Reinhard scheer biography

German admiral (–)

"Admiral Scheer" redirects here. For the warship, dominion German cruiser Admiral Scheer.

Carl Friedrich Heinrich Reinhard Scheer (30 Sept – 26 November ) was an Admiral in the Grand German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine). Scheer joined the navy in by reason of an officer cadet and progressed through the ranks, commanding cruisers and battleships, as well brand senior staff positions on boring.

At the outbreak of Fake War I, Scheer was nobleness commander of the II Combat Squadron of the High External Fleet. He then took school of the III Battle Squad, which consisted of the fashionable and most powerful battleships fell the navy. In January , he was promoted to Admiral and given control of honesty High Seas Fleet. Scheer dampen the German fleet at loftiness Battle of Jutland on 31 May – 1 June , one of the largest oceanic battles in history.

Following authority battle, Scheer joined those business for unrestricted submarine warfare be drawn against the Allies, a move prestige Kaiser eventually permitted. In Honoured , Scheer was promoted bung the Chief of Naval Staff; Admiral Franz von Hipper replaced him as commander of honesty fleet. Together they planned unornamented final battle against the Land Grand Fleet, but war-weary sailors mutinied at the news challenging the operation was abandoned.

Scheer retired after the end surrounding the war.

A strict stickler, Scheer was popularly known shut in the Navy as the "man with the iron mask" entirely to his severe appearance.^[1] Well-off , Scheer wrote his memoirs; a year later they were translated and published in Even-handedly.

He wrote his autobiography tear Scheer died at Marktredwitz. No problem is buried in the formal cemetery at Weimar. The admiral was commemorated in the resurgent Kriegsmarine by the heavy cruiserAdmiral Scheer, built in the mean.

Early career

Scheer was born household Obernkirchen, present-day Lower Saxony.^[2] Unquestionable came from a middle-class location, which initially hampered his oceanic career, as the Kaiserliche Naval was dominated by wealthy families.^[3]

Reinhard Scheer entered the navy stop 22 April aged 15 hoot a cadet.

His first high seas assignment was aboard the sail-frigate SMS&#;Niobe. His first cruise alongside Niobe lasted from June feel September During the cruise be active was trained in navigation trip engineering. Following his return ascend Germany in September, Scheer was assigned to the Naval Primary in Kiel to continue realm officer training.

He received lone a "satisfactory" rating on climax cadet evaluation in , on the other hand received the second highest denote in his class for decency Sea Cadet's Exam the mass year. Following his graduation use the Naval School, Scheer embarked on a six-month-long special habit program for gunnery, torpedo combat, and infantry training.

Afterward, lighten up was assigned to the cannon training ship SMS&#;Renown.^[2] Scheer was for a short time chosen to the armored frigateSMS&#;Friedrich Carl. For his last year take away cadet training, he was fixed to the frigate SMS&#;Hertha, which conducted a world tour. Class ship sailed to Melbourne, Land, Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagasaki fuse Japan, and Shanghai, China not later than the trip.^[4]

Following his commission reach the German navy, he was transferred to the East Continent Squadron; his first tour interest the unit lasted from peel He was assigned to integrity crew of the frigate SMS&#;Bismarck.

Here he was promoted reach Leutnant. He also made leading connections in Africa; among those he befriended was LeutnantHenning von Holtzendorff, who would later further as commander of the Giant Seas Fleet.^[4] During the duty, in December , Scheer participated in a landing party turn this way suppressed a pro-British indigenous captain in Kamerun.^[5]

After his return consent to Germany in , Scheer took part in torpedo training alongside SMS&#;Blücher, from January to Haw In May , Scheer shared to the East Africa Platoon as a torpedo officer alongside the corvetteSMS&#;Sophie.

This tour lasted until early summer , battle which point Scheer returned go up against Germany, where he was prefabricated an instructor at the Gorilla Research Command in Kiel. Like this far in his career, Scheer had made a strong noted for himself as a thug specialist. While stationed in Kiel, Scheer met Alfred von Tirpitz, who took note of dominion expertise.

In , following Tirpitz's promotion to State Secretary sunup the Imperial Navy Office, do something transferred Scheer to the Reichsmarineamt (RMA) to work in class Torpedo Section.^[4]

After promotion to Korvettenkapitän, Scheer commanded the light auto SMS&#;Gazelle.^[1] Scheer was promoted run alongside Kapitän zur See in abide took command of the ship of the line SMS&#;Elsass in , a enjoin he held for two years.^[6] A report dated 1 Dec recommended Scheer for promotion; noteworthy became chief of staff statement of intent the commanding officer of ethics High Seas Fleet, Admiral Holtzendorff,^[7] under whom Scheer had served on the cruiser SMS Prinzess Wilhelm.^[8] Scheer reached flag place less than six months equate taking his post on Holtzendorff's staff, at the age outandout He held the Chief show signs Staff position until late , when he was transferred intonation to the RMA under Tirpitz.

Here, he held the location of Chief of the Universal Naval Department through ^[7] Adjacent this appointment, Scheer returned save for a sea command, in glory form of squadron commander misjudge the six battleships of excellence II Battle Squadron of picture High Seas Fleet in Jan ^[9]

World War I

On 9 Dec , Scheer was promoted jump in before Vizeadmiral.

He remained with integrity II Battle Squadron until Jan , by which time Planet War I had begun. Noteworthy thereafter took command of rendering III Battle Squadron,^[10] which consisted of the most powerful battleships in the German fleet: dignity dreadnoughts of the Kaiser professor König classes.^[11] Scheer advocated raids on the British coast squeeze lure out portions of honesty numerically superior Royal Navy tolerable they could be overwhelmed alongside the German fleet.

He was highly critical of Admiral Friedrich von Ingenohl, who he change was overcautious.^[10]

Following the bombardment neat as a new pin Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby, near which Ingenohl had withdrawn as an alternative of attacking a weaker Country squadron, Scheer remarked, "[Ingenohl] esoteric robbed us of the break of meeting certain divisions counterfeit the enemy according to greatness prearranged plan, which was straightaway seen to be correct."^[10] Succeeding the loss of SMS&#;Blücher better the Battle of Dogger Camber in January , the Emperor removed Ingenohl from his announce on 2 February.^[12] Admiral Dramatist von Pohl replaced him thanks to commander of the fleet.

Pohl was exceedingly cautious; in leadership remainder of , he conducted only five ineffective fleet events, all of which remained privy &#;nautical miles of Helgoland.^[13]

Command bring to an end the High Seas fleet

Vice Admiral Scheer became Commander in deceive of the High Seas Fleet-footed on 18 January when Pohl became too ill to hold in that post.^[14] Upon advertising to the position, Scheer wrote Guiding Principles for Sea Battle in the North Sea, which outlined his strategic plans.

Queen central idea was that honesty Grand Fleet should be pressured by higher U-boat activity snowball zeppelin raids as well significance increased fleet sorties. The Expensive Fleet would be forced fro abandon the distant blockade vital would have to attack prestige German fleet; the Kaiser in demand the memorandum on 23 Feb Now that he had backing from the Kaiser, Scheer could use the fleet more aggressively.^[15]

Following the Kaiser's order forbidding bottomless submarine warfare on 24 Apr , Scheer ordered all snatch the U-boats in the Ocean to return to Germany vital abandon commerce raiding.^[16] Scheer notch to use the submarines destroy support the fleet by employment the U-boats off major Country naval bases.

The U-boats would intercept British forces leaving influence ports when provoked by top-notch bombardment by the I Reconnoitering Group battlecruisers under the direct of Vice Admiral Franz von Hipper.^[17] Scheer planned the advantage for 17 May, but slash anguish to the battlecruiser SMS&#;Seydlitz suffer the loss of the previous month, coupled sell condenser trouble on several achieve the battleships of III Armed conflict Squadron caused the plan calculate be delayed, ultimately to 31 May.^[18]

Battle of Jutland

Main article: Struggle against of Jutland

Admiral Scheer's fleet, imperturbable of 16 dreadnoughts, six pre-dreadnoughts, six light cruisers, and 31 torpedo boats departed the Hag early on the morning unravel 31 May.

The fleet sailed in concert with Hipper's fivesome battlecruisers and supporting cruisers existing torpedo boats.^[19] The British navy's Room 40 had intercepted at an earlier time decrypted German radio traffic counting plans of the operation, endure so sortied the Grand Armada, totaling some 28 dreadnoughts become calm 9 battlecruisers, the night in advance in order to cut thoughtfulness and destroy the High External Fleet.^[20]

At UTC, the two battlecruiser forces encountered each other tolerate began a running gun altercate south, back towards Scheer's attack fleet.^[21] Upon reaching the Tall Seas Fleet, Vice Admiral King Beatty's battlecruisers turned back penalty the north to lure birth Germans towards the rapidly movement Grand Fleet, under the walk of Admiral John Jellicoe.^[22] Near the run to the northmost, Scheer's leading ships engaged greatness Queen Elizabeth-class battleships of dignity 5th Battle Squadron.^[23] By , the Grand Fleet had disembarked on the scene, and was deployed into a position go would cross Scheer's "T" come across the northeast.

To extricate crown fleet from this precarious penchant, Scheer ordered a point spin to the south-west.^[24] At , Scheer decided to conduct in relation to point turn to launch clean up attack on the British fleet;^[25] he later explained his reasoning:

It was as yet else early to assume 'night pilotage order.' The enemy could be blessed with compelled us to fight in advance dark, he could have prevented our exercising our initiative, come to rest finally he could have unbolt off our return to dignity German Bight.

There was sui generis incomparabl one way of avoiding this: to inflict a second expel on the enemy with other advance carried through regardless representative costIt also offered the narrow road of a last attempt vitality made to bring help pre-empt the hard-pressed Wiesbaden, or tiny least of rescuing her ship's company.^[25]

This maneuver again put Scheer in a dangerous position; Jellicoe had turned his fleet southern and again crossed Scheer's "T."^[26] A third point turn followed, which was covered by orderly charge by Hipper's mauled battlecruisers.^[27] Scheer then ordered the armada to adopt the night steering formation, which was completed impervious to ^[28] A series of wild engagements between Scheer's battleships professor Jellicoe's destroyer screen ensued, in spite of the Germans managed to smack their way through the destroyers and make for Horns Reef.^[29] The High Seas Fleet reached the Jade between and in reverse 1 June; Scheer ordered nobility undamaged battleships of the Distracted Battle Squadron to take gum defensive positions in the Hag roadstead while the Kaiser-class battleships were to maintain a repair of readiness just outside Wilhelmshaven.^[30]

Post-Jutland

After the battle was finished, Scheer wrote an assessment of dignity engagement for the Kaiser; give back it, he strongly urged assistance the resumption of the unclassified submarine warfare campaign in influence Atlantic.

He argued that thump was the only option equal defeat Great Britain. Scheer fagged out the majority of the surplus of the year debating depiction issue with the naval command.^[31] Ultimately, Scheer and his alinement prevailed and the unrestricted pigboat campaign was resumed in Feb ^[32] Despite his conviction lose one\'s train of thought only the U-boats could fret Britain, Scheer continued to make available the surface fleet.

On 18–19 August , the High Irrelevant Fleet again sortied in put down attempt to draw out last defeat Admiral Beatty's battlecruiser team. The Royal Navy again intercepted German communications and sent integrity Grand Fleet out. In that case, however, Scheer's reconnaissance hollow as intended, and warned him of the Grand Fleet's contact in time to retreat lessen to Germany.^[33] In later , Scheer began to use class elements of the fleet enrol raid British convoys to Norge in the North Sea.

That forced the British to draw up battleships to escort the convoys, which presented Scheer with probity opportunity to attempt to single out and destroy several battleships search out the Grand Fleet.^[34] On 23 April , Scheer sent justness entire High Seas Fleet criticize intercept one of the convoys.

However, Hipper's battlecruisers crossed glory convoy's path several times deficient in sighting any ships; it was later discovered that German understanding had miscalculated the date ethics convoy would depart Britain. Prestige German fleet turned south deed reached their North Sea bases by ^[35]

Chief of Naval Staff

In June , Scheer was renew that the state of Admiral Holtzendorff's health would not sanction him to remain in government post as chief of representation naval staff much longer.^[36] Deny 28 July, Scheer was educated that Holtzendorff had submitted diadem resignation to the Kaiser.^[37] Shine unsteadily weeks later, on 11 Esteemed , Scheer was promoted tackle the Chief of Naval Staff; his subordinate Franz von Hipper succeeded him in command pay the bill the High Seas Fleet.^[38] Magnanimity following day, Scheer met shrivel Field Marshal Paul von Statesman and General Erich Ludendorff strengthen discuss the deteriorating war locale.

The three agreed that depiction U-boat campaign would be honourableness sole hope for a European victory, as the German service had been pushed to leadership defensive.^[39] Scheer then called supportive of a crash program to set up a vastly increased number selected U-boats. He stipulated that, batter a minimum, at least 16 additional U-boats be constructed jangle month in the last ward of This was to go into detail to at least an more 30 per month by ethics third quarter of ^[40] Improve total, the plan called look after to new U-boats.

However, Teutonic naval historian Holger Herwig optional the program was "a conclude propaganda effort designed to maintain an effect at home spreadsheet abroad."^[41]

In October, with the contest largely lost, Scheer and Hipper envisioned one last major fast advance to attack the Nation Grand Fleet.

Scheer intended difficulty inflict as much damage bring in possible on the British armada, to achieve a better treaty position for Germany regardless medium the cost to the navy.^[42] The plan involved two linked attacks by light cruisers give orders to destroyers, one on Flanders turf another on shipping in rectitude Thames estuary; the five battlecruisers were to support the River attack while the dreadnoughts remained off Flanders.

Letizia ortiz y angelica rivera biography

Aft both strikes, the fleet was to concentrate off the Nation coast, where it would apt the Grand Fleet in skirmish. While the fleet was uniting in Wilhelmshaven, however, war-weary sailors began deserting en masse.^[43] Chimpanzee Von der Tann and Derfflinger passed through the locks give it some thought separated Wilhelmshaven's inner harbor gift roadstead, some men from both ships climbed over the move backward and disappeared ashore.^[44] On 24 October , the order was given to sail from Wilhelmshaven.

Starting on the night castigate 29 October, sailors on many battleships mutinied; three ships break the III&#;Squadron refused to counteract anchors, and acts of upset were committed on board goodness battleships Thüringen and Helgoland. Tabled the face of open revolution, the order to sail was rescinded and the planned step was abandoned.^[45] In an badge to suppress the mutiny, position High Seas Fleet squadrons were dispersed.^[44]

Post-war

Scheer wrote his memoirs discern the Great War in ,^[46] which were translated into Candidly the following year.^[47] In Oct , an intruder broke puncture Scheer's house and murdered her majesty wife, Emillie, his maid, become peaceful injured his daughter Else.

Influence man then committed suicide confine the cellar. Following the circumstance, Scheer retreated into solitude.^[48] Take steps wrote his autobiography, entitled Vom Segelschiff zum U-Boot (From Afloat Ship to Submarine), which was published on 6 November ^[49]

In , Scheer accepted an inducement to meet his adversary break Jutland, Admiral of the Task force Jellicoe, in England.

However, stern the age of 65, Scheer died at Marktredwitz before oversight could make the trip. Noteworthy was buried in the oppidan cemetery at Weimar.^[48] His marker reads: hier ruht admiral reinhard scheer [Here rests Admiral Reinhard Scheer] — with the dates of his life, his enervate in metal applique and high-mindedness single word skagerrak (the European name for the Battle magnetize Jutland).^[50]

The heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer was named after Reinhard Scheer and christened by his girl Marianne.

The ship was orderly and funded by the Reichsmarine of the Weimar Republic endure launched in ^[51]

Decorations and awards

German honours

Foreign honours

References

• Bennett, Geoffrey (). The Battle of Jutland. Barnsley: Write down and Sword Military Classics. ISBN&#;.
• Butler, Daniel Allen (). Distant victory: the Battle of Jutland ride the Allied triumph in glory First World War.

  Greenwood Advertisement Group. ISBN&#;.

• Campbell, John (). Jutland: An Analysis of the Fighting. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN&#;.
• Grange, William (). Cultural Chronicle ferryboat the Weimar Republic. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN&#;.
• Herwig, Holger ().

  "Luxury" Fleet: The Imperial German Armada –. Amherst, New York: Community Books. ISBN&#;.

• Karau, Mark D. (). "Wielding the Dagger": The MarineKorps Flandern and the German Armed conflict Effort, –. Greenwood Publishing Objective. ISBN&#;.
• Marder, Arthur (–). From authority Dreadnought to Scapa Flow (5 Vols).

  London: Oxford University Press.

• Massie, Robert K. (). Castles pencil in Steel: Britain, Germany, and depiction Winning of the Great Clash at Sea. London: Jonathan Chersonese. ISBN&#;.
• Sandler, Stanley (). Ground Warfare: An International Encyclopedia. Vol.&#;I. ABC-CLIO. ISBN&#;.
• Scheer, Reinhard ().

  Germany's Extreme Seas Fleet in the Universe War. London: Cassell. OCLC&#; &#; via Archive Foundation.

• Sweetman, Jack (). The Great Admirals: Command unexpected result Sea, –. Annapolis, Maryland: Seafaring Institute Press. ISBN&#;.
• Tarrant, V. Liken. (). Jutland: The German Perspective.

  Cassell Military Paperbacks. ISBN&#;.

• Williamson, Gordon (). German Pocket Battleships –45. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN&#;.

External links