Career
He is noted as the originator of a series of influential works, published between 1915 and 1929, outlining the so-called Wegener Thesis. This thesis criticised the naval strategy adopted by Germany in the First World War, and proposed an alternative strategy based on threatening the sea lines of communication of the United Kingdom with both surface and sub-surface forces. The Wegener thesis is often regarded as a significant contribution to German naval strategy in the Second World War, although the extent to which this was actually the case is disputed.
Wegener was educated at the König-Wilhelms-Gymnasium (King Wilhelm high school).
He served on the cruiser Deutschland from 1897–1899, reaching the rank of Leutnant zur Secretary He became a gunnery specialist, serving as First Gunnery Officer on the armoured cruiser SMS Blücher from 1909 to 1910.
From 1912 to 1917, he served as chief of staff to the Admiral commanding the First Battle Squadron, reaching the rank of Fregattenkapitän in 1917. From 1917 to 1918 he commanded firstly the light cruiser Regensburg and then another light cruiser, Nürnberg.
Following the Armistice, he continued to serve in the new Reichsmarine, being appointed Kapitän zur See on 21 January 1920, and Konteradmiral in 1923.
His final appointment was as Inspector of Gunnery, based at Wilhelmshaven. Not long after, he was forced into retirement by the "uniformity" policies (which included stifling of different opinions in the naval ranks) of Admiral. Erich Raeder.
