The origins of the Admiralstab der Kaiserliche Marine trace back to the Allerhöchste Kabinettsordre of December 14, 1875, which called for establishing an Admiralty as an operational leadership organ of the Naval High Command. Despite initial directives, when Kaiser Wilhelm II assumed direct command over the navy in 1899 and dissolved the Naval High Command, only the Admiralstab department remained. It was then reorganized and placed directly under the authority of Wilhelm II. The Admiralstab‘s tasks included continuing previous duties and the military-political oversight of ships stationed abroad. However, Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz intentionally kept its significance minimal, aimed to avoid competition with the Reichsmarineamt, ensuring that the Admiralstab remained primarily a “war study authority” rather than a rival to the army’s Generalstab.

During World War I, the Admiralstab served as one of the four top command authorities of the German Imperial Navy, playing a crucial role in the naval operations. The fragmented naval leadership soon proved detrimental to the war effort. It was not until the Seekriegsleitung was established in August 1918 that unified leadership was achieved, albeit far too late, to impact the course of the war. After the war, the Admiralstab was placed under the Reichsmarineamt‘s authority and ultimately dissolved by presidential decree on September 15, 1919.