Glenn J

Joe, the Offizier-Stellvertreter was not entitled by regulations to wear an officers' pattern helmet. However according to Kraus that did not entirely stop the practice! Offizier-Stellvertreter were also cautioned against the wearing of the officer pattern caps, Paletot, cloak and Litewka etc. As a SNCO the Offizier-Stellvertreter was entitled to the issue helmet with NCOs cockades. The Offizier-Stellvertreter was still classified in the rank group of Unteroffizier mit Portepee whereas the Feldwebelleutant was classified as a junior officer. Regards Glenn

This from a wartime illustrated weekly: Regards Glenn

The then Hauptmann Kraehe was transfered from Infanterie-Regiment von St?lpnagel (5. Brandenburg.) Nr. 48 on 22 March 1907 into Infanterie-Regiment Graf D?nhoff (7. Ostpreu?.) Nr. 44. This was the occasion of his being granted a very preferential improvement on his Patent of seniority of 12.9.98. It was not unusual for captains on transfer to another regiment to typically gain this sort of seniority in order to balance out the relative seniority of officers within the entire infantry branch across the different regiments. Regards Glenn

Albert Wagenfuhr: Sekonde-Lieutenant d.R.: 15.2.87 Premier-Lieutenant d.L.: 12.9.95 Hh Rittmeister d.L.: 18.7.02 R Retired from the Landwehr on 22 April 1912 with permission to wear the Landwehr Cavalry Uniform. I can find no wartime trace of him. Landwirt in Offleben Regards Glenn

Korporalschaft = Section or Squad Regards Glenn

The rank of Feldzeugmeister was that held by all Austro-Hungarian full Generals with the exception of cavalry Generals prior to the late 1908 introduction of the rank of General der Infanterie. Although Gustav Smekal commanded an Infantry regiment (Nr. 49) and higher formations, he was originally commissioned as an artillery officer and elected to use the title Feldzeugmeister on promtion to full General. Generally speaking after 1908 artillery and pioneer Generals still used the title Feldzeugmeister. Regards Glenn

David, who are you looking for? I have the Offizier-Stammliste of FAR. 6. Regards Glenn

Chris, just checked the regimental history at the MGFA and found out he is PLM winner Julius v. Langsdorff. He commanded Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 184 from 6 October 1916 - 23 September 1918. Regards Glenn

Klemens (Clemens) Lieber was originally a regular medical officer serving with Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 82 before transfering to the Reserves in 1906. This from the KWA Stammliste. He was promoted to Oberarzt der Reserve on 18.2.08 and to Stabsarzt der Reserve on 22.3.1915. In 1915 he is shown as serving at the POW hospital in Limburg a.L. Regards Glenn

David, I had this handy so it will save Daniel a job: Regards Glenn

Rick, David N. Spires authored "Image and Reality, the making of the German Officer, 1921-1933", published by Greenwood Press 1984. It deals with officer selection, training, promotions, retirements etc. Regards Glenn

As can be seen below, Hauptmann Wachter retired on 28 February 1927. Regards Glenn

Chris, Rick, originally commissioned with a Patent of 25.10.13, he was awarded a new Patent of 29.10.12 on 14 December 1916. Regards Glenn

Laurence, I think a more serviceable translation of "au?erplanm??ig" in this context would imply that the holder was filling an appointment above his unit's establishment. Not necessarily a temporary promotion but more a non-substantive promotion whilst awaiting a paid established slot within his unit. Regards Glenn

Rick, I have not found a listing for Schrader but Oberfeuerwerker Wittig a.D. was commissioned as a Feurwerkslt. d.L II on 16.2.15. Regards Glenn

Hi Valdis, I don't immediately recognize him but he is an Austrian Bundesheer General officer wearing the pre 1933 pattern uniform. 1933 saw a reintroduction of the traditional k.u.k. pattern insignia. Regards Glenn

I very much agree that the Eastern Front in WW1 is a most fascinating subject! Unfortunately my own talents don't stretch to authoring a history of that campaign! I am neither a trained historian nor a writer. It is unfortunate that the only two (as far as I am aware) tomes in English (Stone and Holger Herwig) do not really do justice to the subject. Stone drones on about ammunition expenditure and the like ad nauseam (in my opinion), states that everyone is useless and then the whole thing peters out before the end of hostilities. What is possible and Chris is already a leading light in this respect are relatively short summaries of individual unit actions. This is of course not ideal for a modern overview of what happened on the Eastern front from 1914-1917. There is much to be recommended in learning to read German! Regards Glenn

Chris, Jobst Wilhelm Karl Ernst Graffunder. Born 4 May 1874 in Berlin. Regards Glenn

Charles, in peacetime no Landwehr Cavalry units existed although Landwehr officers of the cavalry branch were held on the strength of their respective Landwehrbezirk (District) and wore the distinctive Landwehr Cavalry officers' uniform. Numerous Landwehr cavalry squadrons were formed at mobilisation and indeed 2 Landwehr Cavalry Regiments - Numbers 1 & 2. Regiments 90-92 were formed in August 1915. The regiments were redesignated as Kavallerie-Sch?tzen-Regiments in August through October 1916. Regards Glenn

Chris, lovely stuff - my favourites.......obscure Ranglisten Regards Glenn

That makes sense. Obermusikmeister Hugo Brathuhn was the Musikmeister of the 7. Nachtrichten-Abteilung in M?nchen. Regards Glenn

Karl Kohlenberg was a judge in civil life. A Reserve officer with 1. Hannoversches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 74, he was assigned to Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 73 on mobilisation. He is reported as a Hauptmann der Reserve at the time of his death when KIA on 27 September 1914 although I can find no order promoting him to this rank. Leutnant der Reserve: 18.5.01 Oberleutnant der Reserve: 16.6.10 Regards Glenn

Chris, commissioned as a Leutnant der Reserve in R.I.R. 15 on 3 November 1915. Regards Glenn

Private Soldier Austrian Bundesheer in the twenties. Regards Glenn

There is a problem with the Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 89 Nobach. This individual was commissioned as a Sekonde-Lieutenant der Reserve on 14.2.93. With a birthdate of 1879 it cannot possibly be the same guy unless the birthdate is wrong.....perhaps 1869?? Another Nobach (Leutnant Patent of 16.8.07 K5k) briefly served in Infanterie-Regiment Keith (1. Oberschlesisches) Nr. 22 in 1907/1908 leaving the army with a view to emigrating on 18 October 1908. Serving in WW1 he was promoted to Oberleutnant a.D. on 14.4.15 while serving with R.I.R. Nr. 207. But again the birthdate would have made him rather old on first commissioning. Regards Glenn