Ernst Wieblitz
Encyclopedia
Wieblitz Ernst was a German naval officer during the World War I
. He was navigation officer on the SMS Dresden on the day of the scuttling.
Ernst Wieblitz was born in Metz
, Lorraine
, one of the strongest fortress of the German Empire
. He was the son of a military doctor. In 1901, aged eihteen, Wieblitz joined the Kaiserliche Marine
. He began his training on the training ship "Charlotte" sailing from the Baltic Sea
to the Mediterranean Sea
. After the Naval Academy at Kiel, Wieblitz served as a "Leutnant zu See" on the SMS Bismarck, the first German armored cruiser. Promoted to "Oberleutnant" in April 1907, he served as a navigation officer on the gunboat SMS Luchs from 1910 to 1912. In September 1912, Ernst Wieblitz was promoted to Kapitänleutnant on the SMS Königsberg, then served on the SMS Moltke, the lead ship of the Moltke-class battlecruisers of the German Imperial Navy. In December 1913, Wieblitz was assigned on the SMS Dresden, a light cruiser commanded by Captain Koehler.
By the outbreak of World War I, Ernst Wieblitz was still serving on board the SMS Dresden as navigation officer. This cruiser was the only ship that managed to evade the British Fleet for a prolonged period during the Battle of the Falkland Islands
in December 1914, largely due to his excellent deception tactics. Whilst anchored in Cumberland Bay, Robinson Crusoe Island
, the Dresden was trapped and forced to scuttle
after fighting a battle
there with the British. Wounded during the battle, Wieblitz was taken prisoner and confined at Valparaíso, in Chile in March 1915. Unlike Wilhelm Canaris
, who managed to escape in August 1915, Wieblitz stayed prisoner until the end of the war. He was awarded the Iron Cross
first class on September 23, 1919.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was navigation officer on the SMS Dresden on the day of the scuttling.
Biography
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
, Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
, one of the strongest fortress of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. He was the son of a military doctor. In 1901, aged eihteen, Wieblitz joined the Kaiserliche Marine
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
. He began his training on the training ship "Charlotte" sailing from the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
to the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. After the Naval Academy at Kiel, Wieblitz served as a "Leutnant zu See" on the SMS Bismarck, the first German armored cruiser. Promoted to "Oberleutnant" in April 1907, he served as a navigation officer on the gunboat SMS Luchs from 1910 to 1912. In September 1912, Ernst Wieblitz was promoted to Kapitänleutnant on the SMS Königsberg, then served on the SMS Moltke, the lead ship of the Moltke-class battlecruisers of the German Imperial Navy. In December 1913, Wieblitz was assigned on the SMS Dresden, a light cruiser commanded by Captain Koehler.
By the outbreak of World War I, Ernst Wieblitz was still serving on board the SMS Dresden as navigation officer. This cruiser was the only ship that managed to evade the British Fleet for a prolonged period during the Battle of the Falkland Islands
Battle of the Falkland Islands
The Battle of the Falkland Islands was a British naval victory over the Imperial German Navy on 8 December 1914 during the First World War in the South Atlantic...
in December 1914, largely due to his excellent deception tactics. Whilst anchored in Cumberland Bay, Robinson Crusoe Island
Robinson Crusoe Island
Robinson Crusoe Island , formerly known as Más a Tierra , or Aguas Buenas, is the largest island of the Chilean Juan Fernández archipelago, situated 674 kilometres west of South America in the South Pacific Ocean...
, the Dresden was trapped and forced to scuttle
Scuttling
Scuttling is the act of deliberately sinking a ship by allowing water to flow into the hull.This can be achieved in several ways—valves or hatches can be opened to the sea, or holes may be ripped into the hull with brute force or with explosives...
after fighting a battle
Battle of Más a Tierra
The Battle of Más a Tierra was a First World War battle fought on 14 March 1915, near the Chilean island of Más a Tierra, between a British squadron and a German light cruiser...
there with the British. Wounded during the battle, Wieblitz was taken prisoner and confined at Valparaíso, in Chile in March 1915. Unlike Wilhelm Canaris
Wilhelm Canaris
Wilhelm Franz Canaris was a German admiral, head of the Abwehr, the German military intelligence service, from 1935 to 1944 and member of the German Resistance.- Early life and World War I :...
, who managed to escape in August 1915, Wieblitz stayed prisoner until the end of the war. He was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
first class on September 23, 1919.
External links
- Ernst Wieblitz on kleiner-kreuzer-dresden.de