 The fleet remained in captivity during the negotiations that ultimately produced the Treaty of Versailles . Von Reuter believed that the British intended to seize the German ships on 21 June 1919 , which was the deadline for Germany to have signed the peace treaty . Unaware that the deadline had been extended to the 23rd , Reuter ordered the ships to be sunk at the first opportunity . On the morning of 21 June , the British fleet left Scapa Flow to conduct training maneuvers , and at 11 : 20 Reuter transmitted the order to his ships . Markgraf sank at 16 : 45 . The British soldiers in the guard detail panicked in their attempt to prevent the Germans from scuttling the ships ; they shot and killed Markgraf 's captain , Walter Schumann , who was in a lifeboat , and an enlisted man . In total , the guards killed nine Germans and wounded twenty @-@ one . The remaining crews , totaling some 1 @,@ 860 officers and enlisted men , were imprisoned . 
 The fleet remained in captivity during the negotiations <a href='null_relcl' title='1'><mark>that</mark></a>ultimately produced the Treaty of Versailles . Von Reuter believed that the British intended to seize the German ships on 21 June 1919 , which was the deadline for Germany to <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>have</mark></a> signed the peace treaty . Unaware that the deadline <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>had</mark></a> been extended to the 23rd , Reuter ordered the ships to be sunk at the first opportunity . On the morning of 21 June , the British fleet left Scapa Flow to conduct training maneuvers , and at 11 : 20 Reuter transmitted the order to his ships . Markgraf sank at 16 : 45 . The British soldiers in the guard detail panicked in their attempt to prevent the Germans from scuttling the ships ; they shot and killed Markgraf <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>captain , Walter Schumann , <a href='null_relcl' title='5'><mark>who</mark></a>was in a lifeboat , and an enlisted man . In total , the guards killed nine Germans and wounded twenty @-@ one . The remaining crews , totaling some 1 @,@ 860 officers and enlisted men , <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> imprisoned . 
The fleet remained in captivity during da negotiations ultimately produced the Treaty of Versailles . Von Reuter believed that the British intended to seize tdaGerman ships on 21 June 1919 , which was the deadline for Germany to done signed thdaeace treaty . Unaware dat the deadline done been extended to the 23rd , Reuter ordered the ships to be sunk at thedarst opportunity . On the danin of 21 June , the Bdaish fleet left Scapa Flow to conduct training maneuvers , and at 11 : 20 Reuter transmitted the order to his ships . Markgraf sank at 16 : 45 . The British soldiers in the guard detail panicked in their attempt to prevent the Germans from scuttling the ships ; they shot and killed Markgraf  captain , Walter Schumann , was in a lifeboat , and an enlisted man . In total , the guards killed nine Germans and wounded twenty @-@ one . The redaning crews , totaling some 1 @,@ 860 officers and enlisted men , was imprisoned .