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Hello Jack,

I have been wondering about a K.u.K. Navy related topic and wonder if anyone has any insight into this matter: What were the relations between the line officers and the engineer and other technical branch officers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries? I know that many of the other larger fleets, such as the Royal and Imperial German navies, had serious social issues between the line and engineer officers. The U.S. Navy went so far as to merge the two branches. If anyone on the board can provide me with any information or possible sources in English or German, it would be most appreciated.

First I have to admit here that I far from being a top notch expert in the k.u.k. Kriegsmarine, but from what I have seen, read or heard so far I am inclined to believe that there was no major social gap between the sea and engineering officers as this was the case in other navies, particularly the Imperial German Navy. Indeed, Lawrence Sondhaus wrote in his superb book (which limited preview you can find online) the following passage about this issue: "...The naval policy of Austria-Hungary 1867-1918" (which can be by the way partially read online) the following passage about this subject which says: "After the reforms, there were no naval infantry officers. Naval artillery officers were redesignated 'technical officials' (technische Beamte) and given a seprate but equal status along the corps of sea officers, following a precedent set in 1858-59 in the reclassification of all engineering officers as technical officials. Eventually the social status of the Beamten became a heated political issue, but favorable conditions of service sufficed to keep most of them content: they enjoyed a higher pay scale than the sea officers and those marrying paid a lower Heiratskaution. For the common manpower of the navy as well as their leaders, the basic structure introduced by Tegethoff would remain intact until 1918..."

Source: Lawrence Sondhaus: The naval policy of Austria-Hungary 1867-1918: navalism, industrial development, and the politics of dualism. Purdue University Press, 1994, page 18.

If you find my answer unsatisfactory, you can always try to post your question on the k.u.k. Kriegsmarine Forum! Or you can leave on this forum your e-mail address and I will send you the memoires of the famous Austrian naval officer Von Trapp (in English), where he talks about his life in the k.u.k. Navy before and during the Great War. For free!

URL: http://www.cyberlord.at/f...?id=6808&forum=57552

Hope this helps!

Klemen