The Imperial Navy - The III. Naval Battalion in Tsingtau - Photograph Collection

The Kiautschou Bay was taken into possession by the German Empire on November 14, 1897. Early on this area had been identified as a suitable trading base.

From the outset the naval leadership regarded the new leased territory as its own sphere of interest; it aimed at a kind of model colony.

The protectorate consisted of two peninsulas in China. The northern peninsula was 462 sq km in size. The city of Tsingtau was established here. The southern peninsula covered only 47 sq km.

Two islands (Yintau and Huangtau) also belonged to the bay up to the high-water line. The area of the bay itself at high tide is given as 560 sq km (Graudenz/Schindler, p. 297).

At the time of the taking of possession the protectorate had a population of 84,000 people. This, however, rose rapidly after the German takeover. In Tsingtau itself there were already 928 white residents in 1903. In addition there were 26,000 Chinese residents. By 1907 there were 1,184 white residents and 31,500 Chinese (Graudenz/Schindler, p. 298). In 1913 Tsingtau had a total of 55,700 inhabitants, of whom 53,000 were Chinese (Gründer, p. 191).

With a policy carefully steered by the Imperial Naval Administration, the originally small Chinese village experienced steady construction development toward a townscape shaped above all by European influence. In particular, land speculation was largely prevented by strict regulations.

The harbor located further north of Tsingtau was expanded and featured a basin protected against storms and waves with an area of 293 hectares.

In a memorandum from 1906/07 it states: "The Kiautschou territory represents, in contrast to the other German colonies, the pure type of a trading colony, i.e., a spatially narrowly limited area whose main economic function lies in mediating the exchange of goods between two large economic areas" (quoted in: Graudenz/Schindler, p. 296).

At the same time, however, the harbor and bay of Tsingtau were one — or rather the — most important base for the German cruiser squadron and thus also had a military function.

Overall a rather restrained China policy was pursued, primarily to avoid provoking other competing powers. However, the Anglo-Japanese agreement of 1902 significantly weakened the German position, and at the outbreak of war it then became clear that this location could not be held militarily (Gründer, p. 197).

The economic goals pursued by Germany were also not achieved, especially coal mining — so important for the needs of the navy — and the intended silk production. The educational ambitions, with approximately 5,400 students in the German mission schools, are also judged critically in historical hindsight (Gründer, p. 204). The Shantung railway project, however, developed more favorably.

Governors of the protectorate over time were:

Captain at Sea Rosendahl (1898 – 1899),

Captain at Sea Jäschke (1899 – 1901),

Captain at Sea von Truppel (1901 - 1911) and

Captain at Sea Meyer-Waldeck (1911 – 1914).

Among the naval units ashore was the naval infantry. According to Friedag (p. 288), in 1914 it consisted of 3 sea battalions, namely:

I.                     Sea Battalion – 4 companies, 1 fortress telegraph platoon and 1 machine-gun platoon (Kiel)

II.                   Sea Battalion – 4 companies, 1 fortress telegraph platoon and 1 machine-gun platoon (Wilhelmshaven)

III.                 Depot Sea Battalion – 2 companies and a depot battery (Cuxhaven)

Sea Battalion and East Asian Naval Detachment (Tsingtau).

The training of the naval infantry included infantry service. In addition, the service branches important for fortress duty were practiced. The training program also included gun drill and boat rowing.

The III. Sea Battalion stationed in Tsingtau comprised 5 companies, of which the 5th was mounted.

In addition there was 1 naval field battery, 1 naval engineer (pioneer) company, and 2 machine-gun platoons organized in a company formation.

In Tientsin a naval detachment was stationed and in Kiautschou a sailors' artillery unit was based.

A portion of the East Asian Naval Detachment was also stationed in Peking.

The protectorate also had an artillery depot, a mine depot, the fortifications administration, a harbor office, an observatory, a government hospital, the governorate administration, the construction administration, the education administration, a slaughterhouse, a waterworks, a provisioning office, and the Tsingtau shipyard.

According to Haupt (p. 146), in peacetime the staff of the governorate numbered 15 officers and 30 enlisted men; the III. Sea Battalion 30 officers and 1,269 enlisted men. In addition there were 11 officers and 1,790 enlisted men of other military personnel (e.g., of the shipyard division, medical personnel, etc.) as well as 19 officers and 755 enlisted men of the sailors' artillery unit.

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