Reichsmarine
The
Reichsmarine was the name of the
German Navy during the
Weimar Republic. It was the naval branch of the
Reichswehr, it existed from 1918 to 1935. In 1935 it became the
Kriegsmarine, a branch of the
Wehrmacht; a change implemented by the
Nazi regime.
The Vorläufige Reichsmarine (Temporary Imperial Navy) was formed after the end of
World War I from the
Kaiserliche Marine.
Revolution and the Kapp Putsch
Scuttling of the High Seas Fleet and the Versailles Treaty
The provisions of the Versailles Treaty restricted the German navy to 15,000 men and no submarines, while the fleet was limited to six battleships (of less than 10,000 tonnes), six cruisers and 12 destroyers.
Tasks of the Reichsmarine
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Battleships Schlesien and Schleswig-Holstein in 1930 |
Extent and equipment
The Treaty of Versailles limited the size and armament of the Reichsmarine and prevented it from introducing new technologies. The restrictions were intended to prevent the German navy from becoming a threat to the Allied powers. On the other hand, the Allies had made certain that the Reichsmarine would be in the foreseeable future the strongest power in the Baltic Sea, in order to serve as a counterweight against the new Soviet Union, which was viewed with distrust by the Allies.
The Reichsmarine tried to meet the arms restrictions with secret armament and technical innovations.
