The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-10-03
German Fleet Sunk by Connivance?

An3fl,cr var cat possibly has been let out or the bag
u More than tcn years after tho scuttlng OF the German
fleet at scapa Flow, june q. 1919, it is asserted By
former German naval chiefs that the seemingly charlis,1
act o. the German crews was, III fact, BY tho colnlvancc
OF the English admiralty.
The reason r.vcn for English connivancc is that scut-
thing obviatcd the necessity o! apportionins the sur
rendered German warships among the allies. That
wclla have mean. pickering and grave friction. BY the
Istn.Iag OF the ships there was naught left to quarrel over.
II lcft no loot to divide.
There is an clement OF plauslbility about the revcla-
ticne. which were made BY Admiral Won Reuter-. who was
in command OF tho surrendered fleet, and BY Captain
prahl, who was in command of the cracs cruiser, Brufn-
MGR. IN the collection were Is Of Gcrmanys capital
ships, seven OF her best cruisers and SO dcstroyers. Here
was some loot to hagsle over. The elements of a dis
ripping quarrel between the allies, also the elements Of
a disturbing OF the relative naval strength among thcnl.
The opening OF the seacocks Of the vessels III Scapa Flow
Junk the making or such q quarrel. and whether by con-
n,yancc OF the British or by pure churlislness Of the Ger
mans. the act played into the hands of the British.
Admiral Won Reuter- tells OF the encouragement OF the
Germans from Britain in his book. "Das CARDINAL der
Deutscllen Flotte'-.thc gra"estone Of the German fleet
There has been a mystery about the snoot!lness with
which the spectacular sinking was accomplished. How
could the British naval command allow such a trick to DC
played or it? Captain Prahls and Admiral Won Reuters
r.s.ations lend ali air of verify to the assertion Of con-
nivancc.
The day tie ships we're scuttled. the German crews
were reduced to a convenient minimum by order OF the
British authorities, and the second British fleet was
withdrawn from Scapa Flow, leaving an inadequate
guard over the surrendered enemy ships. Thus the Brit
lsh admiralty came to the aid of the German commander
June q. when Admiral Sir E. Freemantle steamed away
from Scapa, leaving two dcstroyers. a few drifters and
some armed motor boats to watch the Germans.
Admiral Won Reuter- says he desired to sink the ships
even before this, but was prevented by the presence OF a
strong element of bolshevist sailors in his crews. The
British order to reduce crews to the minimum allowed
him to rid himself of this impeachment.
When the moment anne to act, Capt. Prahl himself
rushed through his ship. assisted by a petty officer,
smashing the bulrs-eyes of the cabins, while others opened
TIC sluice valves and the crews boarded the life boats.
The same process was under way on the other ships, and
the fleet went down.
THE British guards may not have been in any secret
as described by the German captain and admiral. if
there was such collision as they describe. anyhow they
fired Oh the beats and one officer and seven sailors were
killed and l6 sailors wounded among the Germans in the
beats.
1t will be interesting to await the echo to these alleged
revelations. So far. no denial or contradiction OF them
has issued from the British admiralty. The Germans have
made out a very plausible case for their explanation. 1t
would seem that they, at least. have opened a con-
trcversy Of considerable magnitude, unless England by
silence gives tacit admission to the truth of the revela-
tons. Tho World war was filled with many duplicities,
especially in the events leading up to 1t. and one more or
less as an cpilogue on the scale of the Scapa sensation
would net be at all surprising if it were proved to be true.