Gustav Bachmann was a German naval officer, and an admiral in World War I He headed the German Imperial Admiralty Staff briefly from February 1915, before being forced out in September 1915 over the failure of the first round of unrestricted submarine warfare.
17 Facts About Gustav Bachmann
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Bachmann was the son of the farmer Julius Bachmann and his wife Anna Bachmann, born Raspe.
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Gustav Bachmann completed basic training and went on the frigate Niobe from April 21,1877, to September 19,1877.
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Gustav Bachmann attended the German Naval Academy from September 20,1877, to April 14,1878.
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From October 4,1884, to August 9,1886, Gustav Bachmann sailed as deck officer on the cruiser frigate Bismarck.
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Gustav Bachmann was promoted on October 13,1891, to lieutenant, on May 21,1898, to lieutenant commander and on January 27,1903, to commander.
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Gustav Bachmann was employed in many different commands and staffs, so from April 1901 to April 1903 he became chief of staff of the East Asia Squadron.
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From October 1903 to September 29,1905, Gustav Bachmann worked as an instructor at the Naval Academy and here became a sea captain on April 1,1904.
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Gustav Bachmann remained in this position until October 31,1910, and was promoted on January 27,1909, to rear admiral.
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Gustav Bachmann was promoted again to vice admiral on September 5,1911.
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Subsequent to his time in the Reichsmarineamt, Gustav Bachmann was commander of the reconnaissance ships and remained so until September 30,1913.
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Gustav Bachmann was governor of the German war port of Kiel.
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On February 2,1915, Gustav Bachmann was made Chief of the Naval Staff, where his main task was to run his predecessor Hugo von Pohl's recently approved campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare.
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On September 5,1915, Gustav Bachmann had to vacate the post of Admiralty head.
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Gustav Bachmann advocated for no restrictions on the submarine war, even after the sinking of the RMS Lusitania, and bombing of civilian targets.
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Gustav Bachmann returned to the position of chief of the naval station Baltic and governor of the German naval port of Kiel.
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Gustav Bachmann lived in Gottingen, later in Kiel, where he died at 83 years old.