Reichsflotte

Imperial Fleet Reichsflotte (RF)
The Reichsflotte in 1849.
Active	1848–1852
Country	German Empire (1848/1849)  German Confederation
Allegiance	Provisorische Zentralgewalt
Type	Navy
Role	Coastal defence
Size	39 ships
H/Q	Brake, Oldenburg
Engagements	Schleswig War (1848–1851)
Disbanded	2 April 1852
Commanders
Navy Minister	August Jochmus
Rear Admiral	Karl Brommy
Insignia
War Ensign (1848–1852)
Naval Jack (1848–1852)

The Reichsflotte (German: [ˈʁaɪçsˌflɔtə], Imperial Fleet) was the first pan-German navy, established by the nascent, short-lived German Empire to provide a naval force in the First Schleswig War against Denmark. The decision was made on 14 June 1848 by the Frankfurt Parliament, which is considered by the modern German Navy as its birthday.

In 1849 the fleet was transferred to the re-established German Confederation. The German states such as Prussia, Hanover and Austria had a quarrel regarding the ships and the costs to sustain a fleet. In 1852 the Confederation decided to dissolve the fleet and sell the ships.

The German Confederation, founded in 1815, was initially not in need of a navy, as it could rely on three members who commanded large fleets: The Grand Duke of Luxembourg (the King of the Netherlands) as commander of the Royal Dutch Navy, the Duke of Holstein as the commander of the Danish Navy, and last but not least, the King of Hanover as commander of the British Royal Navy. This had changed by the late 1830s, as the Kings of the Netherlands and Great Britain ceased to be members of the German Confederation, and in early 1848 Denmark also turned against Germany in the First Schleswig War. Soon, the Danish Navy stopped all German trade in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.

This newly created provisional government was headed by Archduke John of Austria as regent (Reichsverweser), i.e., as a temporary head of state, and he named August von Jochmus as Foreign Minister and Navy minister.

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Wikipedia