Glenn J

David, a Stammliste of both regiments is contained in Volume 2 of Schwarze Husaren. I looked for your officer but only came across reference to an officer by the name of Louis von Driesen gen. v.d. Oest of Leib-Husaren-Regiment Nr. 2 whose details are apparently in volume 1. I can check volume 1 for you in two weeks time when I return to the library and see if there is anything of interest on him. I can't next weekend as I will be in Berlin. Regards Glenn

Although I would generally agree with Kurt that the rank of Offizierstellvertreter was utilized by career NCOS in officer positions it was not uniquely so. Certainly in the earlier phase of the war many Vizefeldwebel der Reserve (i.e. former "One Year Volunteers" and reserve officer aspirants) were appointed to Offizierstellvertreter prior to commissioning. The Kriegs-Besoldungs-Vorschrift (D.V.E. Nr. 101) stipulated prewar who could be appointed as an Offizierstellvertreter by the regimental or independent battalion commander: a. Active F?hnriche and Fahnenjunker (Unteroffiziere). b. Vizefeldwebel and Unteroffiziere of the Reserve/Landwehr who possessed the certificate of competence to be a reserve or Landwehr officer (Offizier-Aspiranten). c. Former officer aspirants. And then if further need arose: d. Active Feldwebel and Vizefeldwebel. e. By Landwehr and Landsturm units - former active NCOs. Regards Glenn

Hi Robin, this does not add much but this is Hemmerde's entry in the biographical section of Mackensen's history of the Schwarze Husaren. Of note is the earlier use of the term karakter instead of charakter. Regards Glenn

Hi Christophe, I have. Who are you looking for? Regards Glenn

Christophe, Generalleutnant Ernst Ritter von Schrott. Regards Glenn

Les, Dr. phil. Kurt-Gerhard Klietmann died on the 14th of October 1990. He had studied archaology, nusmismatics and ancient history at the university of Berlin. He was severely wounded in WW2 and rendered unfit for further service. He then had the opportunity to study at the Potsdam War Archives before they were destroyed. Regards Glenn

Tom & Stephen, a couple of copies at zvab.de. Expensive though! Full title: Geschichte des k?niglich bayrischen 15. Infanterie-Regiments K?nig Johann von Sachsen im Feldzuge 1870/71 gegen Frankreich Regards Glenn

Hi Wild Card, Julius Hermann von Mertens was promoted to Generalmajor on the 2nd of August 1888. He retired in late 1889 and died on the 10th of February 1900. That looks like a "1" on the epaulette fields so presumably taken when he commanded the Ostpreu?isches J?ger-Bataillon Nr. 1 from 15 Feb 1879 - 30 March 1880. Regards Glenn

More on Riese: Oberkriegsgerichtsrat Wilhelm Riese was born in 1857. He was commisioned from the 1. Bataillon (Essen) 8. Westf?l. Landwehr Regiment Nr. 57 as a Seconde Lieutenant der Reserve in Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 131 on the 11 December 1884. Promoted to Premier-Lieutenant der Reserve on 21 Jan 1894 he transfered into Landwehr status on the rolls of Landwehrbezirk K?nigsberg in the same year. By 1894 he was the Division Auditeur of the 2. Division at K?nigsberg in East Prussia and had already been awarded the LD2. He married the same year - Margarete Deutschmann on the 20th of October. He was awarded the brevet or Charakter of Justizrath on 13 December 1898. He was transfered to the 39. Division in early 1899 and retired from Landwehr service in 1899/1900. He was assigned to the staff of the V. Armeekorps in 1900/1901 and his title changed on 1 October 1900 to that of Kriegsgerichtsrat per the A.K.O. of 31 March 1901. He was promoted to Oberkriegsgerichtsrat on 2 December 1909 and assigned to the staff of the IX. Armeekorps. Regards Glenn

Heiko, The Rang- und Quartierliste der Beamten der Milit?rverwaltung of 1917 shows him with no further awards than listed in the 1914 Rangliste. Regards Glenn

Stephen, Anton Traxler von Schrollheim (presumably the nephew as discussed above) was born at Josephstadt in Bohemia on the 10th of August 1864 as the son of a postmaster. He entered the Theresia Military Academy at Wiener-Neustadt in 1882 from which he graduated as a Lieutenant in 1885 in Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 5 Kaiser von Russland. he was promoted to Oberlieutenant on the 1st of May 1889 on transfer to Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 10 F?rst zu Liechtenstein. After attending the War School he was assigned to the General Staff on the 1st of February 1893 and was assigned as a General Staff officer to the 18th Cavalry Brigade in Budapest. Promoted to Hauptmann 1. Classe on the 1st of May 1896 he was serving in the 8. Galizisches Uhlanen-Regiment as a Rittmeister in 1901. A Major since 1 Nov 1903 he was serving as the Chief of Staff of the 11th Infantry Division at Lemberg in 1904. His promotion to Oberstleutnant was on the 1st of May 1908. He is show in 1909 as the commander of the 1st Division of the 1. Galizisches Ulanen-Regiment. A division was a Half-Regiment. He retired in 1911 and was then employed as a uniformed retired officer (in Lokalverwendung) at the Military Veterinary High School in Vienna where he spent the remainder of his career until 1918. He received a brevet promotion to Oberst (mit Titel and Charakter) sometime after 1916. In 1914 he shown as living at Strohgasse 9 in Vienna's 3rd District. Regards Glenn

I would say the latter document is simply a promotion document. Franz Behrend is already listed as a Vizewachtmeister a.D. It was not unusual for former senior NCOs to be given charakter promotions to Leutnant der Landwehr a.D at this time. Regards Glenn

Stephen, a little bit more information from my friend J?rg C. Steiner in Vienna: Traxler was enobled on the 24th September 1878 and as he appears to have had no children of his own, this heriditary nobility was passed along to his two nephews - Josef and Anton on the 31st July 1879. In 1879 he went onto half-pay status (Wartegeb?hr) for one year on account of being unfit for service due to illness. In 1881 he definitively retired as an Oberst. Regards Glenn

That is indeed Durchbruchm?ller the artillery genius. It is also without doubt the finest photograph I have seen of him. Regards Glenn

Stephen, Kaiserlich und K?niglich (Imperial and Royal). Regards Glenn

Ian, Johannes Anton Dietrich von Schlieben 2 Mar 1893-27 Apr 1984. A former Saxon cadet, commissioned in the Garde-Reiter-Regiment (1. schweres Regiment) he remained on active duty with the Reichsheer between the wars. I am not sure when or how he became qualified as an engineer officer! F?hnrich: 8.2.13 Leutnant: 24.2.14 (Patent 22.6.12) Oberleutnant: 2.8.17 J (Reichsheer Patent 18.8.17 (16)) Rittmeister: 1.4.25 (21) Major: 1934 Oberstleutnant: 1.10.36 Oberst: 1.6.39 Generalmajor: 1.1.43 1920-1932: 12. (s?chsisches) Reiter-Regiment 1933: Stab 2. Kavallerie-Division 1.10.35-1.3.39: Kdr. Pionier-Bataillon 42 (mot) 3.39-10.39: Kdr. Pionier-Bataillon 86 (mot) 10.39-Early 42: Armee-Pionierf?hrer 6. Armee 1.7.42-End 43: Kdr. Annahme-Stab f?r Offizier Bewerbe. V (Admissions staff for officer applicants) Mar-May 44: Gen. z.b.V. Heeresgruppe S?d (General for special employment) May-Aug 44: Gen. z.b.V. Heeresgruppe Nord Aug-Dec 44: Kdt. Befestigung Brabant (Fortress Brabant) Jan-May 45: H?h. Pi. Kdr. He is wearing the Cross of an Ehrenritter of the Johanniter-Orden on the left breast. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the St- Heinrichs-Orden on the 14 Oct 1915 for his conduct on the 9 Sep 1915 during the assault on the heights of Ballin-Dessau south of Friedrichstadt in Courland by the 23. Kavallerie-Brigade. Shame about the inheritance Regards Glenn

Greetings old Namesake! Egon Friedrich Wilhelm von Schlieben born at Niederfriedersdorf on 13 Nov 1852-27 Dec 1933 was a Saxon Infantry Officer originally commissioned in Sch?tzen-(F?silier-) Regiment "Prinz Georg" Nr. 108. Prior to his appointment as commander of the 2nd Grenadiers he had risen to be the second in command (Oberstleutnant beim Stabe) of this regiment. Sekondelieutenant: 2.11.74 Premierlieutenant: 1.4.81 Hauptmann: 1.4.87 Rr Major: 21.4.97 Oberstleutnant: 22.3.01 Oberst: 11.9.03 A Generalmajor: 21.5.1907 (ohne Patent) 24.2.1908 (Patent 18.2.1908 B?) Char. Generalleutnant: 23.5.11 11.9.1903-25.3.1907: Kdr. 2. Grenadier-Regiment Kaiser Wilhelm, K?nig von Preussen Nr. 101 25.3.1907-21.5.1907: Kdr. 6.k?nigl. S?chsische Infanterie-Brigade (mFb) 21.5.1907-24.9.1910: Kdr. 6.k?nigl. S?chsische Infanterie-Brigade 24.9.1910-23.9.1913: Kommandant von Dresden 23.9.1913: Retired with pension and the right to wear Generals? Uniform Recalled at mobilisation he once again became Kommandant of Dresden. Regards from Deutschland Glenn

Stephen, a Rittmeister is a cavalry captain. Major Alphons Freiherr von Wrede produced the multi-volume work "Geschichte der K.u.K. Wehrmacht" during the period 1898-1905. Regards Glenn

Stephen, my own sources regarding the pre 1900 Austrian Army are a little thin. Oberst Joseph Traxler commanded the 6th Uhlans from 1876-1879. As he is still listed as plain Joseph Traxler in Wrede's "Geschichte" it would appear he was enobled around 1879-1880. He is not listed as a commissioned officer or officer cadet in 1848 but appears in the 1859 Schematismus as a Rittmeister 2. Classe in the 9. Uhlanen-Regiment and holder of the Knight's Cross of the Tuscan Saint Stephan's Order. By 1865 he was still serving in the 9. Uhlanen-Regiment and had advanced to the rank of Rittmeister 1. Classe. He did not command a brigade or higher formation so in all probability retired as an Oberst, possibly a Brevet Major General. I would suggest an email or a letter to the Austrian War Archives who will most certainly have his records and will provide copies on request: kapost@oesta.gv.at Regards Glenn

Brian, HV = Heeresverwaltung or Army Administration. Worn by military officials. Regards Glenn

Hi Christophe, Oberstleutnant, later char. Generalmajor Georg Bruchm?ller. PLM on 01 May 1917 and OPLM on 26 Mar 18. Regards Glenn

Chris, Rick is correct, a former infantry officer: Friedrich Emil Georg Hermann Weygand, born 28 February 1881 at Gumbinnen in East Prussia, the son of Generalmajor Friedrich Weygand and Margarete n?e Miethke. Entered the armed as a "Two Year Volunteer" with a view to a commission in the 1. Kurhessisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 81 on the 5th of March 1900. Appointed F?hnrich on 15.12.00 and commissioned as a Leutnant on 18.10.01. Transfered to Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 158 on 18.10.02 and then served an attachment with Feldartillerie-Regiment General-Feldzeugmeister (1. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 3 from 1.11.05 to 21.7.06. Served another attachment with Fu?artillerie-Regiment Nr. 3 from 1.6.07 to 18.5.08 when he was definitively transfered to that regiment. Regards Glenn

Walter Weishaupt remained with WEI Liegnitz until July 1940 when he was assigned as the 3rd Admiral's Staff Officer (3. Asto.) on the staff of the commanding Admiral Norway. Promoted to Kapit?n zur See on 1.4.41, he was assigned to the Baltic Naval Station Command in March 1942. Placed at zur Verf?gung status in April 1942, he retired on 31.1.43. Regards Glenn

Paul, I have as yet been unable to determine Oberstleutnant Seitz's first name. However here is a little background information on his prewar career. Originally commissioned in Infanterie-Regiment von Grolmann (1. Posensches) Nr. 18 on the 20th of September 1890 he transfered to the II. See-Bataillon in 1893/94. By 1898 he was serving with the III. See-Bataillon and his award of the Third Class 2nd Grade Order of the Chinese Double Dragon was gazetted in the 24th of August 1898 edition of Milit?r-Wochenblatt. Seitz rejoined the Army on the 1st of November 1898 entering the 9. Badisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 170. Promoted to Oberleutnant on the 27th of January 1899 and to supernumary Hauptmann on the 29th of May 1906 he was appointed as a company commander on the 16th of October 1906. Following his retirement in May 1914 the trail runs cold (for now). Regards Glenn

Hi Chris, Oberstleutnant Julius Ritter von Reichert (14 Jul 73 - 26 Aug 58). The title was hereditary. At mobilsation in 1914 he was the General Staff officer of the 5. Division in N?rnberg. Originally a field artillery officer, he was Chief of Staff of XV. Reserve-Korps from 23 Sep 1916 - 7 Nov 1918. Sekondelieutenant/Leutnant: 5.3.94 Oberleutnant: 9.3.02 Hauptmann: 16.10.08 Major: 10.9.14 Regards Glenn