| Ludwig Von Reuter |
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| 1869 births | |
| 1943 deaths | |
| german nobility | |
| imperial german navy admirals | |
| german military personnel of world war i | |
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When WWI began, von Reuter was captain of the battlecruiser SMS ''Derfflinger'' , which he also commanded during the Battle Of Dogger Bank . In September 1915 he became commander of a scouting group. He commanded the German naval forces during the Second Battle Of Heligoland Bight in 1917. After the armistice, Rear Admiral von Reuter was ordered to take command of the fleet that was to be interened at Scapa Flow until its final disposition would be decided at Versailles . Admiral Franz Von Hipper , commander-in-chief of the High Seas Fleet had refused to lead his ships into internment. As the final deadline neared for the German delegation to sign the Treaty Of Versailles , von Reuter anticipated that his fleet would be handed over to the victorious Allies. To prevent this, he ordered all 74 ships of the fleet scuttled on 21 June 1919, using an unusual flag signal previously agreed upon (a reference to a German students' drinking song, calling for more liquid). Unknown to the British, all ships had long ago been prepared for this action. Within five hours, 10 battleships, 5 battle cruisers, 4 light cruisers, and 32 destroyers/torpedoboats sank that day in Scapa Flow. The battleship SMS ''Baden'' , the four light cruisers SMS ''Emden'' , SMS ''Nürnberg'' , SMS ''Frankfurt'' and SMS ''Bremse'' and 14 torpedo boats were beached when British watch personnel were able intervene in time and tow them to shallow water. Only four torpedoboats remained afloat. Nine Germans were killed in scuffles aboard some of the ships (including the captain of SMS ''Markgraf ) or shot to death while drifting in their lifeboats -- the last German war deaths of World War I. Von Reuter was vilified in Britain and made a prisoner of war, along with the other 1773 officers and men of the fleet's remaining rump crews. In Germany he was celebrated as a hero who had protected the honor of the navy. He retired from service and played no further role in public life. In August 1939 he was made full Admiral. |
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