Prussia never had a major navy, nor did the other german states before the german empire was formed in 1871. Alfred peter friedrich tirpitz who was ennobled in 1900 was born on 19 march 1849 in the small town of kustrin in the eastern part of prussia. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. He analyses both the assumptions and the flaws of tirpitzs risk theory. From then on the german emperor and tirpitz formed a team that eventually led germany into disaster. Kriegsmarine, world war, 19141918, world war, 19141918, admirals publisher new york. Pdf the german kaiserreich and its naval programme dreams. Tirpitz and the imperial german navy german history. He developed his own risk theory, which proposed the building of a fleet strong enough to threaten british superiority in the north sea, so that by attacking such a fleet britain would take the risk of losing so many ships that it would become inferior to other rivals, such as france and russia. This approach, however, risks painting a misleading picture of chinas. He was credited with transforming the imperial german navy from little more than a coastal defense force into the high seas fleet, tirpitz was a dominant personality of the emperor william iis reign. Already in the early 1890s tirpitz was convinced by the overall idea of a battle fleet. Ruthless and determined, he argued repeatedly for the buildup of the navy. If the two navies fought, the german navy would inflict enough damage on the british that the latter ran a.
Germany thus gained the second largest navy in the world, but it was still so outdistanced by great britains navy that it never fully saw the action for which it was. This paper will note the ideological origins of the tirpitz plan, outline the socalled risk theory and seek to explain its implementation in practice. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the graduate school of. Far more decisive in its effect on anglogerman relations was the building of a great german navy, first sketched in the navy law of 1898 and fully launched by the navy law of 1900. Indeed, if the risk theory actually worked, there would be no war. He was ennobled in 1900 and attained the rank of admiral in 1903 and that of grand admiral in 1911. The son of a prussian civil servant, he enlisted in the prussian navy in 1865, attended the kiel naval school, and was commissioned in. German admiral, secretary of state of the german imperial navy. This theory was based on the assumption that great britain would have to send its fleet into the north sea to blockade the german ports blockading germany was the only way the royal navy could seriously harm germany, where the german navy could force a battle.
If the two navies fought, the german navy would inflict enough damage on the british that the latter ran a risk of losing their naval dominance. In it all the problems of german society came to the surface, and through it, they. Social identity theory provides a typology of strategies that states may use to enhance their relative. By the outbreak of world war i, his efforts had transformed the german navy from a defensive force designed to protect the coast line into a powerful rival to the british fleet, far surpassing other naval powers of the world. Request permission export citation add to favorites track citation. Alfred tirpitz contributed to the disaster called world war i. A close ally of the kaiser, he organised the expansion of germanys fleet from a small force fit only for coastal defence to the great navy it is today, one that is almost able to challenge britains naval supremacy.
The risk theory argued that the ultimate strength of the german fleet would deter any naval opponent. Prewar military planning international encyclopedia of the first. Raeder led the kriegsmarine german navy for the first half of the war. Pdf the german kaiser wilhelm ii and his political leadership implemented dreams of world power and domination through a. He entered the prussian navy in 1865, and by 1890 had risen to be chiefofstaff.
Tirpitz developed a risk theory whereby, if the german imperial navy reached a certain level of strength relative to the british royal navy, the british would try to avoid confrontation with germany that is, maintain a fleet in being. General information more tirpitz the plan than tirpitz the man in 1900 the german government announced its plans to strengthen the imperial navy a small coastal fleet into the german high seas fleet, a fleet with global capabilities. The son of a judge, he joined the prussian navy in 1865 and soon made a brilliant career. The term tirpitz plan was not in use at the time it was conceived in the late 1890s. Tirpitz developed a risk theory whereby, if the german imperial navy reached a certain level of strength. The essence of tirpitz s naval policy was a great battle fleet, and he justified this by various strategic arguments. As state secretary of the imperial naval office from 1897 to 1916, tirpitz wielded great power and influence over the national agenda during that crucial period. By 1914, they had given germany the secondlargest naval force in the world roughly 40% smaller than the royal navy. Bandwagoning for profit pdf new pdf download service. Pdf the german kaiser wilhelm ii and his political leadership implemented dreams of world power and. Admiral tirpitz was placed in charge of this effort that has become known as the tirpitz plan. His plan of building a powerful battle fleet, which would be able to challenge the royal navy in order to realize germanys aspirations for a place in. Erich johann albert raeder 24 april 1876 6 november 1960 was a naval leader in germany before and during world war ii.
If the two navies fought, the german navy would inflict enough damage on the british, that the latter ran a risk of losing their naval dominance. Began his career in 1865 as a naval officer and rose rapidly to the rank of rear admiral. Marz 1930 in ebenhausen in oberbayern, war ein deutscher gro. By building a great battle fleet, tirpitz argued, germany could force england into neutrality or alliance with it by posing a threat to englands vital maritime. His influence on german naval policy began with his study of the recently invented torpedo and his consequent appointment 1871 as chief of the torpedo division of the navy ministry. If the two navies fought, the german navy would inflict. Tirpitz 18491930 german admiral and politician, was born at kiistrin march iq 1849. Foi um dos principais estrategistas e idealizadores da marinha alema nos seus primordios. German empire tirpitz and the german navy britannica.