He first attended Gymnasium in Rudolstadt before joining the Imperial German Navy as a cadet on 31 May 1871, where he held a variety of tasks and positions, both on land and at sea, until 1886.

In August and September 1888, while holding the rank of Kapitänleutnant (Captain Lieutenant), Truppel commanded the armored gunboat SMS Viper.

His career in the German colony of Kiautschou in Qing China began in December 1897, when Truppel was given command of the protected cruiser SMS Prinzess Wilhelm, which was then operating off Tsingtao.

After the arrival of the first governor Carl Rosendahl [de] in Tsingtau, Truppel commanded the Prinzess Wilhelm in East Asian waters until 1899.

[2] After his return to Germany, Truppel was raised to hereditary nobility by German Emperor Wilhelm II on 19 August 1911[3] and at the same time transferred to the reserve.