Karl Spindler (naval officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Karl Spindler
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| Born | May 29, 1887 Königswinter, German Empire |
| Died | November 29, 1951 Bismarck, North Dakota, United States |
| Allegiance | German Empire |
| Imperial German Navy | |
Karl Spindler (1887-1951) was a German naval officer. He played a part in a secret mission to deliver weapons to Irish rebels during World War I. This mission was connected to an important event called the Easter Rising in 1916.
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Karl Spindler was born on May 29, 1887, in Königswinter, a small town near Cologne, Germany. His father owned a quarry.
From a young age, Karl decided he wanted to be a sailor instead of joining the family business. He worked as an officer on a large steamship for a while. Later, he joined a marine school in Bremen and a naval academy in Sonderburg. He served on several ships in the German Imperial Navy. When World War I began, he was in charge of a guardship called the Polarstern in the port of Wilhelmshaven.
The Secret Mission
On March 20, 1916, Spindler was given a special command. He took over a merchant ship named the Libau. To hide its true identity, the ship was given a false name, Aud, and made to look like a Norwegian freighter. Spindler chose a crew of 5 officers and 22 men for this mission.
The Libau was meant to secretly carry captured Russian weapons. It also had a passenger, Roger Casement, who was a former British government official. Their goal was to help Irish rebels in their plan to start the Easter Rising.
Spindler went to Berlin to get more instructions. There, he met Roger Casement. However, Casement decided to travel on a submarine that would go with the Libau. The submarine later dropped Casement off at Banna Strand in County Kerry using a small folding boat. Casement was arrested on April 21, 1916, which was Good Friday. He was then held in the Tower of London for serious charges against the government. He was found guilty and his life ended on August 3, 1916.
Capture and Release
Spindler's ship was spotted by the Royal Navy near the Blasket Islands. The British forced the Libau to sail towards Queenstown, where there was a big British naval base. To prevent the weapons from falling into enemy hands, Spindler told his crew to open the ship's sea-valves. He also ordered them to set off an explosive charge in the ship's cargo area.
As they left the sinking ship, the crew took down the fake Norwegian flag. They then raised the real
in its place. They got into two small dinghies and were taken to Donington Hall. There, they became prisoners of war.
They managed to escape briefly but were caught again the next day. Spindler was not in good health after being sick several times. Because of his health, he was moved to the Netherlands in a prisoner exchange shortly before the war ended.
Writing and US Tour
In 1921, Spindler wrote a book about his part in the secret weapon mission. The book was translated into English with titles like "The mystery of the Casement ship" or "The Mystery Ship."
In 1931, fifteen years after the Easter Rising, Spindler was invited to give talks in several major US cities. This tour was organized by Irish-American groups. They wanted to show a strong connection between the Irish and German people. Spindler received a gold medal at a special ceremony in Mecca Temple. He gave his first speech there to about 4,000 people.
During his tour in California, both San Francisco and Los Angeles held parades for Spindler. He was even given the key to the state of California. In Boston, he received the key to the city. You can see an example of a medal from this tour by following this link: here.
Later Life
Karl Spindler stayed in the United States for the rest of his life, even though he visited his family in Germany many times. During World War II, he was held in an internment camp. This happened because he had not become a permanent resident or a citizen of the US. He was released at the end of the war, but his health was poor.
Karl Spindler passed away on November 29, 1951, in Bismarck, North Dakota.
