Russian naval commanders in the estimates of the german naval attache in 1901-1912

About the authors:

Stanislav N. Sinegubov, Dr. Sci. (Hist.), Professor, University of Tyumen, Tyumen, Russia; s.n.sinegubov@utmn.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7458-5062

Sergey P. Shilov, Dr. Sci. (Hist.), Professor, University of Tyumen, Tyumen, Russia; sshilov@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9021-4287

Abstract:

The paper analyses the characteristics of the Russian naval commanders given by the German naval attaches in their reports to Berlin in 1901-1912. While characterizing them the attaches paid attention first of all to their professional features. To their opinion they influenced the promotion of the Russian naval officers. Among a great number of top officials in the Russian fleet the German attaches especially valued “the Russian Germans” as to their mind they were particularly industrious and disciplined. In addition, the messages are the data that characterize the general state of affairs in the main fleet — the Baltic and the Black Sea, which allowed making up the conclusions about the priority of their development plans of the Russian authorities. Taking into consideration the research materials the authors show the influence they had on forming the policy of A. Tirpitz’ Naval Ministry to Russia including such an important issue as making a naval alliance.

References:

1. Tirpitz, A. Erinnerungen. Leipzig, 1919; Tirpitz, A. Poltische Dokumente. Bd. 1-2. Stuttgart, 1924-1926; Tirpitz, A. Über den strategisch-taktischen Ursprung der Flottengesetze // Nauticus. 1926. Jhrg. 28. S. 185-202; Churchill, W. S. First Lord of the Admiralty 1911 to 1915. London, 1923; Churchill, W. S. The world crisis 1911-1918. Vol. 1. London, 1938.

2. Skagerrakschlacht. Vorgeschichte — Ereignis — Verarbeitung». München, 2009; Sinegubov, S.N. Uporstvo protiv sily: germano-anglijskoe morskoe protivostojanie v 1900-1914 gg. [Persistence against strength: German-British naval confrontation in 1900-1914s]. Tyumen, 2010 (in Russian).

3. Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv. Reichsmarineamt. Freiburg. (Federal Military Archive. Naval Office. Freiburg, then — BA-MA. RM) 3/6657, AB 214-220. Auszüge aus dem Entwurf einer Aufzeichnung aus der Etatabsteilung des Reichsmarineamts vom Februar 1900. «Die Sicherung Deutschland gegen einen englischen Angrif» // Berghahn, V.R. Deist W. Rüstung im Zeichen der wilhelminischen Weltpolitik. Grundlegende Dokumente 1890-1914. Düsseldorf, 1988. S. 128.

4. Shilov, S.P. Kajzerovskij voenno-morskoj flot i Rossija: ot idei germano-russkogo sojuza k konfrontacii v 1897-1914 gg. [Kaiser's navy and Russia: from the idea of the German-Russian alliance to confrontation in 1897-1914s]. Tyumen, 2004 (in Russian).

5. Rossijskij gosudarstvennyj arhiv voenno-morskogo flota (RGA VMF) [Russian State Naval Archives (RSNA)]. F. 417. Op. 1. D. 446. L. 37-40 (in Russian).

6. The activities of the fleets of France and Russia in the event of war against the Triple Alliance. Morskoj sbornik — Naval Collection. 1890. № 6. P. 1-11 (in Russian).

7. Sinegubov, S.N. Syndrome of «military threat» as a constant factor of the German-British relations 1904-1911s. Izvestija Altajskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta — Izvestia of Altai State University. 2009. № 4/1 (64/1). P. 202-210 (in Russian).

8. BA-MA. RM 3/2843. Marineattache für nordischen Reichen. 20.01.1901.

9. BA-MA. RM 3/2843. Marineattache für nordischen Reichen. 20.01.1901.

10. BA-MA. RM 5/885. Hintze an Kaiser. 09.04.1903.

11. BA-MA. RM 3/2843. Marineattache für nordischen Reichen. 20.01.1901.

12.BA-MA. RM 3/2850. Marineattache für nordischen Reichen. 14.07.1905.

13. BA-MA. RM 5/1505. Hintze an Kaiser. 11.04.1906.

14. BA-MA. RM 3/2851. Hintze an Kaiser. 29.08.1906.

15. BA-MA. RM 5/1505. Hintze an Kaiser. 27.10.1907.

16. BA-MA. RM 3/2855. Hintze an Kaiser. 19.06.1910.

17. BA-MA. RM 3/2856. Keyserling an Tirpitz. 31.10.1911.

18. Bennett, G. Skagerrkschlacht. München, 1976. S. 99, 140 ff.

19. Güth, R. Von Revolution zu Revolution — Entwicklungen und Führungsproblemeder deutschen Marine 1848-1918. Herford, 1978. S. 81 ff.

20. BA-MA. RM 3/2856. Fischer-Loβeinen an Tirpitz. 01.04. 1912.

21. Istorija voenno-morskogo iskusstva [The history of the naval art]. V. 3. The naval art of the imperialism age. M., 1953. P. 13-14; Docenko, V.D. Istorija voenno-morskogo iskusstva [The history of the naval art]. V. 1. Arming and theory. M., 2005. P. 578 (in Russian).