Chris Boonzaier Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 I am trying to buy up diverse docs to a bavarian Major on Ebay, unfortunately no award docs.But there are great little things, like this one from General von Hoehnreally interesting content, especially the part about the Somme on the last page !!!!Also included is a handwritten piece of paper which i am having a bit of trouble with.Also a ?ic of the major.I will add more of his stuff here as I hopefully get it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 16, 2007 Author Share Posted February 16, 2007 the 2nd last paragraph about the Somme and tactics !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 16, 2007 Author Share Posted February 16, 2007 The part I can only roughly read ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 16, 2007 Author Share Posted February 16, 2007 The guy in Question... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 16, 2007 Author Share Posted February 16, 2007 A large staff phot of (?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 16, 2007 Author Share Posted February 16, 2007 Which I assume he got directly from von Gallwitz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 16, 2007 Author Share Posted February 16, 2007 Without asking anyone to burn the midnight oil, does anyone have any rough info on Oberstleutn. v.Thaddem , January 1917 on the staff of Gruppe Nowogrodek.ThanksChris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 18, 2007 Author Share Posted February 18, 2007 The letter by General von Hoehn is one of those great Ebay finds. Sometimes historically interesting things get overseen by collectors. It was written by von Hoehn at the end of 1916 to major Paul Schmitt.Amongst the lines relating to Major Schmitts military postings are some great insights into the military situation at the end of 1916.Von Hoehn mentions his 50km long mountainous section of the western front and the fact that he has mainly territorial units under his command. Not only that, he has battered and depleted units from other sectors who, when they arrive are so lethurgic that in one case the French managed to capture 11 men in a bunker, something that would not have happened to the Landwehr/trrrotorial troops.There is a bit of complaining about the fact that the Bavarians are often the disadvantaged cousins, used and abused by the Prussians.Historically the most interesting part is his answer to a point raised by Schmitt in a previous letter, probably relating to German tactics and losses on the Somme.Von Hoehne mentions he was present at a conference (end of 1916) where a new tactical doctrine was worked out, one which Ludendorff was in agreement with. He also mentions fellow commanders (to remain unamed) who did not agree with these new doctrines. He accuses them of wasting the lives of their men to test theories that would have made von Clauswitz turn in his grave.The doctrines that von Hoehn helped formulate must have been the flexible defence in depth doctrine attributed to Ludendorff, the commanders who were against it were probably those who did their best not to implement it, the visable results of their course of action becoming apparent during the allied offensives in 1917.The simply typed sheet of paper is a great little piece of history... It makes one just love Ebay.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 18, 2007 Author Share Posted February 18, 2007 Does anyone wan to have a shot at post 3 :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 21, 2007 Author Share Posted February 21, 2007 Man... its lonely in here....To the staff photo..Unfortunately only the remark that it was given to him personally by von Gallwitz. A date would not have been bad.I wonder if it is the staff of the shortly existing Heeresgruppe von Gallwitz? It existed briefly in late 1916.I dont suppose anyone can say "the collar on the third jacket from the left is a kind only used in August 1916" or something similar?I thought not... :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerd Becker Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I can?t believe, nobody commented to this nice group yet. However, the note in post 3 is impossible to read, i am sorry. I can hardly read S?tterlin, but S?tterlin in bad handwriting is too much for me. All i can make out is:...des bayer. Reiterkorps(Generalleutnant v Fasbender)...Glt. v. Hoehn ist j?ngstens zum General...Thats all, sorry, mate. You need a real pro in S?tterlin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 21, 2007 Author Share Posted February 21, 2007 The Younger generation..... man o man.... ;-)Thanks, its a start.All the bestChris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernhard H.Holst Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 The part I can only roughly read ;-)Hello Chris.Without wanting to steal Gerd's thunder here is my partial reading:"Zum Brief vom 28.XI.16.Ich hatte Genl.v. Hoehn von meiner neuen Verwendung ? ? des bay.Res.Korps (Genlt. v. Fasbender) meinen Eindruck aus der Somme Schlacht geschrieben . Dieser Brief ist die Antwort auf meinen diesbezueglichen. Genl. v. Hoehn ist inzwischen zum Gen.d. Artl. befoerdert u. zum Kom.Gen. des G.Kdo. 15. b. Res.Kps ernannt worden u. hat einen Kampfabschnitt als Teil der Vogesenfront . "Bernhard H. Holst Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 21, 2007 Author Share Posted February 21, 2007 Super!!!I think it is "Verwendung als Ia" ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerd Becker Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 You need a real pro in S?tterlin.Like Bernhard!!! I am impressed. Great job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 21, 2007 Author Share Posted February 21, 2007 After the Vogesen von Hoehn and his men were in the front line for the Nivelle offensive, if Schmitt and Von Hoehn could have guessed what the tactical theories mentioned in von hoehns letter would bring..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul R Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I cant believe that I missed this! Were you able to get all of the papers?Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernhard H.Holst Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Super!!!I think it is "Verwendung als Ia" ?Hello Chris.I am in agreement re. " Verwendung als I.a"Bernhard H. Holst Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 21, 2007 Author Share Posted February 21, 2007 I cant believe that I missed this! Were you able to get all of the papers?PaulHi,ebay, so far I have only got a few of them, the seller is playing his cards close to his chest.BestChris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Here are a couple of pics dedicated to Schmitt from commanding generals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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