GERMAN NAVAL MUTINY

Hokitika Guardian, 18 October 1917, Page 3

GERMAN NAVAL MUTINY

BY A MUTINEER

fAUSTRALIAN & X.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION]

■ i (Received'This Day at 10.15. a.m.i | NEW YORK, Oct 1/. The New York Sun prints the story of the German mutiny, written by Rudolph Glatefelden. A second lieutenant in the German navy, one of the leaders of the seditious propaganda, I who escaped to Switzerland. He was formerly assigned to the cruiser Magdenburg, but the Russians captured him during the bombardment of Li'bau on 4th September 1914. Later, he was exchanged as incapacitated. Glatefelden relates in the organisation of disloyalty in the Navy the first idea was to agitate the army in Franco and Belgium. It was then decided to concentrate in the Navy.* Comrades, many of whom were women posing as nurses, were sent to sixteen centres. Gladefolden's group were sen- to Adlhelmshaven, whereat of two thousand were engaged in anti-militaristic work, fifteen hundred were killed. At Cux--1 Savon many officers sympathised with tho movement. One captain sank his ship, -the Bremershaven, but the loss was never admitted. Twelve thousand sailors and mariners participated in tho revolt at Wilhelmsliaven on July 30th. There was a bloody conflict from morning till night. They mobbed the Admiral and fifty officers who preached the 'Government propaganda, killing the entire party. They then set fire to the barracks and sheds containing four Zeppelins, also a warehouse, j wharves, naval observatory and one ar- | sen'll. The forts that sided with the j rebels engaged eleven other forts. Bridges, buildings, and four nnconi- ( pletod warships fitting out in the harbours wore blown up. The authori- . ties meanwhile called up the loyal soldiers. The routineers attempted to . reach the warships in the harbour. , Somo succeeded, but others were mown ] down by machine-guns. Glntcfeldor \ writes that it is only one of the early , incidents of general discontent in the German Navy’s ranks. Before the account is printed, other grave events may occur. Other nations no longer accuse us of not having such courage as is necessary for making rebellion. A. few hours prior to tho mutiny, the authorities ordered sailors and marin- . ers from the warships, because they | could not trust them aboard. Glatefelder deplores the fact that the mutineers had no pre-arranged < plans. He asserts, that ugly conditions prevail at the naval bases. The , hospitals contain military repulsive cases, which the Government are con- ( coaling from the public. The dead are buried at sea, regular death ferries being maintained. The crew of one ship revolted and threw the captain and' several officers overboard, shot the Lutheran ,Minister who uttered “Beloved Kaiser and Fatherland.” 1 Glatefelder s story reached the Unit- I ed States a week before Admiral v<m s Capelle made his announcement in the ( Reichstag.