Johann Diedrich Longé

Who was Johann Diedrich Longé?

Johann Diedrich Longé was a Swedish and Prussian naval officer. He was instrumental in building the Prussian Navy.

Longé was born in what was then Swedish Finland. In 1794 he joined an infantry regiment and in 1799 moved to the navy. On 23 May 1801 he passed the examination as a naval officer served until 1805 in the Swedish Navy. In 1805 he was exempted from service in order to serve with English merchant and naval ships. During this period he was a prisoner of war of both Russia and France.

Longé was serving in the Swedish navy in Swedish Pomerania when that province was transferred to Prussia on 15 August 1815. He then transferred from the Swedish Navy to the Prussian Navy. The Prussian king confirmed the transfer on 2 April 1816 and appointed him captain. He then was deployed in Stralsund, which was a fortress at this time.

In Stralsund Longé prompted the construction of the schooner Stralsund. This may be considered the birth of the Prussian Navy. He was also involved in the formation of the first Prussian Naval Academy, the Navigationsschule, opened in Danzig in 1817. As commander of the Stralsund he took the students on training cruises.