Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière

Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière was a German naval officer who commanded submarines in World War I and sank more tonnage than any other submarine commander.

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Kaiserliche Marine: The German Empire’s navy from its founding in 1871 until the end of World War I. Arnauld de la Perière served in this navy and commanded its submarines.
U-35: A German U-boat that served in both world wars and became the most successful submarine of World War I by ships sunk. Arnauld de la Perière achieved most of his wartime successes while commanding this submarine.
Mediterranean U-boat campaign: The Central Powers’ submarine campaign against Allied and neutral shipping in the Mediterranean during World War I. Arnauld de la Perière’s most successful patrols took place in this theater.
Allied naval blockade of Germany: The Allied restriction of maritime trade with Germany during World War I, intended to weaken its economy and war effort. The blockade helped drive German reliance on submarine attacks against shipping.
Walther Schwieger: A German submarine commander in World War I, known for sinking the passenger liner RMS Lusitania. Schwieger was another prominent U-boat commander whose wartime record became controversial.
U-139: A large German submarine commissioned near the end of World War I and commanded by Arnauld de la Perière. His final wartime command was this long-range submarine.
SM U-35’s 1916 Mediterranean patrol: A 1916 patrol by U-35 under Arnauld de la Perière that sank numerous Allied and neutral merchant vessels. This patrol illustrates the scale of his successes using warnings and gunfire against shipping.
London Declaration concerning the Laws of Naval War: A 1909 agreement setting proposed rules for maritime warfare, including the treatment of enemy merchant ships. Its contested legal framework helps explain the rules and disputes surrounding submarine attacks.
Otto Hersing: A German submarine commander in World War I, noted for sinking the British battleship HMS Triumph and HMS Majestic. Hersing’s high-profile attacks show the range of German submarine commanders’ wartime exploits.
Deck gun: A gun mounted on a ship’s deck, used by submarines to attack surfaced targets. Arnauld de la Perière often used U-35’s deck gun against merchant ships after stopping them.