A belligerent warship entering a neutral harbor could not continue holding prisoners, which is why Captain Dove remained aboard Graf Spee only until the ship reached Montevideo after the River Plate battle. Altmark later passed through neutral Norwegian waters while denying that it was a warship and concealing British prisoners. That legal contradiction forms part of the background to the Royal Navy boarding at Jossingfjord. The contrast makes neutral-port law central to understanding why the concealed prisoners aboard Altmark became a naval crisis.
Chapter · 7:28-8:17
Neutral-harbor rules connect Graf Spee to the Altmark incident
Graf Spee's release of prisoners in Montevideo provides the legal contrast for Altmark's attempt to carry prisoners through neutral Norwegian waters.