Submarines to “exact revenge for the U29, for the best blood of our nation' like Weddigen, must not be allowed to become the prey of guerilla criminals.” The Hamburger Premdenblatt, echoing the same sentiments as the Nachrichten, said that U29's fate made it imperative for Germany to show “no more quarter” in submarine warfare, which will henceforth be conducted with “utter ruthlessness.” The notorious Count Reventlow was able to “go one better” even than this ingenious theory of the German press, and he made the suggestion that “British ships surprised U29 just when she was saving a ship’s crew," and drew a highly-coloured picture of the brutal Britishers massacring the chivalrous Germans while they were carrying out ‘their work of salvation.” It seemed difficult for German huraourlessness to reach further heights than this absurd utterance, but a German professor at least equalled it by declaring that there must be no more sacrifices to the German system of humanity in war!” All this ingenious fabric the Teutonic Imagination falls to pieces with the Admiralty's simple announcement that the U29 was sunk by a British warship, but perhaps, the German people now care less about the U29 than they did. Possibly Weddigen has been deposed from the pinnacle of fame and deprived of the halo of public heroworship, for has not another submarine sunk the Lusitania, and has not Captain Hersing been officially decorated for his “gallant act?” Captain Hersing’s splendour we fancy has eclipsed the transient lustre of U29 and her commander.
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Southland Times, Issue 17453, 21 June 1915, Page 6
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251Untitled Southland Times, Issue 17453, 21 June 1915, Page 6
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