineministerium) (1861 to 1871) grew out of that established by the Frankfurt National Assembly (1848-1849) for its ‘Imperial Fleet’ Reichsflotte
. From 1866 it served additionally as the Navy Department of the North German Confederation
.
In June, 1848 the Frankfurt National Assembly
created the first Navy Department with businessman Arnold Duckwitz
as Minister for Navy Affairs (Minister für Marineangelegenheiten). After the closure of the Frankfurt National Assembly in May 1849, Austrian Lieutenant Fieldmarshal August von Jochmus
became Navy Minister of the revived German Confederation
. With the end of the Provisional Central Power (Provisorische Zentralgewalt) of the Frankfurt National Assembly in December 1849, the first Naval Department dissolved and authority in naval matters again came under the sovereignty of individual members of the German Confederation. A Royal Naval Division (Königliche Marine-Abteilung ) was established in Berlin, as a department of the Prussian Minister of War
, with Lieutenant Colonel von Wangenheim Bogun as head in the years 1848-1853. He administered the Prussian Navy
under the Naval High Command (Oberkommando der Marine). Then, on 14 November 1853 by a Prussian royal cabinet order (König Kabinettsordre) the Naval Division was combined into an Admiralty Council (Admiralität), which would provide united command and administrative authority. From 1859 to 1860 Admiral Jan Schröder
was chief of the Prussian Navy administration (Marineverwaltung).
In 1861 the Prussian government created a new Navy Department (Marineministerium). After Wilhelm I became King of Prussia the Admiralty of the Prussian Navy was on 16 April 1861 dissolved by cabinet order. The Naval High Command under Prince Adalbert of Prussia
became independently and directly subordinate to the king. After the retirement of Admiral Jan Schröde the administration of the navy was under the new Navy Department (Marineministerium), which was under Prussian War Minister Albrecht von Roon until 1873. The Admiralty Council (Admiralitätsrat) was to co-ordinate naval affairs of the Navy Department and the Naval High Command, but could only make proposals.
The Navy Department was responsible for the Danzig (today Gdansk) shipyard, the depots in Geestemünde (today Bremerhaven
), Kiel
and Stralsund
, the admiralty commissary (Admiralitätskommissariat) in Oldenburg
and the base at Jade Bight (today Wilhelmshaven
). The Naval High Command was responsible for the fleet. This dual organization did not work well. There was much unfruitful work and friction between the two organizations.
A possibility for change arose with the outbreak the Franco-Prussian War
in 1870 when Prince Adalbert was transferred to army field command. By cabinet order the tasks of the Naval High Command were on 29 June 1870 transferred to the Navy Department. Next, departments for technical and general administrative affairs was formed. The existing division of powers was abolished and a central authority created. The departmental friction disappeared almost completely.
Due to the great increase in the duties of the Prussian War Minister, Wilhelm I on 30 November 1871 moved the Navy Department from the War Ministry to a newly created admiralty, which in a few months would become the German Imperial Admiralty
.
Reichsflotte
The Reichsflotte was the first all-German Navy. It was founded on 14 June 1848 during the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states by the Frankfurt Parliament to provide a naval force in the First Schleswig War against Denmark.-History:...
. From 1866 it served additionally as the Navy Department of the North German Confederation
North German Confederation
The North German Confederation 1866–71, was a federation of 22 independent states of northern Germany. It was formed by a constitution accepted by the member states in 1867 and controlled military and foreign policy. It included the new Reichstag, a parliament elected by universal manhood...
.
Frankfurt Parliament
The Frankfurt Assembly was the first freely elected parliament for all of Germany. Session was held from May 18, 1848 to May 31, 1849 in the Paulskirche at Frankfurt am Main...
created the first Navy Department with businessman Arnold Duckwitz
Arnold Duckwitz
Arnold Duckwitz was a German statesman and merchant who served as Minister of Trade and of the Navy in the provisional government of the Frankfurt Assembly of 1848-49, and as mayor of Bremen.From early to mid 1848, he participated as an expert in the economic committee of the Frankfurt National...
as Minister for Navy Affairs (Minister für Marineangelegenheiten). After the closure of the Frankfurt National Assembly in May 1849, Austrian Lieutenant Fieldmarshal August von Jochmus
August Giacomo Jochmus
August Giacomo Jochmus Freiherr von Cotignola was an Austrian lieutenant field marshal, and minister of the German Confederation...
became Navy Minister of the revived German Confederation
German Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
. With the end of the Provisional Central Power (Provisorische Zentralgewalt) of the Frankfurt National Assembly in December 1849, the first Naval Department dissolved and authority in naval matters again came under the sovereignty of individual members of the German Confederation. A Royal Naval Division (Königliche Marine-Abteilung ) was established in Berlin, as a department of the Prussian Minister of War
Prussian Minister of War
The Prussian War Ministry was gradually established between 1808 and 1809 as part of a series of reforms initiated by the Military Reorganization Commission created after the disastrous Treaty of Paris. The War Ministry was to help bring the army under constitutional control, and, along with the...
, with Lieutenant Colonel von Wangenheim Bogun as head in the years 1848-1853. He administered 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...
under the Naval High Command (Oberkommando der Marine). Then, on 14 November 1853 by a Prussian royal cabinet order (König Kabinettsordre) the Naval Division was combined into an Admiralty Council (Admiralität), which would provide united command and administrative authority. From 1859 to 1860 Admiral Jan Schröder
Jan Schröder
Jan Schröder was a Dutch professional road and track cyclist.Born in Koningsbosch, Schröder won his first professional race in 1961, when he outsprinted Henk Nijdam and Adriaan Biemans in the Omloop der Kempen. A year later he was the strongest in the Ster van Zwolle...
was chief of the Prussian Navy administration (Marineverwaltung).
In 1861 the Prussian government created a new Navy Department (Marineministerium). After Wilhelm I became King of Prussia the Admiralty of the Prussian Navy was on 16 April 1861 dissolved by cabinet order. The Naval High Command under Prince Adalbert of Prussia
Adalbert of Prussia
Prince Adalbert of Prussia was a son of Prince Wilhelm of Prussia and Landgravine Marie Anna of Hesse-Homburg. He was a naval theorist and admiral. He was instrumental during the Revolutions of 1848 in founding the first unified German fleet, the Reichsflotte...
became independently and directly subordinate to the king. After the retirement of Admiral Jan Schröde the administration of the navy was under the new Navy Department (Marineministerium), which was under Prussian War Minister Albrecht von Roon until 1873. The Admiralty Council (Admiralitätsrat) was to co-ordinate naval affairs of the Navy Department and the Naval High Command, but could only make proposals.
The Navy Department was responsible for the Danzig (today Gdansk) shipyard, the depots in Geestemünde (today Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
), Kiel
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...
and Stralsund
Stralsund
- Main sights :* The Brick Gothic historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.* The heart of the old town is the Old Market Square , with the Gothic Town Hall . Behind the town hall stands the imposing Nikolaikirche , built in 1270-1360...
, the admiralty commissary (Admiralitätskommissariat) in Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
and the base at Jade Bight (today Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
). The Naval High Command was responsible for the fleet. This dual organization did not work well. There was much unfruitful work and friction between the two organizations.
A possibility for change arose with the outbreak the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
in 1870 when Prince Adalbert was transferred to army field command. By cabinet order the tasks of the Naval High Command were on 29 June 1870 transferred to the Navy Department. Next, departments for technical and general administrative affairs was formed. The existing division of powers was abolished and a central authority created. The departmental friction disappeared almost completely.
Due to the great increase in the duties of the Prussian War Minister, Wilhelm I on 30 November 1871 moved the Navy Department from the War Ministry to a newly created admiralty, which in a few months would become 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...
.