Hugo von Pohl

Hugo von Pohl
Hugo von Pohl, 1915
Born	(1855-08-25)25 August 1855 Breslau, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia (now Wrocław, Poland)
Died	23 February 1916(1916-02-23) (aged 60)
Allegiance	German Empire
Service/branch	Imperial German Navy
Years of service	1876–1916
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	SMS Carola SMS Ulan SMS Hansa SMS Elsaß Reconnaissance Forces High Seas Fleet
Battles/wars	Boxer Rebellion First World War

Hugo von Pohl (25 August 1855 – 23 February 1916) was a German admiral who served during the First World War. He joined the Navy in 1872 and served in various capacities, including with the new torpedo boats in the 1880s, and in the Reichsmarineamt (Imperial Navy Office) in the 1890s. He eventually reached the rank of Vizeadmiral and held the position of Chief of the Admiralty Staff in 1913. As Chief of the Admiralty Staff, Pohl was an outspoken advocate of unrestricted submarine warfare, and he put the policy into effect as he left the post on 1 February 1915.

He commanded the German High Seas Fleet from February 1915 until January 1916. As the commander of the surface fleet, he was exceedingly cautious, and did not engage the High Seas Fleet in any actions with the British Grand Fleet. Seriously ill from liver cancer by January 1916, Pohl was replaced by Reinhard Scheer that month. Pohl died a month later.