Sinking The German FleetJanuary 23, 2026

A chronicle of the greatest loss of warships in history and the last casualties of World War One. As the Treaty of Versailles was still being negotiated, German High Seas Fleet admiral Ludwig von Reuter secretly ordered the deliberate sinking of his entire fleet of 74 ships in Orkney, Scotland. This program uses dramatic reconstructions, rare archive and expert interviews to recount the scuttling at Scapa Flow, and in doing so illustrates the wider tensions unfolding in Europe at the end of the war.

Sinking The German Fleet was broadcast on SBS ONE at Friday 23 January 2026, 17:30.