German Prince Wilhelm (later Kaiser Wilhelm II in our TL) dies in the late 1870s

In 1889 the Imperial German Admiralty was abolished and its tasks divided into 3 bodies: German Imperial Naval High Command (Kaiserliches Oberkommando der Marine), the Imperial Naval Office (Reichsmarineamt), and the Imperial Naval Cabinet (Kaiserliches Marinekabinett). The Imperial Naval High Command was, on 14 March 1899, replaced by the German Imperial Admiralty Staff, with the Kaiser in command of the Fleet.

Would Prince Heinrich ruin the command structure of the Navy with the 1899 re-org?
 
I have a question. With the Empire being a federation of sorts, and some of the countries such as Bavaria still having their own "army" that works closely with the Imperial Army especially during war, how did the navy work? Was it exclusively an Imperial navy and how did the other countries within the Empire associate with it? And if it is an Imperial Navy exclusively, then like the "Imperial Army", I can assume it is Prussian dominated?
 
I have a question. With the Empire being a federation of sorts, and some of the countries such as Bavaria still having their own "army" that works closely with the Imperial Army especially during war, how did the navy work? Was it exclusively an Imperial navy and how did the other countries within the Empire associate with it? And if it is an Imperial Navy exclusively, then like the "Imperial Army", I can assume it is Prussian dominated?

Yes, it was an exclusively Imperial/Federal organisation, without the likes of Prussian and other state components.

However the command 'structure' was atrocious, being almost flat and the major components (Admiral Staff, RMA, Navy Cabinet, High Seas Fleet, Naval Inspectorate, North Sea station and Baltic Station) all equal and responsible to the Kaiser. This meant that only the Kaiser could order the HSF to give resources from one station to another, which meant that MarineKorps Flandern was established during the war the HSF and other stations successfully fought to keep their resources rather than being ordered to transfer them to MKF.
 
Yes, it was an exclusively Imperial/Federal organisation, without the likes of Prussian and other state components.

However the command 'structure' was atrocious, being almost flat and the major components (Admiral Staff, RMA, Navy Cabinet, High Seas Fleet, Naval Inspectorate, North Sea station and Baltic Station) all equal and responsible to the Kaiser. This meant that only the Kaiser could order the HSF to give resources from one station to another, which meant that MarineKorps Flandern was established during the war the HSF and other stations successfully fought to keep their resources rather than being ordered to transfer them to MKF.
So then. back to ATL with Prince Heinrich as Emperor because of an earlier death of his older brother Prince Wilhelm. As a Navy man, then would Prince Heinrich as Emperor have seen a much more appropriate and or efficient organization of the Imperial Navy that would have a better chain of command, not relying on the whim of the Emperor.

There are times you have to admit, Wilhelm II must have seen the Imperial Navy as his personal hobby and or toy set! An Emperor Heinrich may have seen a better use of the Navy then the one created by his brother.
 
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So then. back to ATL with Prince Heinrich as Emperor because of an earlier death of his older brother Prince Wilhelm. As a Navy man, then would Prince Heinrich as Emperor have seen a much more appropriate and or efficient organization of the Imperial Navy that would have a better chain of command, not relying on the whim of the Emperor.

There are times you have to admit, Wilhelm II must have seen the Imperial Navy as his personal hobby and or toy set! An Emperor Heinrich may have seen a better use of the Navy then the one created by his brother.

Willy certainly did see the navy as his personal toy, despite much effort he never relinquished command of the fleet and the only consolidation of power was Prince Heinrich made commander of the Baltic as well as head of the Naval inspectorate.

Even if Heinrich kept the 1889 to 1899 organisation, which had the HSF, North and Baltic sea stations under the command of the naval high command and the RMA responsible to the chancellor would have been a much better arrangement. However the dissolution of the high command and divestment of its powers to the admiral staff and naval inspectorate were tied up with the 1898 naval law and selfish pressure from Tirpitz and I don't know how PH would handle this situation.
 

CaliGuy

Banned
Question--wasn't having a single Navy one of the main sources of German pride, patriotism, and unity for Germans in the late 19th and early 20th century?
 

CaliGuy

Banned
Even if Heinrich kept the 1889 to 1899 organisation, which had the HSF, North and Baltic sea stations under the command of the naval high command and the RMA responsible to the chancellor would have been a much better arrangement. However the dissolution of the high command and divestment of its powers to the admiral staff and naval inspectorate were tied up with the 1898 naval law and selfish pressure from Tirpitz and I don't know how PH would handle this situation.
By firing or demoting Tirpitz, perhaps?
 
Question--wasn't having a single Navy one of the main sources of German pride, patriotism, and unity for Germans in the late 19th and early 20th century?

Yes, in particular it gave middle class officers a chance for higher command than the army.

By firing or demoting Tirpitz, perhaps?

He was not long in the position by then and did valuable work, all that needs to happen is for a less egotistical kaiser to recognize Tirpitz' angle and resist him.
 
Yes, in particular it gave middle class officers a chance for higher command than the army.



He was not long in the position by then and did valuable work, all that needs to happen is for a less egotistical kaiser to recognize Tirpitz' angle and resist him.
Would Heinrich have provided that less egotistical Kaiser?
 
Perhaps; however, the fact of the matter is that this was a waste of money for Germany which was better spent elsewhere--such as on (improving) the German Army.
Not really, if Germany was able to destroy a Britsh blockade the navy would have been WAY worth it, it´s just you need to reach a certain level before becoming effective.
 

CaliGuy

Banned
Not really, if Germany was able to destroy a Britsh blockade the navy would have been WAY worth it, it´s just you need to reach a certain level before becoming effective.
Don't you also need to be able to operate long-range, though?
 
Can't Britain simply blockade Germany through Brittany instead, though?

They can try, but it won't be nearly as effective as the Dover barrage over a much narrower chokepoint and if Germany puts larger warships in Flanders the RN will have to find ships to counter the threat from somewhere, probably the GF.
 
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