Command Technology in the Imperial German Navy at the turn of the 20th century

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K13129
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 03040:History of Europe and America-related
• Research Institution: Otani University (2022-2023); Osaka City University (2021)
• Principal Investigator: MAEDA Mitsuhiro 大谷大学, 文学部, 講師 (90804609)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 軍事史 / ドイツ帝国海軍 / 工科大学 / 王立素材試験局 / 帝国立造船所 / 耐久試験

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examines to reveal the Command Technology, a system applied by the Imperial German Navy (1871-1918) to enlarge the fleet and focuses on activities the Reichsmarineamt and of Koenigliches Materialpruefungsamt in Koenigliche Technische Hochschule Charlottenburg: The quality tests.
Although the policy of building-up the fleet in this era has been focused on appeal to public opinion through legislation and propaganda, this study focuses on the industrial technology and its operation. Thereby it shows that, in order to obtain high-quality assurance for naval shipbuilding-parts supplied to the Navy, the Reichsmarineamt decided which companies to purchase products by requested some quality tests from the Materialpruefungsamt. However, the Imperial Shipyard in Kiel, Wilhelmshaven and Danzig conducted the test at first, and the Imperial German Navy and the Hochschule Charlottenburg were just indirectly involved through the shipyards.

Free Research Field

ドイツ近現代史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、近現代における軍隊と科学研究機関（工科大学）との関係を明らかにしたものである。従来ドイツ帝国海軍による艦隊拡張政策をめぐる経済史的研究は、海軍と企業の関係に主眼が置かれてきた。その一方で、科学および科学機関との関係については、言及がなされつつも実態の解明には至っていなかった。
本研究の成果は、科学研究機関の軍事（研究）への関わり方が社会問題となりうる現在のわが国において、両者の関係をいかに考えるか、そのヒントを提供するものとなるであろう。