The largest scuttling in naval history, in which 52 German warships sank at Scapa Flow, shaping post-war naval power negotiations.
Key Facts
- Total vessels interned
- 74
- Vessels sunk
- 52
- Date of scuttling
- 21 June 1919
- Fleet commander
- Admiral Ludwig von Reuter
- Location
- Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, Scotland
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the Armistice of 11 November 1918, the German High Seas Fleet was interned at Scapa Flow while peace negotiations proceeded. Admiral Ludwig von Reuter feared the British might seize the ships unilaterally, or that Germany might reject the Treaty of Versailles and resume hostilities, potentially turning the vessels against Germany.
On 21 June 1919, Reuter ordered the scuttling of the interned fleet. German sailors opened sea-cocks and flooded their vessels while British guard ships attempted to intervene, managing to beach some ships. Despite these efforts, 52 of the 74 interned warships sank at Scapa Flow.
The loss of the fleet significantly altered the distribution of naval power among the Allied nations after the war. Over the following two decades, many wrecks were salvaged and scrapped. The remaining wrecks became notable diving sites and a source of low-background steel, valued for use in sensitive scientific instruments.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Admiral Ludwig von Reuter.
Side B
1 belligerent