Streonshalh Becomes Final Merchant Victim
Graf Spee sinks the British steamer Streonshalh, the final merchant ship destroyed during Langsdorff's commerce-raiding cruise.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1939 in Germany — Page 9
Explore 416 historical events and records for Germany in 1939.
Historical records for Germany in 1939
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 416 unique records.
416Unique records
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33Named events on this page
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December
Battle of River Plate
The Graf Spee has sunk 9 merchant ships, not a single life had been lost
Graf Spee
The Graf Spee has sunk 9 merchant ships, not a single life had been lost
River Plate Shipping Area Selected
Langsdorff heads toward the River Plate region, where heavy merchant traffic offers a final opportunity before an intended return voyage.
Norway Invasion Planning Conference
Jodl discusses plans for an invasion of Norway with Hitler, Keitel and Raeder.
Battle of River Plate
The Graf Spee enters the neutral port of Montevideo. Allowed to stay for 24 hours under the terms of the Hague convention of 1907
British Cruiser Force Sighted
Graf Spee sights British warships on the morning of 13 December while approaching the River Plate area.
British Force Initially Misidentified
Langsdorff initially mistakes Ajax and Achilles for destroyers accompanying a cruiser, underestimating the British force ahead.
Graf Spee
The Graf Spee enters the neutral port of Montevideo
Graf Spee Closes at High Speed
Believing he has found a vulnerable force, Langsdorff closes rapidly instead of exploiting Graf Spee's longer-range heavy guns.
Main Battery Opens Fire on Exeter
Graf Spee opens fire on HMS Exeter with 283-millimetre guns shortly after 06:17 as the Battle of the River Plate begins.
Montevideo Selected after River Plate Battle
After the engagement, Langsdorff heads for neutral Montevideo to land wounded men, release prisoners and assess battle damage.
Neutrality
The Graf Spee enters the neutral port of Montevideo
Turn Made against British Torpedo Threat
Langsdorff alters course as British cruisers attempt torpedo attacks, repeatedly using manoeuvre and smoke to complicate their firing.
Graf Spee Enters Montevideo Harbour
Graf Spee enters Montevideo shortly after midnight, beginning an intense diplomatic dispute over repairs and the permitted length of stay.
Invasion of Norway
Issues OKW command to begin plans to invade orway
Battle of River Plate
Buries the casualties of the battle
Battle of River Plate
The crew are evacuated & the Graf Speee is scuttled, Langsdorf then shoots himself. Decides to scuttle his ship in the Plate Estuary to avoid unnecessary loss of life for no military advantage, against Hitler's will
Mobilization
The armed forces are ordered to be ready for the occupation of the rest of Czech
Sinking of Admiral Graf Spee
Decides to scuttle his ship in the Plate Estuary to avoid unnecessary loss of life for no military advantage, against Hitler's will
Sinking of Admiral Graf Spee - Scuttling Charges
Langsdorff evacuated most of his crew before scuttling Admiral Graf Spee with demolition charges outside Montevideo on 17 December 1939.
Invasion of Norway
Quisling meets Hitler & urges him to invade Norway
Operation Weserübung Preparations Intensified
Jodl's operations staff develops military preparations for the planned invasion of Norway and Denmark.
Other events (month unknown)
Ambassador
Appointed Ambassador of Turkey
Army Group Command
Witzleben holds senior army command during the early phase of the war
Army Group North
Appointed Commander of Army Group North for the invasion of Poland
Army Group North
Appointed Commander of Army Group North for the invasion of Poland
Army Group South
Chief of Staff to the Army Group South under General Gerd von Rundstedt
Army Organisation
Quirnheim works on army organisation matters as Germany begins the war in Europe
Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote
Appointed Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote, Admiral
Bolshevik Party
The Polish Bolsheviks kill 58,000 German Nationals in the Danzig corridor In the months leading up to the German invasion the Polish Army and independent Bolshevik units had been slaughtering German nationals in the Danzig corridor
Brigadier General
Appointed Brigadier
Brigadier General
Appointed Brigadier General
Capture of Brest Litovsk
Bocks newly formed fast motorised tank Division captures Brest Litovsk
Capture of Germany
Poland is captured in 18 days. Much of the western zone of Poland is administered by the civilian Government-Central
Capture of Memel
Memel is captured, the chief port of Lithuania
Capture of Posen
September leads the eighth army into Posen
Capture of River Bug
Poland is split between the Germans & the Russians along the River Bug
Capture of Warsaw
Commands the Army which captures Warsaw
Chief of Staff
Appointed Chief of Staff for Security by Himmler in Poland
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.