German periodicals on internal political crisis in the Naval Union at the beginning of 1908

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:

In the article the authors analyze some publications fr om German periodicals devoted to internal political crisis in the Naval Union at the beginning of 1908. They reflected the moods of the German society, excited by the conflict during several years between the head of the German Imperial Naval Office A. Tirpitz and one of the heads of the organization major general A. Keim, connected with the naval promotion, and which was solved at the congress of the Union in Kassel in January, 1908. On the basis of the considered material the authors outline that many periodicals estimated the future of the organization with considerable scepticism. A. Keim had a lot of adherents and people believed that with his retirement the internal race for power in the Naval Union would go on. Among “nihilists” there were opinions that he was unnecessary and, as they considered, provoked the discord within the society by his activity, not its unity. The negative attitude of the press was considered in all its completeness by the Naval Department when they developed the political line at Danzig summer congress of the Naval Union in 1908 wh ere the new leaders of the organization, obeying A. Tirpitz’s policy were chosen.

References:

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