Kapitän zur See Hans Langsdorf's letter to the German Ambassador
Dec. 20, 1939
Your excellency,
After a long struggle I reached the grave decision to scuttle the Admiral Graf Spee, in order to prevent her from
falling into enemy hands. I am still convinced that under the circumstances this decision was the only one left,
once I had taken my ship into the trap of Montevideo. For with the ammunition remaining, any attempt to fight
my way back to open and deep water was bound to fail. And yet only in deep water could I have scuttled the
ship, after having used the remaining ammunition, thus avoiding her falling to the enemy.
Sooner than expose my ship to the danger that after a brave fight she would fall partly or completely into
enemy hands. I decided not to fight but to destroy the equipment and then scuttle the ship. It was clear to me
that this decision might be consciously or unwittingly misconstrued by persons ignorant of my motives, as
being attributable entirely or partly to personal considerations. Therefore I decided from the beginning to bear
the consequences involved in this decision. For a captain with a sense of honor, it goes without saying that his
personal fate cannot be separated from that of his ship.
I postponed my intention as long as I still bore responsibility for decisions concerning the welfare of the crew
under my command. After today's decision of the Argentine government, I can do no more for my ship's company. Neither will I be able to take an active part in the present struggle of my country. I can now only prove by my death that the fighting services of the Third Reich are ready to die for the honor of the flag.
I alone bear the responsibility for scuttling the Admiral Graf Spee. I am happy to pay with my life for any possible reflection on the honor of the flag. I shall face my fate with firm faith in the cause and the future of the nation and of my Führer. I am writing this letter to Your Excellency in the quiet of the evening, after a calm deliberation, in order that you may be able to inform my superior officers, and to counter public rumors if this should become necessary.
Kapitän zur See Hans Langsdorff
Pismo komandanta "Admiral Graf Spee" nemackom ambasadoru
