Tirpitz, Alfred von

(March 19, 1849, Küstrin – March 6, 1930, Ebenhausen), German admiral and politician. Tirpitz joined the Prussian Navy in 1865 and the Imperial Navy in 1871. From 1877 to 1888 he organized the navy’s torpedo arm. In 1892 became chief of staff of the naval command, and in 1896 chief of the cruiser division in East Asia, where he prepared the capture of Jiaozhou (Kiautschou). In June 1897 Tirpitz became secretary of state of the Imperial Navy, and additionally in 1898 a Prussian minister of state. In 1900 he was ennobled.

In his Memorandum IX of 1894 he had already given t…